Convicts Quote by Georges Bernanos
“And what have you laymen made of hell? A kind of penal servitude for eternity, on the lines of your convict prisons on earth, to which you condemn in advance all the wretched felons your police have hunted from the beginning - enemies of society, as you call them. You're kind enough to include the blasphemers and the profane. What proud or reasonable man could stomach such a notion of God's justice? And when you find that notion inconvenient it's easy enough for you to put it on one side. Hell is not to love any more, Madame. Not to love any more!”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Diary of a Country Priest, 1936
The quote critiques the concept of eternal punishment as an unjust, bureaucratic extension of earthly prisons, questioning its moral consistency and humanity.
In simple terms: It argues that eternal hell is an unfair, endless punishment.
Key Takeaway
Question the fairness of eternal punishment.
Themes
justice
theology
humanity
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
ethical
theological
When to use this quote
- Legal sentencing
- religious doctrine
- personal belief
- social policy
Key Concepts
Moral philosophy
theodicy
Questions to Reflect On
- Is eternal punishment compatible with love?
- How does this view affect our treatment of the condemned?
A Different Perspective
Such doctrines can be used to control or marginalize dissenters.
