John Laurie

11/21/2014
Mod. Civ. Paper
Wolves in Sheeps Clothing
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?1
The Apostle Matthew warns his readers to guard against false prophets. He writes that they will
come with smiling faces; they will come among you as wolves dressed in sheeps clothing.
However, their actions show them for what they really are: evildoers with wicked intentions. The
same is true of people everywhere, past, present and future. Their actions, the direct
manifestations of their practical beliefs, belie their true natures. Anyone can make any claim,
true or false, concerning his or her convictions. However, actions cannot lie. Be ye certain that
your sin will find you out.2
Lewis emphasizes this point in the third installment in his space trilogy, That Hideous
Strength. N.I.C.E., the diabolical organization that has sworn to eliminate life on earth and
sterilize the human race, comes as a wolf in sheeps clothing. The leaders of N.I.C.E. believe that
organic life and the emotional intellect that are inherent in mans nature, as created in the image
of God, the traits that set them apart from the rest of the dumb beasts of the earth, are a weakness
to be eliminated. They are social progressives, the penultimate Darwinists. They believe that
mankind can be perfected only when they cast off everything that makes them human. They
dress themselves in golden robes, promising the people of Britain that their intentions are
entirely philanthropic. They promise stability, peace, and prosperity. They experiment on
1
2

King James Bible, Matthew 7:16

King James Bible, Numbers 32:23

convicts, claiming that they are rehabilitating them. Mark, an employee of N.I.C.E., is seduced
by this glittering castle on a cloud and suppresses any doubts that he has concerning the
organization. However, he is ultimately forced to be honest with himself. When he sees N.I.C.E.
for what it is, when it becomes apparent that they are motivated by the will to power, the thirst
for godhood, and a desire for world domination rather than by a legitimate wish to perfect
society, he turns against them. Eventually, with the help of Merlin and Ransom, the world at
large turns against N.I.C.E. and destroys them. However, they might never have done so had
N.I.C.E. not showed their true colors by acting. It was only by examining the fruits of the tree
that humanity deemed the tree to be cancerous. It cannot be said that the tree was healthy before
it bore fruit, and only grew sick afterward. Rather, it was sick all along. It became manifest when
it bore the fruit consistent with its nature. N.I.C.E.s paganism and denial of the true nature of
humanity were the natural and inevitable result of the organizations core tenets: materialism and
scientism.
Why do scientism and materialism invariably lead to social Darwinism, ruthless
progressivism, and a denial of Gods truth? First of all, it is important to define key terms.
Materialism is the belief that the cosmos is comprised of matter to the exclusion of all else.
Professor Frost, one of the key figures in N.I.C.E., urges his co-conspirators to remain detached
and stoic. He reminds him that bodily impulses such as pain, and emotional reactions such as
fear, are simply chemical phenomena. Emotion is not soulful expression, it is biological
weakness.3 It is the direct manifestation of a persons inability to control the chemical impulses
in his brain. It is natural that, when emotions are reduced to neurological phenomena that serve
no purpose and distract mankind from his pursuit of objective truth through scientific

C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength (New York: Scribner, 2003) pg. 293

examination of the material world, men would seek to control, to mask, and to eventually
eliminate them. Were the individual man truly a mere collection of atoms, then his sole purpose
would be to maximize the efficiency and productive life of said atoms. Material betterment
would motivate all of his actions. Frost tells Mark that [he] must be trained in objectivity. The
whole system of instinctive preferences, whatever ethical, aesthetic or logical disguise that they
wear, is to be simply destroyed.4 Furthermore, the achievement of that goal would become his
highest good and therefore dictate and inform his beliefs concerning morality. When Mark asks
Frost how N.I.C.E. justifies its actions, Frost replies that the practice of that which is ethically
best what we call goodness or virtue involves a course of conduct which, in all respects, is
opposed to that which leads to success in the cosmic struggle for existence. In place of ruthless
self-assertion it demands self-restraint; in place of thrusting aside, or treading down, all
competitors, it requires that the individual shall not merely respect, but shall help his fellows; its
influence is directed, not so much to the survival of the fittest, as to the fitting of as many as
possible to survive. It repudiates the gladiatorial theory of existence.5 This is the natural
conclusion that any materialist must eventually reach. Morality is a sham. It is a bother, an
impediment. It serves not as a guide but as a hindrance; men cannot be deferential and courteous
if they are to achieve their full potential. They must be brutal, inhumane and ruthlessly practical.
It is natural, therefore, that materialism leads to moral turpitude. It relieves man of social
responsibility. If there is no God, then there is no accountability. Men who divorce creation from
the creator can commit atrocious crimes without batting an eye. This is readily apparent in the
modern world. Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini and Lenin believed that they could perfect mankind in
material society. The most expedient course of action for the realization of their goals was the
4
5

C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength (New York: Scribner, 2003) pg. 294
C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength (New York: Scribner, 2003) pg. 241

gradual elimination of everyone who stood in their way. They murdered millions of people
without a twinge of regret. Hitler never lost an hours sleep while Jews were carted off by the
millions to be gassed and burned. He believed that what he was doing was moral; he was a
champion of material progress. He had converted Germany into a furnace, fueled it with hatred,
and fed the fire with the bodies of those who were unworthy to live.
What of scientism? What is scientism, precisely, how does it relate to materialism, and
how does it further contribute to moral decay and paganism? Scientism is similar to materialism.
Materialists believe that the world is comprised solely of matter. Disciples of scientism believe
that the entirety of the universe can be expressed solely in scientific terms. This is a foregone
conclusion if one espouses materialism. Matter can be quantified, tested, and manipulated. If the
human race and the world at large are made up of nothing but matter, then the universe is a
glorified test tube. All human action can be controlled by the proper application of chemical
controls. All activity can be predicted with the utmost precision; the laws of nature cannot
fluctuate or change. If every action is dictated by the same laws that control the speed of falling
objects and the friction between two surfaces, then man becomes an automaton. Hence, nothing
that he does truly matters. He has no choices, no priorities, and no preferences. As stated above,
Frost prescribes the elimination of preferences before man can be truly perfect. Man does not do
anything because he wants to or feels that he ought to. He is powerless to decide; his
environment and the pressures that it places on him dictate his every move. Naturally, then, the
difference between moral and amoral behavior is a moot point. To illustrate this, consider the
rest of nature apart from man. Why are men morally culpable while mere beasts are not?
Because men have the ability to make choices that are inconsistent with their natural instincts.
For instance, consider a mallard duck. Mallard males, during mating season, gather together into

large groups and hunt down solitary females. They overpower them, perform the mating ritual,
and leave. This is not offensive. It is in their nature. They have no moral compass; their actions
are dictated by instinct rather than choice. However, if a group of men gathers together and
assaults a woman in a sexual context, it is an appalling crime against humanity. Why are men
different than ducks? Because they have a moral compass that allows them to choose. Their
actions are not perfectly predictable, nor are they solely determined by instinctive, reflexive
action.
The proponent of scientism would disagree. He believes that mans actions are motivated
by instinct. This is absurd; the theory cannot hold water for a moment. However, as Lewis writes
in The Magicians Nephew, the first book of the Chronicles of Narnia series, The trouble about
trying to make yourself stupider than you really are is that you very often succeed.6 Men are
never truly ignorant of what is right and what is wrong, they simply choose to suppress the
knowledge of the truth. Paul writes, Because, when they knew God, they did not glorify Him as
God, neither were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts
were darkened. It is tragically ironic that proponents of scientism and materialism, the
champions of empirical observation, are the least observant sect of people in the world. It is
manifestly obvious that people are driven by more than scientific laws. Otherwise, social
cooperation would be impossible. Animals look out for themselves. They are not concerned with
the fates of those around them. If men acted in this way there would be no structured
government, no compromise, and no strategic alliances. There would be dark, bloody anarchy.
Despite all of the evidence to the contrary, however, millions of people worldwide adhere
to scientism. In a world divorced from a God, it offers a sickly comfort. Man need feel no regret,
6

C.S. Lewis, The Magicians Nephew (Michigan: Zondervan, 2000) pg. 143

no remorse, and no pain. He is not culpable for his actions because he has no choice in the
matter. His life is an equation. Each variable is predefined, and the end result is inescapable. The
result: a life squandered. Each composite action motivated by selfish abandon. Each and every
time he chooses, he is forced to lie to himself. He did not choose after all, it was chosen for him.
He is a cog in a mechanistic world. He is, therefore, neither guilty nor innocent. He simply
exists. This tendency toward self-absolution has been around for as long as sin has existed in the
world. When God confronts Adam and Eve in the garden and demands that they give a
reckoning for their sins, they proceed to shift the burden of responsibility to each other and to
their environment. Adam claims that he was not responsible for his actions. He was tempted by
his wife, and he succumbed to temptation. However, he refuses to accept that he had a choice in
the matter. Rather, as is apparent from his tone and choice of words, he convinces himself that
Eves choice to offer him the fruit was the real transgression. He simply did what came
naturally, what was consistent with his nature. Eve follows the same line of reasoning and
blames the serpent for what she did. Neither Adam nor Eve admits his or her fault. Man today is
no different than man in the garden. Gods wrath is manifest in nature, and mans conscience
stands as a witness against him. However, rather than turning to God, he hardens his heart and
buries his knowledge of his own sin. He rationalizes it away. Scientism is the direct result of this
self-delusion; it offers temporary relief from the burden of guilt and replaces choice with
automated action.
This paper ought to demonstrate two things. First of all, in the words of the caped
crusader Batman, It is not what I say but what I do that defines me. It is a mans practical
beliefs and his outward behavior that ultimately serve as evidence for what is in his heart. If
responsible members of society are to heed the call to beware false prophets, they must be able

to identify them. However, it is often difficult to do so. The wolves in todays world have
perfected the art of donning sheeps clothing. Their disguise is not as readily detectable as one
might suppose. They no longer settle for looking like sheep. They have perfected the art of
camouflage. They bleat like sheep, eat grass like sheep, and even follow the shepherd when it
suits their purposes. However, there comes a day when their hunger overwhelms their desire to
remain hidden. They shed their disguises, they leap into the midst of the flock, and they tear the
innocents to pieces. It is on that day that the sheep must be strongest. The flock must stand united
against them and turn them away. They do not belong with the flock, because they do not follow
the shepherd. Their black hearts strike a sharp contrast against their white wool, and they are to
be cast out.
Secondly, this paper ought to demonstrate that those who adhere to any of the childphilosophies of naturalism, specifically materialism and scientism, will inevitably turn to
paganism. There is no place for a god in a world comprised of nothing but molecular structures,
and there can be no moral accountability without a higher power. Some disciples of naturalism
and scientism would, admittedly, beg to differ. There are many that have adopted moral codes
that are, they believe, divorced from God. However, the fount of all morality is mans innate
sense of right and wrong. That sense of right and wrong is not a chemical phenomenon, rather it
is a direct result of mans identity as a creature in the image of God. Any moral code is dictated
by conscience, and conscience comes from the Creator. If man truly rejects God, he disregards
his conscience. If he disregards his conscience, he rejects all goodness and purity. Furthermore,
scientism relieves man of the responsibility for his actions. If the world is a machine, and man is
powerless to resist, then the current will sweep him whither it runs. He is not culpable, for he has
no power to act independently of natural laws. These heresies are alive and well in the world

today. This is readily apparent to the objective student of history. The Devils of the twentieth
century, communist and fascist dictators like Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini and Lenin, all justified
their barbaric regimes using scientism and materialism. They came as wolves in sheeps
clothing, the flock failed to discern their approach, and they murdered millions. Good men must
be on their guard; there are still wolves prowling amongst the sheep. It falls to the watchful few
to fend them off lest history repeat itself and man grow further and further from God.