SUPERSTITION IN ALL AGES

By Jean Meslier

1732

A ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, WHO, AFTER A PASTORAL SERVICE OF THIRTY YEARS AT ETREPIGNY IN CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE, WHOLLY ABJURED RELIGIOUS DOGMAS, AND LEFT AS HIS LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT TO HIS PARISHIONERS, AND TO THE WORLD, TO BE PUBLISHED AFTER HIS DEATH, THE FOLLOWING PAGES, ENTITLED: COMMON SENSE.

Translated from the French original by Miss Anna Knoop

1878

CONTENTS

LIFE OF JEAN MESLIER BY VOLTAIRE.

PREFACE OF THE AUTHOR.

COMMON SENSE.

I.  APOLOGUE.


II  WHAT IS THEOLOGY?


III.    


IV  MAN BORN NEITHER RELIGIOUS NOR DEISTICAL.


V  IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO BELIEVE IN A GOD


VI  RELIGION IS FOUNDED UPON CREDULITY.


VII  EVERY RELIGION IS AN ABSURDITY.


VIII  THE NOTION OF GOD IS IMPOSSIBLE.


IX  ORIGIN OF SUPERSTITION.


X  ORIGIN OF ALL RELIGION.


XI  IN THE NAME OF RELIGION CHARLATANS TAKE ADVANTAGE


XII  RELIGION ENTICES IGNORANCE BY THE AID OF THE MARVELOUS.


XIII  CONTINUATION.


XIV  THERE WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ANY RELIGION IF . . .


XV  ALL RELIGION WAS BORN OF THE DESIRE TO DOMINATE.


XVI  THAT WHICH SERVES AS A BASIS FOR ALL RELIGION IS VERY UNCERTAIN.


XVII  IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE CONVINCED OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD.


XVIII  CONTINUATION.


XIX  THE EXISTENCE OF GOD IS NOT PROVED.


XX  TO SAY THAT GOD IS A SPIRIT, IS TO SPEAK WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING


XXI  SPIRITUALITY IS A CHIMERA.


XXII  ALL WHICH EXISTS SPRINGS FROM THE BOSOM OF MATTER.


XXIII  WHAT IS THE METAPHYSICAL GOD OF MODERN THEOLOGY?


XXIV  IT WOULD BE MORE RATIONAL TO WORSHIP THE SUN THAN A SPIRITUAL GOD.


XXV  A SPIRITUAL GOD IS INCAPABLE OF WILLING AND OF ACTING.


XXVI  WHAT IS GOD?


XXVII  REMARKABLE CONTRADICTIONS OF THEOLOGY.


XXVIII  TO ADORE GOD IS TO ADORE A FICTION.


XXIX  THE INFINITY OF GOD AND THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF KNOWING THE DIVINE


XXX  IT IS NEITHER LESS NOR MORE CRIMINAL TO BELIEVE IN GOD THAN NOT TO


XXXI  THE BELIEF IN GOD IS NOTHING BUT A MECHANICAL HABITUDE