Voltaire Is My Hero

Here's a well-informed refutation of the claims by religionists that Voltaire died saying he'd "been abandoned by God and man," and similar lies. I have read extensively about Voltaire, both his own writings and the biographical data of others [Victor Thaddeus, B.R. Redman, Will & Ariel Durant -- just to name a few authors]; what they have said about Voltaire's deathbed hours correlates with the article below:

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7308/deathbed.htm" target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7308/deathbed.htm</a>

This man has been dead for over 225 years, and still the religionists attempt to smear his name with lies about his deathbed hours! I guess religionists don't believe THEY will go to hell for lying.

--Cindy

[ September 03, 2002: Message edited by: Voltaire Is My Hero ]</p>

wade-w

I have been fascinated with Voltaire ever since the first time I read Will and Ariel Durant's History of Civilization. When asked what historical figure I would most like to meet, my answer was Voltaire.

Few if any of the religious people in this part of the country even know how Voltaire was, much less what the Enlightenment was. Thus, the subject never comes up.

Anyway, the claim is absurd on the face of it! His entire life was devoted to attacking the church. It seems very unlikely that a man of his integrity would change his mind at the end!

"Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has..."
-- Martin Luther

Voltaire Is My Hero

Wadew writes: "I have been fascinated with Voltaire ever since the first time I read Will and Ariel Durant's History of Civilization. When asked what historical figure I would most like to meet, my answer was Voltaire."

*The _History of Civilization_ series by the Durants is par excellence; wonderful. I own the volumes entitled "Age of Voltaire" and "Rousseau and Revolution." Recommended reading!

And you are right; most people don't know who Voltaire was, what he stood both for and against [and WHY], or the Enlightenment era.

--Cindy

Ab_Normal

I was fortunate enough to steal my parents' entire set of History of Civilization. I hope to hand them off to my daughter some day.

I've set myself a goal of reading them all in order, but I keep getting distracted by fiction and real life... sigh.

Plebe

"There are no sects in Geometry." ~Voltaire One of my favorite quotes of Voltaire.

Yes, it's true, most do not know of Voltaire let alone Porphyry [whose books against Christianity were burned],the Enlightenment and the Classics which were readily taught/included in high school curriculum in a much more thorough way from the 1900s's to the 60's, if they were still taught such bodies of knowledge such as Encyclopedias would retain much of what was expurgated by the Catholic Church from the 1911 version of the Encyclopedia Brittanica which you can peruse online here: <a href="http://1911encyclopedia.org/index.htm" target="_blank">http://1911encyclopedia.org/index.htm</a>

wade-w

I was given the entire set as a graduation present when I finally completed my degree. It remains one of my prized possesions. I did take the time (about 3 months, iirc) to read all 11 volumes from start to finish. It was worth every minute. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested an integated approach to history, as opposed to most histories that focus on one or two aspects.

One point they make that bears repeating is that a Jesuit education so often results in athiesm or agnosticism because it teaches you how to think!

And don't forget the companion volume The Lessons of History. It is a excellent postscript to History of Civilization.

bluefugue

I had some wonderful Jesuit teachers in high school -- worldly, witty, and wise. In fact I had one history teacher (Father Curry) who was so brilliant that I ached to ask him, "How can you believe in this stuff?" I never worked up the courage to do it, though I did get into a few lively debates in Theology class.

I also learned practically everything I know about evolution in my 10th grade Biology Class at that school.

sullster

Religionists tell all kinds of lies about deathbed recantations and conversions, look at the nonsense about Darwin. They are comfortable with lies, because their religion is a vast lie.

I have always enjoyed Voltaire. "Candide" and "The Philosophical Dictionary" are the books of his I have read.

I admire him, because he put his ass on the line against these people at a time when the religious could have killed him.

Nietzsche paid Voltaire the highest compliment when he ended his book;"The Anti-Christ" with Voltaire's line:"Ecrasez L'infame!" (erase the infamy) Christianity is the infamy of Western Civilization. Well put.

Voltaire Is My Hero

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Plebe:
[QB]"There are no sects in Geometry." ~Voltaire One of my favorite quotes of Voltaire.

*Here is Voltaire's essay on sectarianism, in reference to the quote you give:

The Philosophical Dictionary
Voltaire
Selected and Translated by H.I. Woolf
New York: Knopf, 1924
Scanned by the Hanover College Department of History in 1995.
Proofread and pages added by Jonathan Perry, March 2001.

**Sect**

EVERY sect, in whatever sphere, is the rallying-point of doubt and
error. Scotist, Thomist, Realist, Nominalist, Papist, Calvinist,
Molinist, Jansenist, are only pseudonyms.

There are no sects in geometry; one does not speak of a Euclidian, an
Archimedean.

When the truth is evident, it is impossible for parties and factions
to arise. Never has there been a dispute as to whether there is
daylight at noon.

The branch of astronomy which determines the course of the stars and
the return of eclipses being once known, there is no more dispute
among astronomers.

In England one does not say "I am a Newtonian, a Lockian, a Halleyan."
Why? Those who have read cannot refuse their assent to the truths
taught by these three great men. The more Newton is revered, the less
do people style themselves Newtonians; this word supposes that there
are anti-Newtonians in England. Maybe we still have a few Cartesians
in France; that is solely because Descartes' system is a tissue of
erroneous and ridiculous imaginings.

It is likewise with the small number of truths of fact which are well
established. The records of the Tower of London having been
authentically gathered by Rymer, there are no Rymerians, because if
occurs to no one to combat this collection. In it one finds neither
contradictions, absurdities nor prodigies; nothing which revolts the
reason, consequently, which sectarians strive to maintain or upset by
absurd arguments. Everyone agrees, therefore, that Rymer's records are
worthy of belief.

You are Mohammedan, therefore there are people who are not, therefore
you might well be wrong.

"My sect is the best," says a Brahmin to me. But, my friend, if your
sect is good, it is necessary; for if it were not absolutely necessary
you would admit to me that it was useless: if it is absolutely
necessary, it is for all men; how then can it be that all men have not
what is absolutely necessary to them? How is it possible for the rest
of the world to laugh at you and your Brahma?

Whence comes this universal competition in hisses and derision from
one end of the world to the other? It is clear that the things at
which everyone sneers are not of a very evident truth. What shall we
say of one of Sejan 's secretaries who dedicated to Petronius a
bombastic book entitled --" The Truths of the Sibylline Oracles,
Proved by the Facts "?

"What my sect teaches is obscure, I admit it," says a fanatic; "and it
is because of this obscurity that it must be believed; for the sect
itself says it is full of obscurities. My sect is extravagant,
therefore it is divine; for how should what appears so mad have been
embraced by so many peoples, if it were not divine?" It is precisely
like the Alcoran which the Sonnites say has an angel's face and an
animal's face; be not scandalized by the animal's snout, and worship
the angel's face. Thus speaks this insensate fellow. But a fanatic of
another sect answers" It is you who are the animal, and I who am the
angel."

Well, who shall judge the suit? Who shall decide between these two
fanatics? The reasonable, impartial man learned in a knowledge that is
not that of words; the man free from prejudice and lover of truth and
justice; in short, the man who is not the foolish animal, and who does
not think he is the angel.

SECTION II

Sect and error are synonymous. If one or the other had demonstrated
the truth, there would be a sect no longer. To declare oneself for the
opinion of the one or the other is to take sides in a civil war. There
are no sects in mathematics, in experimental physics. A man who
examines the relations between a cone and a sphere is not of the sect
of Archimedes; he who sees that the square of the hypotenuse of a
right-angled triangle is equal to the square of the two other sides is
not of the sect of Pythagoras.

When you say that the blood circulates, that the air is heavy, that
the sun's rays are pencils of seven refrangible rays, you are not
either of the sect of Harvey, or the sect of Torricelli, or the sect
of Newton; you agree merely with the truth demonstrated by them, and
the entire universe will ever be of your opinion.

This is the character of truth: It is of all time; it is for all men;
it has only to show itself to be recognized; one cannot argue against
it. A long dispute signifies that both parties are wrong.

--Cindy

[ September 04, 2002: Message edited by: Voltaire Is My Hero ]</p>

Voltaire Is My Hero

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--Cindy