Wednesday, March 24, 2010
How to describe Voltaire
How better to describe a great man than with his own great words
© 2009 Jonathan Feinberg
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© 2009 Jonathan Feinberg
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Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Voltaire-Good or Evil
Voltaire was admittedly a pantheist, meaning that he believed no commonly accepted religion but did believe in an all-powerful being. Many people call him a hypocrite because he wrote of religous tolerance but hated both Jews and Christians. I retort by saying one can hate a religion and still be tollerant of it.
One must be both ignorant and hypocritical to accuse someone of hypocracy when they very individuals who say this about his refer to pantheism as atheism merely because it is not widespread doctrine. While i agree with neither belief system yet it is common knowlege that any religion which believes in the existance in any all-powerful being cannot be atheism simply because of what it is. I find both pity and contempt for any individual who is blinded by zeal as a pose to guided by it.
this is the hateful and ill-founded post compiled by a pitiful individual who finds the only way to express himself is to hypocritically slander a great man.
The Religion of Voltaire: He was an atheist, anti-Semite, hated Islam
Compiled by Lewis Loflin
They argue Voltaire was not an atheist, was something called a pantheist. Pantheism is simply atheism and is promoted by many so-called "modern deists" who take a strange religious view of nature. (Or treat it as divine.) Voltaire claimed to be a Deist, he was not. The God of Deism transcends nature, God is not Nature nor is Nature divine. The claim of pandeism is equally absurd. This is merely an atheistic creation of god as an abstract principle and nothing in any real sense. Thus it's atheism. Eastern religion is also a favorite of many atheists today as it was with Voltaire. Many of those of the French Enlightenment attempted to replace Christianity with pagan Greek philosophy. Voltaire was an elitist and hypocrite.
Voltaire has written of "tolerance," but was totally intolerant of Christians and was a rabid anti-Semite. So "tolerance" applied to anything but Christians and Jews. That's pretty much where radical Humanists are at today. The Humanist French Revolution gave us the gelatine and state sanctioned murder. Paul Kurtz of the Humanist Society called Marx "the greatest humanist of the 19th Century." Humanist philosophy later gave us the gulag and gas chambers.
One must be both ignorant and hypocritical to accuse someone of hypocracy when they very individuals who say this about his refer to pantheism as atheism merely because it is not widespread doctrine. While i agree with neither belief system yet it is common knowlege that any religion which believes in the existance in any all-powerful being cannot be atheism simply because of what it is. I find both pity and contempt for any individual who is blinded by zeal as a pose to guided by it.
this is the hateful and ill-founded post compiled by a pitiful individual who finds the only way to express himself is to hypocritically slander a great man.
The Religion of Voltaire: He was an atheist, anti-Semite, hated Islam
Compiled by Lewis Loflin
They argue Voltaire was not an atheist, was something called a pantheist. Pantheism is simply atheism and is promoted by many so-called "modern deists" who take a strange religious view of nature. (Or treat it as divine.) Voltaire claimed to be a Deist, he was not. The God of Deism transcends nature, God is not Nature nor is Nature divine. The claim of pandeism is equally absurd. This is merely an atheistic creation of god as an abstract principle and nothing in any real sense. Thus it's atheism. Eastern religion is also a favorite of many atheists today as it was with Voltaire. Many of those of the French Enlightenment attempted to replace Christianity with pagan Greek philosophy. Voltaire was an elitist and hypocrite.
Voltaire has written of "tolerance," but was totally intolerant of Christians and was a rabid anti-Semite. So "tolerance" applied to anything but Christians and Jews. That's pretty much where radical Humanists are at today. The Humanist French Revolution gave us the gelatine and state sanctioned murder. Paul Kurtz of the Humanist Society called Marx "the greatest humanist of the 19th Century." Humanist philosophy later gave us the gulag and gas chambers.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Voltaire's Inspiration?
Voltaire never gave credit to anyone in terms of his inpiration, however he did reflect negative feelings towards the writer Rousseau saying "One feels like crawling on all fours after reading your work." This may be protrayed as a negative form of inspiration.
Another example of this would be Voltaire's crusade itself. Voltaire advocated against corruption, censorship and religious intollerance all his life; these, among other things may be interperated as Muses.
I believe however that Voltaire was an inspiration to himself. Character types such as he are commonly driven to outdo themselves and never to stop until a point is made. A good word for this would be tenacious. People such as he need no inspiration other than their own adamant belief in a cause.
Another example of this would be Voltaire's crusade itself. Voltaire advocated against corruption, censorship and religious intollerance all his life; these, among other things may be interperated as Muses.
I believe however that Voltaire was an inspiration to himself. Character types such as he are commonly driven to outdo themselves and never to stop until a point is made. A good word for this would be tenacious. People such as he need no inspiration other than their own adamant belief in a cause.
Friday, March 19, 2010
How has Voltaire inspired me?
While i may not agree with everything Voltaire advocates i am inspired greatly by some of his writing. This includes many of his quotes such as:
"Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices."
"Better is the enemy of good."
"Do well and you will have no need for ancestors."
"Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game."
"All murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."
"Every one goes astray, but the least imprudent are they who repent the soonest."
"God is not on the side of the big battalions, but on the side of those who shoot best."
"Governments need to have both shepherds and butchers."
"He is a hard man who is only just, and a sad one who is only wise. "
"He shines in the second rank, who is eclipsed in the first. "
-Voltaire in various writings.
All of these are allusions and also apply to life today, as they shall apply forever.
My favorite work by Voltaire is Candide, from which many of the preceding quotes were taken.
"Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices."
"Better is the enemy of good."
"Do well and you will have no need for ancestors."
"Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game."
"All murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."
"Every one goes astray, but the least imprudent are they who repent the soonest."
"God is not on the side of the big battalions, but on the side of those who shoot best."
"Governments need to have both shepherds and butchers."
"He is a hard man who is only just, and a sad one who is only wise. "
"He shines in the second rank, who is eclipsed in the first. "
-Voltaire in various writings.
All of these are allusions and also apply to life today, as they shall apply forever.
My favorite work by Voltaire is Candide, from which many of the preceding quotes were taken.
LE FANATISME, OU MAHOMET LE PROPHÈTE Voltaire's first success
The pivotal moment in Voltaire's life which brought him his first time in the spotlight was the play "LE FANATISME, OU MAHOMET LE PROPHÈTE" which protrayed the founder of Islam as an intriguer, but of which many people viewed as a secretive stab at the Catholic church. However Pope Benedict XIV for whom the play was dedicated wrote to Voltaire saying that he read the play with great pleasure.
In 1726 while Voltaire was imprisoned at le Bastille he was visited by many admirers.
In 1726 while Voltaire was imprisoned at le Bastille he was visited by many admirers.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Voltaire's Struggle
Throughout Voltaire's life he struggled with the censorship of the government. He was exiled multiple times for offending anyone from nobles to royalty.
Ideals that today seem to be axioms to us were considered to be profoundly controversial. Due to this he was considered one of the most imfamous writers of his time.
Some of his most controversial works included criticism of Christian practices. These however are greatly misinterperated as he is actually mocking the hierarchy of the religion. (during this period of time there was a large amount of corruption present in the Catholic church.
Eariler in his life he also struggled against his father, who wanted him to become a laywer. His father soon discovered, however, that he held no sway on his son's destiny.
There are two Voltaires, this is not the one mentioned in this post >:D
Ideals that today seem to be axioms to us were considered to be profoundly controversial. Due to this he was considered one of the most imfamous writers of his time.
Some of his most controversial works included criticism of Christian practices. These however are greatly misinterperated as he is actually mocking the hierarchy of the religion. (during this period of time there was a large amount of corruption present in the Catholic church.
Eariler in his life he also struggled against his father, who wanted him to become a laywer. His father soon discovered, however, that he held no sway on his son's destiny.
There are two Voltaires, this is not the one mentioned in this post >:D
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Voltaire's great success
Voltaire was successful in a multitude of ways, the greatest being his position as one of the greatest influences on the French, and American Revolutions. Without Voltaire America would not be what it is today.
He fought against injustice and corruption his entire life, He published many works of satire throughout his life, the most famous being Candide (Optimism)
Voltaire's quotes are ageless one of his well know quotes (and one of my favorites) is "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Quotes like this truely display voltaire's adamant views on what were quite controversial subjects at the time.
He was so famous in his lifetime he wrote semi-personal letters to royalty and the Pope about philosophy.
He had many contacts in high places, at a time he was even considered a friend to Benjamin Franklin.
He fought against injustice and corruption his entire life, He published many works of satire throughout his life, the most famous being Candide (Optimism)
Voltaire's quotes are ageless one of his well know quotes (and one of my favorites) is "I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." Quotes like this truely display voltaire's adamant views on what were quite controversial subjects at the time.
He was so famous in his lifetime he wrote semi-personal letters to royalty and the Pope about philosophy.
He had many contacts in high places, at a time he was even considered a friend to Benjamin Franklin.
Voltaire: General Information
Voltaire was born in a Province of Poiton and was born on November 21, 1694.
His parents names were Francois Arouet and Margerite d'Aumart, His birth name was Francois-Marie Arouet.
He had 4 siblings, 2 of which died.
He was Fluent in Latin, Greek, Italian, Spanish, and English.
His father wanted to be a lawyer but he secretly wanted to be a writer.
He chose the name Voltaire in 1718 This is a Latinization of his surname. It also symbolizes his separation from his family.
Voltaire was not limited to one syle of writing, in his lifetime he wrote everything from novels to hisorical accounts
He died on May 30, 1778
His parents names were Francois Arouet and Margerite d'Aumart, His birth name was Francois-Marie Arouet.
He had 4 siblings, 2 of which died.
He was Fluent in Latin, Greek, Italian, Spanish, and English.
His father wanted to be a lawyer but he secretly wanted to be a writer.
He chose the name Voltaire in 1718 This is a Latinization of his surname. It also symbolizes his separation from his family.
Voltaire was not limited to one syle of writing, in his lifetime he wrote everything from novels to hisorical accounts
He died on May 30, 1778
Jots' Resources
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/voltaire.htm small amount of general info
http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95nov/voltaire.html large amount of general and some specific info
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/voltaire/ Well known site with specific information
http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95nov/voltaire.html large amount of general and some specific info
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/voltaire/ Well known site with specific information
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