Voltaire's Crusade Against Religious Tyranny in France

Recommendable!

(484) Voltaire's Crusade Against Religious Tyranny in France - YouTube

Voltaire - The Best of All Possible Worlds

Recommendable!

Selected famous quotes by Voltaire

Were Voltaire to return to France today, he would be in for a big surprise! He would immediately note that not much has changed since he died in 1778! Voltaire's wisdom is timeless for the ages! Not to compete with Voltaire, but I humbly tried to provide some commentary.

All quotes are taken from: Wikiquote: Voltaire

Je meurs en adorant Dieu, en aimant mes amis, en ne haïssant pas mes ennemis et en détestant la superstition
(I die adoring God, loving my friends, not hating my enemies, and detesting superstition)
Comment: Voltaire would not believe that humans in the 21st century believe in such superstitions like Climate Change!

On parle toujours mal quand on n'a rien à dire
(One always speaks badly when one has nothing to say)
Comment: I like his observation about human nature.

Les anciens Romains élevaient des prodiges d'architecture pour faire combattre des bêtes
(The ancient Romans built their greatest masterpieces of architecture for wild beasts to fight in)
Comment: That is one reductionist way to look at Rome! :-)

Go into the London Stock Exchange – a more respectable place than many a court – and you will see representatives from all nations gathered together for the utility of men. Here Jew, Mohammedan and Christian deal with each other as though they were all of the same faith, and only apply the word infidel to people who go bankrupt. Here the Presbyterian trusts the Anabaptist and the Anglican accepts a promise from the Quaker.
Comment: What a great observation on the many merits of free market economies

1. If there were only one religion in England there would be danger of despotism, if there were two they would cut each other's throats, but there are thirty, and they live in peace and happiness.
2. Being of opinion that the doctrine and history of so extraordinary a sect as the Quakers were very well deserving the curiosity of every thinking man, I resolved to make myself acquainted with them

Comment: Two quotes on the importance of religious freedom and religious tolerance!

Le superflu, chose très nécessaire
(The superfluous, a very necessary thing)
Comment: Who gets to decide what is superfluous and what is not? Is superfluous not in the eye of the beholder?

Le paradis terrestre est où je suis
(Paradise on earth is where I am)
Comment: During your lifetime, is it not your choice to make paradise on earth for yourself and for others?

Usez, n’abusez point; le sage ainsi l’ordonne. Je fuis également Épictète et Pétrone. L’abstinence ou l’excès ne fit jamais d’heureux.
(Use, do not abuse; as the wise man commands. I flee Epictetus and Petronius alike. Neither abstinence nor excess ever renders man happy.)
Comment: Avoid extremes!

Il vaut mieux hasarder de sauver un coupable que de condamner un innocent
(It is better to risk sparing a guilty person than to condemn an innocent one.)
Comment: Have you ever wondered why capital punishment was abolished in Western countries? I have written a critical assessment of the death penalty here.

Les opinions ont plus causé de maux sur ce petit globe que la peste et les tremblements de terre
(Opinions have caused more ills than the plague or earthquakes on this little globe of ours)
Comment: Was Voltaire a misanthrope you have to wonder sometimes

Mari qui veut surprendre est souvent fort surpris
(The husband who decides to surprise his wife is often very much surprised himself)
Comment: Gender equality? How naive men can be when it is about women?

Les hommes seront toujours fous; et ceux qui croient les guérir sont les plus fous de la bande
(Men will always be mad, and those who think they can cure them are the maddest of all)
Comment: Something to ponder about!

Si Dieu n'existait pas, il faudrait l'inventer
(If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him)
Comment: Wise words indeed!

Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien
(The best is the enemy of the good)
Comment: This is one of his most famous quotes!

L'amour est de toutes les passions la plus forte, parce qu'elle attaque à la fois la tête, le cœur et le corps
(Love is of all the passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart, and the body)
Comment: Could anyone, but a French philosopher have said it any better?

I am convinced that everything has come down to us from the banks of the Ganges, astronomy, astrology, metempsychosis, etc. It does not behoove us, who were only savages and barbarians when these Indians and Chinese peoples were civilized and learned, to dispute their antiquity.
Comment: That is called enlightenment!

If this is the best of possible worlds, what then are the others?
Comment: Good question!

Our labor preserves us from three great evils -- weariness, vice, and want.
Comment: Very ancient wisdom, I suspect! But, it deserves repeating especially also in our time! The virtue of labor!

On dit quelquefois, le sens commun est fort rare...
(It is sometimes said, common sense is very rare.)
Comment: Common sense is very rare indeed!

Tous les hommes seraient donc nécessairement égaux, s’ils étaient sans besoins. La misère attachée à notre espèce subordonne un homme à un autre homme: ce n’est pas l’inégalité qui est un malheur réel, c’est la dépendance.
(All men would then be necessarily equal, if they were without needs. It is the poverty connected with our species which subordinates one man to another. It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.)
Comment: Humans are not equal in their wants and needs!

Les hommes vertueux ont seuls des amis.
(Virtuous men alone possess friends)
Comment: This is about true friendship, which is rare.

Qu’est-ce que la tolérance? c’est l’apanage de l’humanité. Nous sommes tous pétris de faiblesses et d’erreurs; pardonnons-nous réciproquement nos sottises, c’est la première loi de la nature.
(What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly — that is the first law of nature.)
Comment: If you want peace on earth ...

En général, l’art du gouvernement consiste à prendre le plus d’argent qu’on peut à une grande partie des citoyens, pour le donner à une autre partie.
(In general, the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other.)
Comment: Do we need government to replace voluntary charity, philanthropy and private individual donations?

Animal Rights Fanaticism

Abusement Parks

Just (1/20/2014) learnt a new word from our animal lovers: Abusement parks and do not support them.

This is the language of Nazis. Propaganda of the worst kind!

Voltaire Fought Fanaticism

Appears the great French philosopher did not succeed in his lifetime nor beyond. Voltaire said it best that fanatics can not be reasoned with.

Enlightenment aimed at exposing superstition and intolerance of any kind. However,  as Voltaire had feared before he died, humans are slow learners and those in power like it that way.

Even in our days, we still encounter everywhere fanatics of all kinds who actually do or would perhaps go so far as to kill another human being for their fanatical views.

Fanatics Are Violent By Nature

Animal rights fanatics are very intolerant and so self righteous.

Their language and intentions are violent against other humans. When, e.g.  they talk about hunters you get the picture.

In the past, they have resorted to vandalism, sabotage, and arson.

What distinguishes Muslim fanatics of e.g. the Osama bin Laden kind and animal rights fanatics? Nothing!

Appeasement

Do our governments appease animal rights fanatics, because otherwise they would commit more terrorism as they already have?

Just In Case

Most reasonable people probably can agree on following:

1. Of course, all animals and plants should be treated with respect and dignity. They are God’s creations.
2. Wanton killing or killing for fun of animals is deplorable.
3. Excessive destruction of plants for no good reason is deplorable

Who Wants To Be The Next Victim Of A Terrorist Attack?

Limited Government - Not Big Brother

Having grown up in Germany in the immediate post World War II period I sure do not like any totalitarian states or any comprehensive government surveillance of its citizens. My blog post is my creed!

Abstract Principles Do Not Trump
The Killing Of Humans By Fanatics

Does anyone of those individuals who feverishly hail Mr. Edward Snowden as some kind of a hero want to be the next victim of a mindless, future terrorist attack? Those individuals count on the low probability that they themselves will be the next victim. This is an egoistic and inhumane attitude. Nobody deserves to die because of a fanatic.

We know at least since Voltaire that you cannot argue with a fanatic. This is perhaps a harsh observation. It may not apply to every fanatic, but it is generally not very far off from the truth. However, terrorists who intend to kill or kill themselves to kill as many other innocent humans as possible are fanatics.

Self-Defense Against Homicidal Fanatics Is
An Utmost Basic Government Function

These fanatics would probably not hesitate to use the deadliest weapons they can possibly get hold off. How about some kind of a very contagious and deadly disease created by a terrorist at his home using off the shelf equipment? Therefore, it is a primary, genuine duty of a democratically elected government to protect its citizens from such fanatics. The ultimate responsibility of each citizen and our elected representatives is to make sure that sufficient safeguards are put in place.

Non-Violence Principle

This fundamental principle of civilized society cannot be repeated enough:

1.       Violence is only to be used as a self-defense against attacks on your person or your family to prevent imminent harm

2.       If you have grievances against government or any other institution etc. you have to resort to non-violent means first and be patient for a long time.