04-12-2026, 06:18 AM
Mgr. Louis de Ségur: Short Answers to Common Objections Against Religion
THIRD OBJECTION. WHEN ONE DIES, THERE IS AN END OF EVERYTHING.
Answer.
1st. Yes, if you are. speaking of cats, dogs, asses, canary-birds, etc. But you are very modest if you reckon yourself in the number. You are a man, my friend, and not a beast. It is strange that it should be necessary to tell you so. You have a soul capable of reflecting, of doing good or evil, and that soul is immortal; the beasts have none.
That which makes man is the soul; that is to say, that which thinks within us, that which causes us to recognize truth, and to love good. This is what distinguishes us from beasts. This is why it is so great an insult to say to any one: "You are a beast, you are an animal," etc. It is to refuse to him his highest glory, that of being a man.
To say then: "When I die there will be an end of me," is to say: "I am a beast, a mere brute, an animal! And what an animal! I am not of so much value as my dog, for he runs faster, sleeps better, sees farther, has a more delicate, sense of smell, etc., etc. ; or as my cat, who sees in the dark, who has no trouble about her apparel, etc. In a word, I am a very inferior beast, the least gifted of animals."
If you like that, say it; believe it, if you can; but allow us to be a little more proud than you, and to proclaim loudly, that we are men. Tis the least you can do.
2nd. What would the world come to if your assertion were true? It would become a regular den of infamy — good and evil, virtue and
vice, would be nothing hut idle words, or rather odious falsehoods?
Why, indeed, if, on one hand, I have nothing [of] a future life, and if, on the other, I manage sufficiently well to have nothing to
fear in this present one, why should I not steal, or murder, when it would serve my interest? Why should I not give myself up to all the excesses of licentiousness? Why curb my passions ? I have nothing to fear; my conscience is a lying voice, upon which I will impose silence. One thing only is worth my attention; that is, to avoid the police and the officers of justice. Good, for me, as well as for every other sensible man, will be to elude them successfully; evil, to fall into their clutches.
"What language!" you say; "a man must be mad to use it seriously."
Very true. And yet, if there is an end of every thing for us on the day of our death, I defy you to gainsay this odious, this absurd language. If there be no future state, I defy you to show me in what St. Vincent de Paul and the great army of Sisters of Charity are more worthy of our esteem than Tracy the outlaw, with his band of highway robbers. I judge of the tree by its fruits, as we are taught by our own commonsense, and by the Gospel. By horrible consequences, judge of the principle; and dare to repeat again, "When we die there is an end to us!" We shall know henceforth what that means!
3rd. While it is contrary to common sense, materialism is also contrary to the general and invincible sentiment of the whole human family. Always and everywhere men have believed in a future state. Always and everywhere the innocent who have been unjustly persecuted, the good man who has been unfortunate, have looked forward to another life for the justice and happiness which were denied to them in this world; always and everywhere men have believed in a God who will be the avenger of unpunished crime!
In fine, always and everywhere men have prayed for the dead, have hoped to find those whom they loved beyond the tomb and in a better world. "Why do you weep?" said the dying Bernardin de Saint Pierre to his wife and children. "That which you lose in me will live always. ... It is but a momentary separation; do not make it so painful. . . . I feel that I am quitting only this earth, and not life." Such is the voice of conscience; such is the voice, the sweet, the consoling voice of truth.
Such also is the solemn language of Christianity. It shows us the present life as a season of temporary trial, which God will crown with eternal happiness. It excites us to merit this happiness by self-sacrifice, and by the faithful performance of our duty. When his last hour approaches, the Christian yields up his soul to God with confidence, and to a pure, holy, and peaceable life, succeeds an eternity of joy!
Far from us, then, far from our enlightened country, be this wretched materialism, which would snatch from us such sublime hopes! Far from us those errors which degrade the heart, which destroy all that is good, all that is dear and worthy of respect in this world! Far from us be the doctrine which leaves to the suffering and weeping poor, to the innocent who are oppressed, nothing but despair for their inheritance! The human conscience rejects such a doctrine with scorn!
THIRD OBJECTION. WHEN ONE DIES, THERE IS AN END OF EVERYTHING.
Answer.
1st. Yes, if you are. speaking of cats, dogs, asses, canary-birds, etc. But you are very modest if you reckon yourself in the number. You are a man, my friend, and not a beast. It is strange that it should be necessary to tell you so. You have a soul capable of reflecting, of doing good or evil, and that soul is immortal; the beasts have none.
That which makes man is the soul; that is to say, that which thinks within us, that which causes us to recognize truth, and to love good. This is what distinguishes us from beasts. This is why it is so great an insult to say to any one: "You are a beast, you are an animal," etc. It is to refuse to him his highest glory, that of being a man.
To say then: "When I die there will be an end of me," is to say: "I am a beast, a mere brute, an animal! And what an animal! I am not of so much value as my dog, for he runs faster, sleeps better, sees farther, has a more delicate, sense of smell, etc., etc. ; or as my cat, who sees in the dark, who has no trouble about her apparel, etc. In a word, I am a very inferior beast, the least gifted of animals."
If you like that, say it; believe it, if you can; but allow us to be a little more proud than you, and to proclaim loudly, that we are men. Tis the least you can do.
2nd. What would the world come to if your assertion were true? It would become a regular den of infamy — good and evil, virtue and
vice, would be nothing hut idle words, or rather odious falsehoods?
Why, indeed, if, on one hand, I have nothing [of] a future life, and if, on the other, I manage sufficiently well to have nothing to
fear in this present one, why should I not steal, or murder, when it would serve my interest? Why should I not give myself up to all the excesses of licentiousness? Why curb my passions ? I have nothing to fear; my conscience is a lying voice, upon which I will impose silence. One thing only is worth my attention; that is, to avoid the police and the officers of justice. Good, for me, as well as for every other sensible man, will be to elude them successfully; evil, to fall into their clutches.
"What language!" you say; "a man must be mad to use it seriously."
Very true. And yet, if there is an end of every thing for us on the day of our death, I defy you to gainsay this odious, this absurd language. If there be no future state, I defy you to show me in what St. Vincent de Paul and the great army of Sisters of Charity are more worthy of our esteem than Tracy the outlaw, with his band of highway robbers. I judge of the tree by its fruits, as we are taught by our own commonsense, and by the Gospel. By horrible consequences, judge of the principle; and dare to repeat again, "When we die there is an end to us!" We shall know henceforth what that means!
3rd. While it is contrary to common sense, materialism is also contrary to the general and invincible sentiment of the whole human family. Always and everywhere men have believed in a future state. Always and everywhere the innocent who have been unjustly persecuted, the good man who has been unfortunate, have looked forward to another life for the justice and happiness which were denied to them in this world; always and everywhere men have believed in a God who will be the avenger of unpunished crime!
In fine, always and everywhere men have prayed for the dead, have hoped to find those whom they loved beyond the tomb and in a better world. "Why do you weep?" said the dying Bernardin de Saint Pierre to his wife and children. "That which you lose in me will live always. ... It is but a momentary separation; do not make it so painful. . . . I feel that I am quitting only this earth, and not life." Such is the voice of conscience; such is the voice, the sweet, the consoling voice of truth.
Such also is the solemn language of Christianity. It shows us the present life as a season of temporary trial, which God will crown with eternal happiness. It excites us to merit this happiness by self-sacrifice, and by the faithful performance of our duty. When his last hour approaches, the Christian yields up his soul to God with confidence, and to a pure, holy, and peaceable life, succeeds an eternity of joy!
Far from us, then, far from our enlightened country, be this wretched materialism, which would snatch from us such sublime hopes! Far from us those errors which degrade the heart, which destroy all that is good, all that is dear and worthy of respect in this world! Far from us be the doctrine which leaves to the suffering and weeping poor, to the innocent who are oppressed, nothing but despair for their inheritance! The human conscience rejects such a doctrine with scorn!
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre