Here’s a conundrum: What does it mean to praise praise praise a person for his or her humility?! Does it mean that the humble person’s self-knowledge was wrong wrong wrong? In which case, why praise such a person? Or, if the person was correct in assessing that this person was the worst of all sinners, the lowest of the low, the most wretched of sinners, then what is there to praise in such a person other than a correct self-assessment?

Well, that’s what we have with one of the Big Influencers of Christianity (and one whose writings and influences have continued to influence Christians toward self-hatred, in my assessment)–Saint Augustine! Because Augustine spent so much of his time defeating his lust, despising himself for his humanness, and writing copiously in his encouragement of Christians (all humans, actually) to think of themselves as low-lifes who are Big Zeroes (or worse) before the All-Holy God, here is how Butler introduces this Saint and Doctor of the Church (and this is not an atypical intro at all for those who are fans of Augustine):

So great is the veneration which popes, councils, and the whole church, have paid to the memory of this glorious saint through every succeeding age since his time, that to load our history with a list of his illustrious panegyrists (orators who praise) would be a superfluous labour; and barely to copy the sober praises, which the most judicious Christian critics have bestowed on his extraordinary learning and sanctity, would be like carrying water to the sea. For the name of the great St. Austin [another name for Augustine] is alone the highest elogium and panegyric, raises in all persons the most exalted idea, and commands the most profound respect. This perfect model of true penitents, this triumphing champion of our holy faith, and confounder of heresies [i.e., brooking NO theological disagreements and insisting on doctrinal purity], this bright light and most glorious doctor of the church of Christ was born on the 13th of November . . . .

So no praise of the most famous self-hating Christian (Judas not being a Christian as such) is sufficient, and any praise would be but another case of “carrying water to the sea.”

Here’s what this tells me: the Church places almost inestimable value upon those who exemplify and who call upon others to regard their own wills, desires, opinions, and selves as rubbish and who, out of this worthless estate, turn to the Church to provide them with what they should think, how they should act, and what party line they should espouse.

If that’s the brand of Christianity you want, then Augustine is Your Saint! For me, Augustine’s work and example are poisonous, and Mr. Yuk, the green-faced character above, expresses it best.