the preface

WORMWOOD:

"There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight." -C.S. Lewis

I cannot understand why devils are equally pleased by those two extremes and how I, an apprentice devil, am supposed to "hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight." I have heard though that there is a God who sees everything that we do and who is in total control of everything.

I have heard that "such God" reigns supreme -- even over Master Screwtape's deceptive schemes which I am still in the process of learning. I really wonder.. if "such God" really exists, I might as well be cautious of everything that Toadpipe feeds me. As Mr. Lewis has warned his would-be readers, "Not everything that Screwtape says should be assumed to be true even from his own angle."

I would like to believe that although Master Screwtape can invade anyone's thought realm, twist Scripture and manipulate circumstances, he cannot read minds. And so with utmost care (and fear) I now begin my quest for the Truth and pray (if it is true that "such God" answers prayers) that Master Screwtape doesn't find out about my 'secret' research. Not now.