Chapters I-IV Questions

Chapter I 
Give an example or two about situations in which you are "...attending to universal issues and withdrawing...attention from the stream of immediate sense experiences" (2).
One recent example that I can think of is when I decided to clean my room before school started. I was doing very well and making good progress until I reached the last third of my room where my computer is located. I noticed that I had received a message from a friend and decided to respond. Unfortunately, I quickly found myself engrossed with my computer and spending nearly an hour on trivial things such as Youtube videos. Two-thirds of my room had been cleaned efficiently, but the last third had to wait until the following morning to be cleaned.

What does Lewis mean by “real life” throughout the chapter?
“Real life” in this chapter is talking about the tangible features and events that we experience each day. It is the immediate world around us that does not involve voluntary, deep, or spiritual thoughts. Real life is what we can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. It is what the devil can use in any situation to distract us and keep us from more important thoughts or actions. It can be as simple as the sound of a phone vibrating while reading a daily devotion.

Chapter II 
What do you think about the following quote? "The Enemy allows this disappointment to occur on the threshold of every human endeavour" (7).
I think that this quote is very true, and that God does allow trials to be placed into our lives. I believe that God places these disappointments in our lives in the hopes of giving us instructions and ultimately bringing us closer to Him; however, when we forget that God is always good and knows our own individual limits and capabilities, it can also be a risky time and provide the devil with a perfect opportunity to attack our hearts and lead us astray. I believe that Screwtape understands this detail very well and knows that it will become harder to tempt a person once he or she has overcome these trials.

Chapter III 
What are your "daily pinpricks" (11)?
 For myself, spiral paper eats at something deep inside me. My biggest daily pinprick is when I see people outside of the supermarket bringing a cart full of groceries to their vehicle and then carelessly leaving the emptied cart in the middle of the sidewalk or on the grass somewhere in the middle of the parking lot. I wonder why they can’t take one extra minute of their time to return the cart to a dedicated spot. Much of the time, these designated spots are less than ten seconds away. The laziness and lack of thought that some people have, especially on windy days, is something that has always bothered me. Another daily pinprick is when I go walking with my dog and see or smell another dog’s droppings left in the grass off to the side of the sidewalk. If I have to be a responsible dog owner and pick up my dog’s droppings during walks, I believe that other people should have to do the same. I find it both disgusting and irresponsible.

Give an example or two of situations in which you have neglected the obvious (12).
One situation in which I neglected the obvious is when I forgot to move my wallet from my school bag to my purse. I had just gotten home from school one day and needed to go to the supermarket with my mom to buy some school supplies. I put down my bag and grabbed my purse, but I had completely forgotten that I put my wallet in my school bag in case I needed to buy something at school.

Chapter IV 
What does Lewis suggest when he says “...whatever their bodies do affects their souls” (16)?
I believe that Lewis is suggesting that, even though God doesn’t require some type of robotic position or ritual when we pray, we can take the fact that we can pray at any time, place, or in any position for granted. One problem that I faced for many years was praying as I lay on my bed and falling asleep in the middle of what I believed to be a heartfelt prayer. Thinking back, I do not believe that those prayers were indeed focused and heartfelt like God desires. Even now, I need to take care that I do not put myself in situations that would interfere with my prayers. It is still possible to pray at any time, place, or in any position; however, those variables can still drastically affect one’s prayer.

What are your thoughts on prayer? Compare your prayer life to this chapter.
I believe that prayer plays a vital part of any Christian’s life and that it is a means of communication that God has provided us with to talk directly with Him. Just like God can speak to us through the Bible, we can use prayer to talk with God. I think that prayer is a key part of a sort of invisible “lifeline” connecting us with God. As I read through this chapter, I realized that I am guilty of some of the things Screwtape mentions. At times, I can pray in the hopes of producing a “feeling” that I have been forgiven or a “feeling” that I can indeed pass a test that I have not properly prepared for. I am also guilty of praying to God whilst creating some sort of image or representation I created with my own mind. Instead of praying to the true God that IS, I end up focusing too much on simply what I think He is.