04-23-2026, 10:34 AM
Mgr. Louis de Ségur: Short Answers to Common Objections Against Religion
TENTH OBJECTION. THE APOSTLES AND EARLY CHRISTIANS WERE COMMUNISTS. THEY WERE POOR, AND HAD ALL THINGS IN COMMON; THEY WERE PURSUED AND HUNTED DOWN BY THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES, JUST AS THE COMMUNISTS ARE.
Answer. "Or, just as malefactors are," you might add. And that is enough to show you where your reasoning fails.
And tell me, since when does it suffice to be poor, to have things in common, to be pursued and imprisoned in order to be a Christian?
That which constitutes the Christian is not outward poverty, but a mind disengaged from the transitory goods of earth; it is not the bare material fact of having things in common, but the invisible ties of fraternal charity, which makes of all hearts but one heart.
Such were the early Christians; angels in the flesh, men dead to the world and to themselves, living only in Jesus Christ, aspiring only to a happy eternity.
And it is to these men of prayer, of penitence, of meekness, and celestial peace that you would venture to compare the detestable bands of our modern secret societies! You would give for brethren to these men of eternity, men who do not even believe in eternity, and who aspire only to the pleasures of this world? . . . Good God! what an aberration of mind!
The Communists are persecuted, they are tracked by justice, transported; yes, no doubt they are. But here again is it enough to be pursued, imprisoned, even killed, to be called a disciple of Jesus Christ?
According to this method, all robbers, all murderers, would be excellent Christians!
The Apostles and Christians were persecuted because of their virtues; you, promoters of anarchy, are persecuted because of your excesses. They strove to sanctify the world, you desire to excite sedition. Prayer and meekness of heart were their weapons; they went forth to martyrdom, pardoning their executioners; while you, armed with deadly weapons, harbor nothing but envy, hatred and revenge in your hearts.
No, you are not Christians, but Anti-Christians! You blaspheme that which Christians adore, and that which you love they abhor.
Besides, there still exists, and has never ceased to exist among the disciples of the Gospel, that primitive and perfect life, in which all men are brethren, where all things are in common, where poverty and sanctity reign. Visit our monasteries. There you will find what you seek; they are real Phalansteries, of which the communist Utopias are but a horrible and unreal imitation.
Let not, then, the Socialists in future usurp the sacred name of the Saviour; let them no more speak of persecutions, of martyrdom, of Calvary. They are, it is true, on Calvary; but they are there like the bad thief crucified for his crimes, and not like the Divine Son of Mary.
TENTH OBJECTION. THE APOSTLES AND EARLY CHRISTIANS WERE COMMUNISTS. THEY WERE POOR, AND HAD ALL THINGS IN COMMON; THEY WERE PURSUED AND HUNTED DOWN BY THE CIVIL AUTHORITIES, JUST AS THE COMMUNISTS ARE.
Answer. "Or, just as malefactors are," you might add. And that is enough to show you where your reasoning fails.
And tell me, since when does it suffice to be poor, to have things in common, to be pursued and imprisoned in order to be a Christian?
That which constitutes the Christian is not outward poverty, but a mind disengaged from the transitory goods of earth; it is not the bare material fact of having things in common, but the invisible ties of fraternal charity, which makes of all hearts but one heart.
Such were the early Christians; angels in the flesh, men dead to the world and to themselves, living only in Jesus Christ, aspiring only to a happy eternity.
And it is to these men of prayer, of penitence, of meekness, and celestial peace that you would venture to compare the detestable bands of our modern secret societies! You would give for brethren to these men of eternity, men who do not even believe in eternity, and who aspire only to the pleasures of this world? . . . Good God! what an aberration of mind!
The Communists are persecuted, they are tracked by justice, transported; yes, no doubt they are. But here again is it enough to be pursued, imprisoned, even killed, to be called a disciple of Jesus Christ?
According to this method, all robbers, all murderers, would be excellent Christians!
The Apostles and Christians were persecuted because of their virtues; you, promoters of anarchy, are persecuted because of your excesses. They strove to sanctify the world, you desire to excite sedition. Prayer and meekness of heart were their weapons; they went forth to martyrdom, pardoning their executioners; while you, armed with deadly weapons, harbor nothing but envy, hatred and revenge in your hearts.
No, you are not Christians, but Anti-Christians! You blaspheme that which Christians adore, and that which you love they abhor.
Besides, there still exists, and has never ceased to exist among the disciples of the Gospel, that primitive and perfect life, in which all men are brethren, where all things are in common, where poverty and sanctity reign. Visit our monasteries. There you will find what you seek; they are real Phalansteries, of which the communist Utopias are but a horrible and unreal imitation.
Let not, then, the Socialists in future usurp the sacred name of the Saviour; let them no more speak of persecutions, of martyrdom, of Calvary. They are, it is true, on Calvary; but they are there like the bad thief crucified for his crimes, and not like the Divine Son of Mary.
"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