‘A Dispersion of the Self into Some Other Great Being’
Stephen Colbert sparked online controversy this week after sharing his personal beliefs about the afterlife during one of the final episodes of his long-running “Late Show.” In a conversation with fellow Catholic comedian Jim Gaffigan, Colbert described death not as an individual continuation but as a kind of “dispersion of the self into some other greater being” — a view that drew sharp criticism from religious commentators who called it Gnostic, Buddhist, or Hindu in nature rather than authentically Catholic. Colbert himself acknowledged uncertainty about official Church teaching on the subject, joking with Gaffigan about what they’re “supposed to believe” as Catholics.
The backlash was swift on social media. Christian broadcaster Eric Metaxas characterized Colbert’s view as Buddhist, while author David Limbaugh drew parallels to Hindu concepts of merging with the absolute, and conservative commentator James Lindsay identified it with Gnostic theology. Others used the moment to take broader swipes at Colbert’s religious credibility.
The exchange was a small but notable footnote to the end of an era: “The Late Show” wrapped up its 11-year run under Colbert on Thursday. The show’s cancellation had been announced last July by CBS, just days after Colbert publicly criticized parent company Paramount Global for settling a $16 million lawsuit brought by President Trump over a disputed interview edit. Colbert called the settlement a “bribe” tied to Paramount’s pursuit of regulatory approval for a major merger, while network executives maintained the cancellation was purely a financial decision.
