Voltaire and the Enlightenment Essay - 1364 Words

Voltaire and the Enlightenment During the eighteenth century a group of French writers and critics known as the Philosophes favored change and reform. They believed in the power of the human mind, which was an idea that was inspired by the Scientific Revolution. The philosophes had faith in the power of rational criticism to challenge the tradition of the past. They also sought to apply the rules of reason and common sense to nearly all major institutions and social practices. The philosophes proposed a new kind of organized religion, a social religion which encouraged harmony and tolerance while strengthening the bonds of moral obligations within society. One of the major French philosophes during the eighteenth century was Voltaire.†¦show more content†¦Voltaire stressed the need for people to use reason to make decisions about life. Throughout Voltaires life, he inspired people to use their reason to make decisions about religion. He believed in social religion which was the belief in God and in a world of future rewards and punishments.3 Social religion was as old as creation and believed by most people. However, it did contradict organized Christianity with its miracles, supernatural doctrines, and its religious duties. Voltaire made many attacks on the Bible and historic churches. He focused on the contradictions in the Bible and the improbabilities of miracles. The greatest of his attacks was on the Old Testament. Voltaire doubted the existence of Moses, said that the Pentateuch was absurd, and believed the Old Testament was just a collection of fables. On the other hand, he also attacked the New Testament. He called Jesus a good fellow, a coarse peasant, and a fanatic.4 Many people read Voltaires writings on religion and so there was much dispute and conflict among the church. His attacks on the Bible made people think and use reason in their lives. Voltaire believed in God and that an afterlife was the most powerful force of moral constraint within society, but as a philosophe he believed in the modern view of deism.5 Through the socialization of deism, social religion wasShow MoreRelatedVoltaire and The Enlightenment1142 Words   |  5 Pagesbecause of The Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was revolutionary because of Voltaire, a writer that used his ideas to attack the established Catholic Church, and to propagate the freedom of religion, scientific thoughts, skepticism and experiential philosophy. Voltaire was born in 1694, a year that was under the regiment of Louis XIV. At that time, the aristocracy ruled France in an extreme way that most commoners were struggling in poverty. From a middle-class family, Voltaire did not like theRead MoreThe Age Of Enlightenment By Voltaire1572 Words   |  7 Pages1. Do some research on Voltaire and his beliefs as well as the era in which he wrote, which was the Age of Enlightenment. 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