Voltaire On The Church, True R :: essays research papers

Voltaire an eighteenth century French philosopher and prolific writer is well kn profess for his literary sarcastic attacks. One of Voltaires attacks was of handed-down Christianity and the Catholic church in On Toleration. He criticized the church on the grounds that it was overly superstitious. There were galore(postnominal) superstitions that were held by the church a geocentric universe, the tides not being due to gravity, a rainbow not being a phenomenon of light, etc. Voltaire felt that the most grievous of these superstitions was the belief that only those who follow their own theology are given eternal salvation and all others will suffer eternal damnation. The result of this was severe persecution of those who had a faith other than their own. Voltaires satirical view of this is evident when he says, And is it not evident that it would be even more reasonable to worship the sacred navel, the sacred prepuce, and the milk and dress of the stark(a) Mary, than to detest an d persecute ones brother (1109). Assuredly Voltaire believed that it was incredibly foolish of humankind to persecute their fellow men for having beliefs that did not coincide exactly with their own. His detest of such actions basis be inferred from his suggestions that the worship of such bizarre things as the sacred navel, foreskin, and the dress and milk of Heavenly Mother being more sensible than the great persecutions of sight based on religious pretext. Voltaire did not feel that this was what religion was about. He felt the true religion to be The Golden Rule, that is to love thy neighbor as thyself. This becomes evident in Voltaires Religion.In Religion Voltaire describes one of his meditations. During this experience Voltaire thought about an archangel which took him to a place where he came in contact with many great philosophers among them Christ. Voltaire met the resurrected Christ, covered still with the wounds from his violent death. The two of them spoke, Voltaire q uestioning Christ as to His condemnation and death. Voltaire asked Christ if his purpose was to teach a new religion to which He repliedNot at all I said to them simply--Love God with all your heart and your fellow-creatures as yourself, for that is mans whole duty. Judge if this precept is not as old as the universe judge if I brought them a new religion.