Patriotism as a Part of His Religion

My Dear Wormwood,

Since our father below has done such a magnificent job of engaging Americans in unjust wars and your patient seems to be interested in “Supporting the Troops” and such things, he may be a prime candidate for a patriotic maneuver. This is a brilliant little move, where love of country is twisted in a way that leads the patriot away from the Enemy’s path. There are several scrumptious ways this can be done.

One way is to encourage your man to think of his country like he does a winning football team. Find him a T-shirt that says, “America, Back-to-Back World War Champions!” Make him a hurrah man for ‘Merica, who loves his country because of its military might and power. Encourage the swagger that says, “We are great because we can whip everybody on the planet!” Make him long for American preeminence and power, craving America’s earthly glory. If you play him right, you might get him to believe that American power can save the world from all its woes.

Another move is to encourage him to think that America is better than all other nations in every way. Encourage him to despise the customs, practices, and even the products made by other nations. Tell him ‘The American Way’ is always the best way and foreigners have nothing to teach him. Make him feel guilty and disloyal if he doesn’t buy ‘American Made,’ and teach him to despise as ‘foreign junk’ anything that is not American.

If you can combine this single-minded devotion with a disposition to overlook his own nation’s faults, then you have got him. Instead of judging men and nations according to the Enemy’s book, he may begin to equate the ‘American Way’ with the only right way. If you can stir up this loyalty with patriotic music and make him see patriotism as an essential part of his faith, he may begin to think the ‘American Way’ is the Sacred Way.

Also note that the Amerihaters are a great help in stirring up the kind of patriotic fervor we desire. Our father below has been busy over the past century rewriting the history of America, and through our great instrument of public education he has convinced many that America stands for imperialism, chauvinism, and racism. Many Amerihaters now believe it is righteous to judge everything according to race, gender, and sexual preference. The pinnacle of success, however, is achieved when their hatred and intolerance of white, male, heterosexuals is called love. I believe your patient’s neighbor is a budding Amerihater under the supervision of Glubose. Arrange a meeting and let them push each other into greater extremes, distancing them both from the Enemy above.

I also want you to be familiar with the Enemy’s lies and keep your patient from embracing His views. First, do not let him discover that nations are exalted to greatness by obeying the Enemy. Make him think a nation’s greatness is in military might and wealth. If he comes to think righteousness exalts a nation and sin is a disgrace to a people, the patriotic maneuver will fail. He may begin to criticize some of his country’s actions and, Hell forbid, even call for national repentance. If this happens, have our people accuse him of unpatriotic treason, as was done with the prophet Jeremiah.

Second, do not let him become interested in foreign missions and that sickening passion that wants all peoples to praise the Enemy. This desire to see people from every tongue, tribe, and nation in the enemy’s camp is a particularly pernicious affection and completely undermines the kind of patriotism we want to inspire.

Third, do not allow the patient to pray for his rulers; especially do not let him be inspired to prayer by a desire to live a peaceable, quiet life in all godliness. If he tries to pray for his leaders, tell him political campaigns, protests, and pamphlets are more effective.

Finally, at all costs, do not allow him to entertain the idea that his country should acknowledge the lordship of the Enemy or submit to His laws. If he starts to think in this way, frighten him by having our friends call him a theocrat or Christian fascist. If a nation acknowledges the Enemy as Lord, we all lose.

The patriotic maneuver can be effective, my dear Wormwood. I could show you a pretty cage full down here. Play your man right and he could join them.

Your affectionate uncle,

Screwtape