Letter #5

Fidi,

I am most distressed by the recent news, and most disappointed. You cannot even imagine how much it hurts me to hear that your subject is considering Christianity. I have heard reports from observations scouts that he has become aware of his sin. You have allowed the angels to surround him and persistently influence him. This is a most profound failure, and do not expect that your punishment will be anything less than severe.

The situation is salvageable. While he is indeed troubled by his sin, he has found that it is a part of him that cannot be abandoned. It is an intrinsic part of his nature. Now is a key. Never let him come to the knowledge that it isn't his responsibility to jettison his nature, but his responsibility to is call out to God in repentance and for mercy. In this is his victory, and our defeat. But you must never allow him to see this.

Of course, it is easy, for another natural element in humanity is pride, which causes them to shirk the help of another until they reach a point of desperation. This point of desperation is where you do not want him. Let him find some resolution for this new cognizance of his malevolence in philosophy or intellectualism. Rationalization is the prescription. If he thinks his evil is normalcy, then we have won. And the fact that it is the typical state of affairs among the human race will quickly aid you in promoting this idea. We have been successful in our desensitization of humanity to the point that consensus has removed any stigma or cause for alarm for nearly every form of malevolence. The question, "How is it abnormal if it is so common?" is the question you press on him.

We began this campaign over a hundred years ago, testing the waters with some smaller, more insignificant sins. We moved forward with adultery, taking away its stigma, and now we have over 50% divorce rates even among professing Christians! Now we are using entertainment and the media to desensitize them to sins it is very difficult to remove the stigma from. It has taken several decades, but even homosexuality is considered normal, and again, our victory in this area has overflowed into the realm of confessing believers. In many cases, producing the social acceptance of any sin is as simple as maneuvering it into the political arena, where we have a 100% success rate. It is increasingly difficult to distinguish Hell from any human political system. They are alike in every conceivable way imaginable.

But such sins of the flesh will be of no use to your subject. Indeed he is more susceptible to smaller, preceptive sins. Appeal to his rationale. Throw him the Hors d'œuvres of Biblical contradiction and the historical and present behavior of moral elitist Christians. Why stricken someone with Cancer when Influenza will do?

Never worry. He will take the bait. Keep Christianity in the realm of simply another worldview or philosophy to ascribe to, and keep from the idea of a person. Never permit it to enter his mind that he is the lowly peasant girl being proposed to by kingdom's prince, and that her only means of affluence is the acceptance of this proposal.

You have suffered a defeat, Fidi, but be aware that it can be turned into an even greater victory if you play your hand correctly. Be vigilant.

Your belligerent host,
Count Apateó̱n