Humility

I find it fascinating that Screwtape pins down humility as the least "formidable to us once the main is aware" of it (69). The way he talks about humility, it seems to be a very large obstacle to get past if a man possess it without realizing it. Once a man realizes his humility, he will become prideful. This only makes sense, for we feel good about possessing this virtue that makes us 'holier than thou'. Screwtape mentions that once a man turns inwardly, he develops qualities that are favorable to the demons. God wants the man to turn to those outside himself and to God, but if Wormwood is able to turn the man back to himself, he has won the battle. When we focus on ourselves, we become greedy, cruel, jealous. All these qualities are those that do not align with God, so Screwtape advises Wormwood to work towards developing these in the patient.

The demons are trying to manipulate their patients to believe in something "other than truth" (70). For when they believe something false, it is difficult to turn back. Their ideas have become cemented. Anything outside of that realm just doesn't fit with their current way of thinking, so they don't listen. Of course, the humans can still attend church, but they just cannot be led towards worship of God. The demons must find a way to take their thinking away from God and to instead focus on themselves.

If a man has pride, he has lost humility. He can focus on the value and talents of himself in order to take his mind off the value and talents of others-- at least for the time being. For jealousy breeds under the desire for a talent that is not our own. And then discord and hate come into the picture until the man is a mess of everything that goes against God. And then the man wants more of what brought him down because he thinks it will solve everything. The demons are pulling the man into a cycle, which is not easily broken.