The Snakebite Letters: Devilishly Devious Secrets for Subverting Society as Taught in Tempter's Training School [Paperback]

Peter Kreeft (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1998

By Peter J. Kreeft Taking his cue from the new literary genre invented by C. S. Lewis in Screwtape Letters, Peter Kreeft has gathered together fifteen spicy letters from Satan's agents below that allow the reader to spy into Hell's inter-office communication. Now that it is becoming more and more obvious that we are at war--not only cultural but spiritual war--it is also more necessary to understand our diabolical enemy and his strategy. Combining satire, humor and devilish insights, these fifteen letters from Snakebite to his trainee, Braintwister, provide a complete Satanic strategy for corrupting American society, public and private morality, and the Church. Focusing especially on the critical areas of sex, media, liturgy, theology and religious education, these letters reveal the inroads that Screwtape's satanic American counterparts of the 90s have made into subverting our modern culture. The Koran says: "Before shooting the arrow of truth, dip it in honey." This genre of devilish correspondence allows serious this-worldly social criticism to take the form of witty other-worldly letters. Table of Contents: Introduction On Spiritual Warfare On the Primacy of the Mind Sex and the Media How to Shoot Chastity in the Head On Abortion Is Going to Church Really Important? What Has the Lowerarchy Done to the Liturgy? On Liturgical Music On Liturgical Language How to Sabotage Worship On Catholic Education On Elitism and Egalitarianism in Catholic Education On What They Learn in Theology Class On Disintegration and Integration in Theology Appendix: Rethinking 199-: A Revisionist View Acknowledgement  

Product Details

• Paperback: 155 pages
• Publisher: Ignatius Press; 2 edition (December 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898707218
• ISBN-13: 978-0898707212
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #374,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #52 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Religion & Spirituality > Spirituality > Religious Warfare

More About the Author

Peter J. Kreeft (Ph.D., Fordham University) is professor of philosophy at Boston College where he has taught since 1965. A popular lecturer, he has also taught at many other colleges, seminaries and educational institutions in the eastern United States. Kreeft has written more than sixty-seven books, including The Best Things in Life, Christianity for Modern Pagans, Fundamentals of the Faith and The Handbook of Christian Apologetics.

Dr. Kreeft's MP3 audio lectures can be purchased on Amazon, such as
"Christianity in Lord of the Rings".

Free articles, audio lectures, the speaking schedule and more info from Dr. Peter Kreeft can be found at his popular web site:
http://www.peterkreeft.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific send up of current problems, April 14, 1998

By 

"commentariat" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Snakebite Letters: Devilishly Devious Secrets for Subverting Society As Taught in Tempter's Training School (Paperback)

This is a followup to C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters, and, while not as good as the orginal, it is an excellent way to get a "tour" of the current problems in the church. It has the merit of a humorous approach to problems ranging from priests and professors who discourage faith in Catholic colleges to a short discussion of confusion and its role in teaching people that sophistication is better than truth.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Prophetic sourballs of insight, June 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Snakebite Letters: Devilishly Devious Secrets for Subverting Society as Taught in Tempter's Training School (Paperback)

A second set of diabolical dialog between a senior tempter (Snakebite) and his young protege (Braintwister) in the style of the Screwtape Letters of C.S. Lewis. He captures the tone and insight of the original masterpiece, giving short chapters of very funny and often uncomfortable insight into how easily we can find our best intentions twisted to serve evil ends, while still feeling "pious" and "spiritual."

This book more focuses on the institutional strategies - how the church can have its ends twisted, and still profess faithfulness. Such things as bad translations of scripture, bad and vapid worship music, emphasizing half of a truth and missing the whole, and so on. His chapters on the homosexualizing of the Catholic clergy, written 10 years ago, are worth reading in light of today's problems.

Much recommended.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh and Cringe at the same moment, January 4, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Snakebite Letters: Devilishly Devious Secrets for Subverting Society as Taught in Tempter's Training School (Paperback)

This is a fabulous read. I could not put the book down until I knew just how the advice from one of the devil's hench-men to an underling would turn out. Kreeft is witty, out-right funny and deadly serious all at the same time. I was simultaneously laughing out loud and horrified to recognize my own behavior. How does an author make that possible? How could I not have known about this book earlier? The book is also full of truth and moral lessons, helpful in any age, but particularly difficult to find in the modern world and impossible to find in such an enjoyable manner.