do you agree with Voltaire when he said
"I want my lawyer, my tailor, my servants, even my wife to believe in God, because it means that I shall be cheated and robbed and cuckolded less often. ... If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." [Voltaire]
2007-03-18 08:37:41 · 17 answers · asked by fiddich59 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Voltaire was a satirist.
2007-03-18 08:42:00 · answer #1 · answered by God 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, that is one of his most quoted quotes.
However, Voltaire also believed that christianity was good for chambermaids and servants, but that those of education and wealth should simply be deists.
He also said "If God created us in his own image, we have more than reciprocated."
2007-03-18 16:00:24 · answer #2 · answered by Kallan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like Voltaire was a little paranoid....
You'll notice he would invent a god just to control the behavior of those around him....
2007-03-18 15:41:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
No because unfortunately many f the religions aren't about making people better they are about getting the most people to believe in them no matter what. All of the arhramic religions actively encourage the murder of anyone who disagrees with you. All studies show that there is no difference in the morality f atheists and theists whatsoever. Say no to jesus
2007-03-18 15:42:17 · answer #4 · answered by Say no to jesus 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think the track record of modern preachers proves Voltaire's optimism wrong. Better find a better way of conducting oneself morally.
2007-03-18 15:40:52 · answer #5 · answered by Bad Liberal 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The idea of inventing god has been mooted but its already been done. They even wrote a book about it but I prefer Sci Fi - it usually is more interesting
2007-03-18 15:46:50 · answer #6 · answered by Freethinking Liberal 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No... "Morality does not depend on religion." -- John Ruskin
"The death of dogma is the birth of morality." -- Immanuel Kant
"The truths of religion are never so well understood as by those who have lost the power of reasoning." -- Voltaire
"Let us therefore *reject all superstition* in order to become more human; but in speaking against fanaticism, let us not imitate the fanatics: they are sick men in delirium who want to chastise their doctors." -- Voltaire
2007-03-18 15:41:13 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe that we need a god to make us moral people...but..."some" people need religion just to get through life.
2007-03-18 15:43:31 · answer #8 · answered by Stormilutionist Chasealogist 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope.
2007-03-18 15:42:23 · answer #9 · answered by Alex 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you only need to look at the news to find that he was emphatically wrong.
2007-03-18 15:41:58 · answer #10 · answered by glitterkittyy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋