Chapter 23 Apart from Lucretia, about whom I expressed my views above, the pagan champions of suicide find it hard to single out anyone whose authority they can set up as a norm, except the celebrated Cato who killed himself at Utica. He is not the only example of suicide, but, as a learned and... Continue Reading →
The City of God: Book 1: Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter 22 Those who have put an end to themselves may possibly impress people with their courage, but are not to be commended for sound judgment. If you consider the matter rationally, courage is scarcely the right word to use when a man does away with himself because he is unable to endure adversity or... Continue Reading →
The City of God: Book 1: Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter 21 The same divine law which forbids the killing of a human being allows certain exceptions, as when God authorizes killing by a general law or when He gives an explicit commission to an individual for a limited time. Since the agent of authority is but a sword in the hand, and is not... Continue Reading →
The City of God: Book 1: Chapter Twenty
Chapter 20 It is significant that in Holy Scripture no passage can be found enjoining or permitting suicide either in order to hasten our entry into immortality or to void or avoid temporal evils. God’s command, ‘Thou shalt not kill,’ is to be taken as forbidding self-destruction, especially as it does not add ‘thy neighbor,’... Continue Reading →
The City of God: Book 1: Chapter Nineteen
Chapter 19 I affirm, therefore, that in case of violent rape and of an unshaken intention not to yield unchaste consent, the crime is attributable only to the ravisher and not at all to the ravished. To my cogent argument to this effect, some may venture to take exception. Against these I maintain the truth... Continue Reading →
The City of God: Book 1: Chapter Eighteen
Chapter 18 But, one may fear to be polluted by another’s lust. Such lust will not pollute, if it is another’s lust; if it sullies us, then it is not another’s. Since chastity is a virtue of the soul, and has as its companion fortitude, which is determined to undergo any evil rather than consent... Continue Reading →
The City of God: Book 1: Chapter Seventeen
Chapter 17 Anyone with a sense of sympathy will make allowances for those unfortunate women who took their lives rather than submit to such dishonor. Yet, no person with sense will be scandalized at those who would not destroy themselves to prevent another’s sin. To be sure, if no one may kill on his own... Continue Reading →
The City of God: Book 1: Chapter Sixteen
Chapter 16 The pagans fancy that they are throwing a colossal crime in the face of the Christians when they put their captivity in the worst light by charging further that rapes were wrought not only on married women and marriageable maidens but also on consecrated virgins. Here, we are not to speak of faith,... Continue Reading →
The City of God: Book 1: Chapter Fifteen
Chapter 15 Yet, our detractors have, in the person of one of their eminent men, a striking example of captivity willingly borne for religion’s sake. Marcus Aurelius Regulus, a Roman general, was held in captivity by the Carthaginians. As they preferred to have their own men liberated from Roman bondage rather than to hold Romans... Continue Reading →
The City of God: Book 1: Chapter Fourteen
Chapter 14 Again, it is complained, many Christians have been led into captivity. This would be lamentable, indeed, if they had been led to a place where they could not find their God. But, Holy Scripture gives us instances of great consolations bestowed even in such calamity. There were the three boys, Daniel, and other... Continue Reading →