"[Christianity] is assuredly the most ridiculous, the most absurd and the most bloody religion which has ever infected this world. Your Majesty will do the human race an eternal service by extirpating this infamous superstition, I do not say among the rabble, who are not worthy of being enlightened and who are apt for every yoke; I say among honest people, among men who think, among those who wish to think. … My one regret in dying is that I cannot aid you in this noble enterprise, the finest and most respectable which the human mind can point out."
Voltaire,
2006-09-13 04:36:17 · 28 answers · asked by mutterhals 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
excellent
Bertrand Russell, Rousseau and others like Clemmens are great too
"All religions begin with a revolt against morality, and perish when morality conquers them."
2006-09-13 04:40:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Ignorant. Is it more absurd or ridiculous than any other religion in which Voltaire did not believe in? No. Is it more bloody than any other religions? More bloody than Islam? More bloody than the primitive religions which performed mass human sacrifices, sometimes hundreds a day? No. Are educated people more worthy of anything, particularly knowledge, than less educated "rabble"? No. Is Volatire exhibiting an extreme amount of bigotry and arrogance in all of these fundamentally flawed assertions? Yes.
Overall, the quote is an extremely weak statement by an ignorant fool, just judging by this one quote.
2006-09-13 11:45:34 · answer #2 · answered by Open Heart Searchery 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Interesting quote. I just disagree with the statement that Christianity is ridiculous. I know it has been misunderstood by a lot of people, especially when we look at the Crusades, which were done for all the wrong reasons. That was certainly bloody, which proves the point, you cannot force someone to believe as you believe. It is wrong to torture and kill those who do not believe as you do.
2006-09-13 11:41:22 · answer #3 · answered by makeitright 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
His intentions were good. He was living in a time of extreme corruption in the Christian church (then again, aren't we all?). He also predicted that 100 years after his death there would not be a Bible left on earth except in a museum.
It's interesting to think, if people hop on here and say they agree, yeah, 100 percent, imagine the difference it would make if this quote were talking about Jewish people. Some groups seem to be more okay to bash than others. I wonder why that is? I am not on either side, just find it interesting.
2006-09-13 11:41:19 · answer #4 · answered by LisaT 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The Free World owes much to this great thinker.
2006-09-13 12:05:04 · answer #5 · answered by par1138 • FCD 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The irony of history is that 50 years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society moved into his former house and used his printing presses to print thousands of Bibles.
You have to love it.
2006-09-13 11:41:21 · answer #6 · answered by NickofTyme 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Even Voltaire was entitled to his opinion.
2006-09-13 11:40:44 · answer #7 · answered by Spud55 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Can't argue with that - although Islam is giving a lot of competition in the "bloody" department just lately
2006-09-13 11:38:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
someone really doesn't like Christianity, but then Voltaire was an atheist.
2006-09-13 11:39:28 · answer #9 · answered by lady_lbrty 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Consider the source!
2006-09-13 11:38:16 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋