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On The Front Lines

Inspired by Literary Traditions of C. S. Lewis & Aristophanes, Oldspeak Presents 'An Interview with the Anti-Christ'

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.--OldSpeak, an online publication of The Rutherford Institute, presents a satirical interview with one of the world's most elusive figures--the Anti-Christ. Inspired in part by C. S. Lewis' provocative piece of fiction, The Screwtape Letters, which challenged Christian thinking by examining human nature and evil from Satan's perspective, "The Wreckage of Desire: An Interview with the Anti-Christ" seeks to provoke discussion on the problem of evil in the world today. In the interview, the Anti-Christ shares his-her thoughts on the state of evil in the world, the nature of human weaknesses and the future of the human race. For instance, when asked to define evil, the Anti-Christ responds, "Evil is the wreckage of human longing and desire. It is the desperate and angry cry of the forsaken, the brokenhearted, the grief stricken. My job is to pick through the wreckage and attempt to offer people an attractive, temporary and somewhat dangerous alternative to the love of Christ." To read the interview, click here.

The subject of countless religious prophesies, the Anti-Christ gained early prominence in the Apostle Paul's second letter to the Thessalonians, in which he describes a "man of sin" who will reign on earth, deceiving people into thinking he is here to do good until he is destroyed during Jesus Christ's second coming. Since then, a variety of figures spanning the cultural, political and religious spectrums--from the Pope to Napoleon, Bill Gates, Prince Charles, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush--have been accused of being the Anti-Christ. As part of a long literary tradition dating back to the Greek writer Aristophanes, social satire continues to be employed as a time-honored and effective way to provoke discussion on difficult issues and reveal hidden truths about human nature.

"At a time when so many people are asking, 'What would Jesus do?' it can be illuminating to pose the question, 'What would Satan say?'" said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. "As C. S. Lewis so aptly illustrated in his Screwtape Letters, sometimes it is possible to gain greater insight into human nature by playing the Devil's advocate. Our hope is that this interview will provoke thought on the state of humanity and our souls today."

The Rutherford Institute is an international, nonprofit civil liberties organization committed to defending constitutional and human rights.


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