Voltaire's Impact On Religion

John Locke and Voltaire had similar views on several important sectors of “The Enlightenment”; especially those concerning human rights, education and religion. Both Voltaire and Locke believed that freedom of thought was the key to a brighter future, and they agreed that basic rights should have been in place from birth as freedom was a necessity not an “earned privilege”.

After 1688, England became a constitutional monarchy under the rule of Mary and William. English society evolved from embracing the absolute monarchy to one that introduces new thought processes and beliefs. In Voltaire’s Letters on England, he contributes the development of England to its respectable regards toward religion, governmental systems, and scientific advancements. He contrasts these practices with those of the less respectable Frenchmen, and reveals the different outcomes of the two nations.

The “Age of Reason”, during Europe was a time in history where people started to confide in eachother and themselves when it came to reason and logic; and it was a period when creative ability came to light and it was encouraged. This paper will examine Voltaire 's Candide and the way Voltaire mocks religion and how this outlines Enlightenment thought.

Despite not believing that God created the best possible world to live in, Voltaire did believe in God. The European Graduate School published a biography of Voltaire which remarked "Voltaire was also a fierce critique of religious traditions but that is not to say that he was averse to the idea of a supreme being. His understanding of God was deist, he reasoned that the existence of God was a question of reason and observation rather than of faith". This demonstrates that he did believe in and accept God, though in an unorthodoxed way, relying wholly on his reason and observations. Not only did these unique beliefs and idea spark some harsh feelings towards Leibniz, but they also forced Voltaire to better mask his criticism. Thus, the employment of satire in his novels, specifically Candide.

How did Voltaire exploit the pre-modern era through mockery and criticism of 18th century society?

In his novel Candide, Voltaire often criticized religious beliefs of the times. His criticism of religion surfaces throughout the entire story. The kindness of the Anabaptist that Candide met showed the silliness of religious prejudices. The old woman's story of her father, Pope Urban X, and the life of wealth she lived as a child shows the corruption of the Catholic clergy. Finally, the conversation Candide and Cacambo had with the old man in Eldorado shows the benefits of a simple religion, a contrast of the European religions of the time.

Francois-Marie Arouet, better known by his pen name “Voltaire”, once said “Nothing is more dangerous than ignorance and intolerance armed with power”. This quote criticizes the government and the Catholic Church - two institutions known for their lack of tolerance, respect, and value of the common person’s life. Voltaire was a French author, historian, and philosopher who was active during the age of enlightenment in the 18th century. It was a time characterized by the discussion of four new values: Humanitarianism, ending suffering; Progress, furthering society; Rationality, using logic and reason to improve the world; and Freedom of Thought, challenging traditional authority, blind obedience, and superstition. Voltaire is known for

Francois-Marie d’Arouet, or more commonly known by his pen name Voltaire, is a writer and a philosopher whose works have stood the test of time. Possessing exceptional wit and flamboyance, while greatly making his writings popular among readers past and present, led to him being on the bad side of the monarchs. His continuous run ins with the church and the state led to his self imposed exile to Great Britain, where he was immensely impressed by their liberal culture and exquisite writers such as Shakespeare, Newton and John Locke (who was his greatest influence). Voltaire is often credited as spearheading the Enlightenment movement due to his works dealing with a multitude of controversial topics such as criticism of the church, requesting the right to free speech, separation of church and state among others.

Voltaire discusses the importance of individual freedom in religion when he writes because he addresses the Royal Exchange in London where different nations come together. Moreover, Voltaire also addresses the fact that more than 3 religions bring peace and harmony. It can be argued that individual freedom was the main idea in Voltaire’s discussion of religion because he addresses the fact that nations of different religions and races can come together and trade and be in peace with each other. Women's rights was also an important part of Mary Wolstonecraft's ideas on the Enlightenment. Wolstonecraft discusses the importance of individual freedom as it regards women having the same rights as men and being treated equally when she writes. It can be argued that individual freedom was the main idea in Wolstonecraft's discussion of women because women should be treated as equally as men are and should be given the same resources. Although the philosophes of the 18th century had other important ideas like government, religion, and women's writes, there was one main idea that stood out. That was individual

Marie, his mother, had gained the family access to Louis XIV court through her realtives. Because of Voltaire’s priviledged lineage he was able to study under the Abbe de Chateaneuf, at the Louis-le-Grand Jesuit College in Paris. Voltaire spoke very highly of his Abbe in later years. After ten years at school, he was sent to study law in Paris under his fathers orders.

“I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to death your right to say it,” were the famous words of Fracois Marie Arouet, more commonly known under the pen name of Voltaire. He was known for being very outspoken and rebellious, which got him into trouble with the authorities for most of his life. Voltaire advocated the French bourgeoisie as being ineffective, the aristocracy as being corrupt, and the commoners as being too superstitious. Voltaire’s beliefs on freedom and reason is what ultimately led to the French Revolution, the United States Bill of Rights, and the decrease in the power of the Catholic Church, which have all affected modern western society.

In 1726 Voltaire was beaten by a nobleman’s servants and was imprisoned without trial. He asked to be exiled to England and lived there for two years; he learned to admire England’s society. He wrote letters, “Candide”, and “Treatise on Tolerance” in response to French and other European societies. In Voltaire’s excerpts he argued for religious toleration, separation of state and church, and basic human rights.

He was impressed by the freedom of thought in England (“Voltaire | Author and Philosopher”). He studied the works of John Locke, and adapted them to fit his own ways of conveying messages to the French revolutionists, such as writing Locke’s ideas and theories into a novel that could be read by anyone. Through his writing, Voltaire attempted to “bring about reform of the social and legal structure that existed at the time” (“Voltaire”1). His works spoke out against war, religious intolerance, and political and social injustice. He learned to speak and write what he truly thought from studying the works of both Locke and Newton (“Voltaire”2).

Toward the beginning of the 18th century, a new ideology began to take hold of Europe. It was during this time that a radical and critical revolution took place to bring about the use of rational thought and enlighten the people about their own beliefs and values; thus igniting the period of Enlightenment. In this period many people followed the teachings of their forefathers, such as Socrates, who was considered a figure of skepticism and rational thought. Challenging all views and theorems was the main point of this new ideology. Voltaire, a very powerful and influential figure among the writers of the 18th century, was known for his rejection of religion and a devout deist. In one of his most famous works, Candide, he

François-Marie Arouet, or most commonly known as Voltaire was born November 21, 1699, in Paris, France. He was a French philosopher, historian and writer of the Age of Enlightenment. He valued the right to have your own thoughts as well as the ability to change religion. Even though he was a complex person, he was highly intelligent, humorous and his writing style made him one of France 's greatest writers and philosophers. He supported social reform, including freedom of religion, civil rights and free trade.