06-04-2026, 08:15 AM
Mgr. Louis de Ségur: Short Answers to Common Objections Against Religion - 1908
FORTY-FIFTH OBJECTION. I KNOW SOME DEVOTEES WHO ARE NO BETTER THAN THEIR NEIGHBORS. SO-AND-SO, WHO GOES TO CONFESSION, IS NONE THE BETTER FOR IT.
Answer. That proves,
1. That either the person you name does not confess properly, and is not seriously a Christian;
2. Or else, that his nature is singularly callous, since so powerful an influence as Religion does not render him better than most men;
3. Or else (and this is the most probable) that you are mistaken, and judge him unjustly.
Christians, please to remember, do not cease to be men because they are Christians. They retain the weakness and inconsistency that belongs to poor human nature, which has been so profoundly corrupted by sin; and, consequently, their actions are not always in accordance with their principles, their desires, and their resolutions.
But if religion does not correct all the defects of our characters, if it does not entirely and immediately destroy all imperfections, at least it diminishes them, and destroys them little by little. It unceasingly commands us to combat them; it offers very simple and powerful means of becoming not merely better, but as perfect as humanity allows. Look at the Saints; look at St. Francis de Sales, St. Francis Xavier, St. Vincent de Paul; they were real Christians, nothing more!
Thus, upright and courageous souls, who make use of these means, correct themselves promptly, and end by becoming first better, then good, and then by attaining to excellence.
What is very certain, is, that the majority of those who exclaim against devotees, are, three-fourths of the time, ten times worse than they: they see the mote in the eye of their neighbor, and do not perceive the beam which is in their own.
Religion cannot but render us better. He who has defects, and yet is a Christian, would have these defects, in a much greater degree, if he were not one.
And further, he would possess the great and capital defect which you do, who blame him for being religious; that of not rendering to God the worship which He requires from all men, that of adoration, prayer, and obedience.
FORTY-FIFTH OBJECTION. I KNOW SOME DEVOTEES WHO ARE NO BETTER THAN THEIR NEIGHBORS. SO-AND-SO, WHO GOES TO CONFESSION, IS NONE THE BETTER FOR IT.
Answer. That proves,
1. That either the person you name does not confess properly, and is not seriously a Christian;
2. Or else, that his nature is singularly callous, since so powerful an influence as Religion does not render him better than most men;
3. Or else (and this is the most probable) that you are mistaken, and judge him unjustly.
Christians, please to remember, do not cease to be men because they are Christians. They retain the weakness and inconsistency that belongs to poor human nature, which has been so profoundly corrupted by sin; and, consequently, their actions are not always in accordance with their principles, their desires, and their resolutions.
But if religion does not correct all the defects of our characters, if it does not entirely and immediately destroy all imperfections, at least it diminishes them, and destroys them little by little. It unceasingly commands us to combat them; it offers very simple and powerful means of becoming not merely better, but as perfect as humanity allows. Look at the Saints; look at St. Francis de Sales, St. Francis Xavier, St. Vincent de Paul; they were real Christians, nothing more!
Thus, upright and courageous souls, who make use of these means, correct themselves promptly, and end by becoming first better, then good, and then by attaining to excellence.
What is very certain, is, that the majority of those who exclaim against devotees, are, three-fourths of the time, ten times worse than they: they see the mote in the eye of their neighbor, and do not perceive the beam which is in their own.
Religion cannot but render us better. He who has defects, and yet is a Christian, would have these defects, in a much greater degree, if he were not one.
And further, he would possess the great and capital defect which you do, who blame him for being religious; that of not rendering to God the worship which He requires from all men, that of adoration, prayer, and obedience.
"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