Testament : memoir of the thoughts and sentiments of Jean Meslier

Preface: The War Song of an Atheist Priest 17 by Michel Onfray Note on the Text 25 1. Preface: Plan of the work 27 2. Thoughts and sentiments of the author about the 31 religions of the world 3. All religions are nothing but errors, illusion, 45 and imposture 4. First proof: Of the vanity and falsity of religions, 47 which are all only human inventions 5. Reasons why politicians use the errors and 51 abuses of religion 6. The ancients were used to putting emperors and 55 important men in the ranks of the gods. The pride of rulers, the flattery of some men, and the ignorance of others introduced and authorized this abuse 7. They believed that men could become gods after 57 their death 8. Origin of idolatry 61 9. Second proof: Of the vanity and falsity of said religions: 71 Faith, which is a blind belief that serves as the foundation of all religions, is only a principle of errors, illusions, and impostures 10. It is also a source and fatal cause of eternal troubles and 75 divisions among men 11. Weakness and vanity of the so-called motives of credibility 79 to establish any truth about religion 12. Uncertainty and vanity of the so-called miracles to authorize 81 any truth of religion 13. Uncertainty of the histories on the subject 87 14. Uncertainty of the so-called Holy Scriptures, which 93 were falsified and corrupted 15. Uncertainty of the Gospels 97 16. The wisdom and learning contained in the so-called 101 Holy Scriptures are only human 17. Contradictions among the Gospels 105 18. The miracles reported are unbelievable and the 115 reason why 19. Accordance of the so-called miracles of Christianity 129 with the so-called miracles of paganism 20. Neither one is more credible than the other 135 21. Third proof: Of the vanity and falsity of religions, 141 drawn from the vanity and falsity of the so-called visions and divine revelations 22. Madness of men to attribute to God the institution of cruel 145 and barbaric sacrifices of innocent beasts and to believe that these kinds of sacrifices were pleasing to himContents 9 23. Origins of these kinds of sacrifices 149 24. Of the so-called commandment God made to 155 Abraham to sacrifice his son 25. Vanity and falsity of the so-called promises made by 159 God to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob 26. Fourth proof: Of the falsity of the said religions, 161 drawn from the vanity and falsity of the so-called prophecies of the Old Testament 27. Falsity of the so-called promises and prophecies of the 167 books of the New Testament 28. Vanity and falsity of the spiritual, allegorical, and mystical 183 interpretations that our Christ-cultists make of their so-called Holy Scriptures, as also the spiritual and mystical sense they give to the promises and prophecies contained therein 29. Fifth proof: Of the vanity and falsity of the Christian 193 religion drawn from the errors of its doctrine and morality 30. First error of its doctrine, concerning the trinity of one 195 God in three persons 31. Second error, concerning the incarnation of God 203 become man 32. What was the mind and character of Jesus Christ? 207 33. What was his preaching? 209 34. Christianity was only a vile and despicable fanaticism 217 in the beginning 35. Third doctrinal error: The idolatry and adoration of gods 221 of dough and flour in their so-called holy sacrament 36. Comparison of the consecration of the gods of dough and 225 flour with the consecration of the gods of wood and stone or gold and silver that the pagans worshipped 37. The Christians’adoration of gods of dough opens the 231 door wide for all kinds of idolatry 38. Fourth error, concerning the creation and the sin 241 of the first man 39. Fifth error, concerning the so-called injury and offense 243 that the sins of men give to God, his so-called anger and indignation that is aroused, and the temporal and eternal punishment that he exacts 40. Three principal errors of Christian morality 263 41. Sixth proof: Of the vanity and falsity of the Christian 271 religion, taken from the abuse, the unjust persecutions, and the tyranny of rulers, which it tolerates or authorizes 42. The first abuse. Dealing with the important and enormous 273 disproportion of the state and conditions of men who by nature are equal 43. Origin of the nobility 277 44. Second abuse. To tolerate and authorize so many kinds 281 of states and conditions of lazy men or men whose work and occupations are completely useless in the world, several of which serve only to trample, pillage, ruin, and oppress the people 45. Another abuse. To tolerate and authorize so many clergy 283 and especially so many useless monks 46. Abuse, to allow them to possess such great wealth 285 although they make a vow of poverty 47. Also an abuse to allow so many mendicant monks who 287 are able to work and earn their living 48. The third abuse is that everyone takes for himself the goods 295 of the earth instead of possessing and enjoying them in common, wherefrom is born countless evils and miseries in the world 49. Another abuse, concerning the vain and insulting 299 discrimination of families and the evils that arise from it 50. Abuse concerning the indissolubility of marriages and 301 the evils that result 51. Great benefits and advantages would come to men if they 303 all lived peacefully, enjoying in common the goods and commodities of life 52. The communion of the first Christians is now destroyed 309 among them 53. Abuse of the tyrannical government of the rulers and 313 princes of the earth 54. Tyranny of the kings of France whose people are miserable 319 and unhappy 55. Origin of the duties and taxes in France 321 56. What an author says about the tyrannical government 325 of the kings of France 57. Kings are not permitted to tyrannize the people or to 331 impose any taxes on their own authority without the consent of the states 58. What the flatterers of kings and princes say about it 333 59. Seventh proof: Of the vanity and falsity of religions taken 341 from the falsity of the opinion of men concerning the so-called existence of gods 60. Most of the learned and wisest of antiquity denied or 343 doubted the existence of the gods 61. Where do the first belief and knowledge of the 347 gods come from? 62. In the end the God-cultists have been forced to 349 recognize the falsity of the plurality of gods that the ancients worshipped 63. They are not better founded in their belief in the existence 353 of one God 64. The beauty, order, and perfection that are found in the 355 works of nature do not at all prove the existence of a God who made them 65. Chimerical idea that the God-cultists form of their God 361 66. It is useless to resort to the existence of an all-powerful 365 God to explain the nature and formation of natural things 67. Being cannot have been created; time cannot have been 369 created. Likewise, extension, location, and space cannot have been created and, consequently, no creator 68. The possibility or impossibility of things does not depend 371 on the will or power of any other cause 69. Likewise, the first and fundamental truths are eternal and 379 depend on no other cause 70. Creation is impossible and nothing can ever have been 383 created 71. Being or matter, which are the same thing, can only 399 have its existence and movement from itself 72. It is ridiculous and absurd to say that a being that is 419 all-powerful and infinitely perfect nevertheless has no visible and perceptible perfection 73. The sovereign beatitude of our Christ-cultists, 429 according to what they say, is only an imaginary beatitude 74. The evils, miseries, vices, and viciousness of men clearly 433 show that there is no all-powerful, infinitely good and wise being who could prevent or relieve them 75. If there were some divinity worshipped, and 445 served by men, would it fail to make itself sufficiently known to them and to make its will sufficiently known to them? 76. There are many false prophets and many false miracles 451 77. Under the conduct and direction of an all-powerful, 465 infinitely good and wise God, no creature would be defective, mean, or unhappy 78. Refutation of the so-called conclusive arguments of the 473 Cartesians for the existence of an infinitely perfect God 79. We naturally know the infinite in extension, in duration 475 or time, and in number, and it is impossible that extension, time, and number not be infinite 80. In a sense there are several infinites, but there is and 481 can only be one absolute infinite, which is the all 81 It is an error and illusion for de Cambrai and the author of 483 The Search after Truth to want to confuse, as they do, the infinite being that exists with a so-called infinitely perfect being that does not exist, and it is an illusion for them to conclude, as they do, the existence of one from the existence of the other 82. All natural things form and fashion themselves by the 497 movement and combination of the different parts of matter, which are joined, united, and modified in different ways in all bodies that they compose 83. Difference between the works of nature and the works of art 501 84. The Cartesians themselves are forced to recognize that 505 the works of nature have been formed and put in the state they are by the force of the natural laws of movement 85. Consequently they also have to acknowledge 507 that matter has its movement in itself, which is, nevertheless, against their sentiment 86. Weakness and vanity of the reasoning of our God-cultists 509 to make excuses for their God for the imperfections, vices, viciousness, defects, and deformities found in the works of nature 87. Eighth proof: Of the vanity and falsity of religions taken 531 from the falsity of men’s opinion about the spirituality and immortality of their souls 88. Weakness and vanity of the arguments the God-cultists 533 make to prove the so-called spirituality and immortality of the soul 89. Refutation of their vain arguments 535 90. Sentiments of the ancients on the immortality of the soul 545 91. The thoughts, desires, will, and sensations of good and 547 evil are only internal modifications of the person or animal that thinks, knows, or feels good or evil; and although men and beasts are composed only of matter, it does not follow that the thoughts, desires, or sensations of good or evil should be round or square, as the Cartesians imagine them, and in this they appear ridiculous, as well as for such a vain reason they claim that beasts are deprived of knowledge and sentiment, which opinion is very reprehensible and why 92. Neither Moses nor the ancient prophets believed in the 565 immortality of the soul 93. Pliny, the famous naturalist, did not believe the sentiments 569 on the subject 94. The inevitable necessity of evil is another kind of proof 573 that there is no being that can prevent evil 95. The agreement of all the proofs put forward on the 575 subject, which follow, support, and confirm each other, is a proof that they are really solid and decisive 96. Conclusion of the whole work 577 97. The author calls an abuse all the injuries, mistreatments, 591 and unjust procedures that they can do to him after his death, and appeals only to the court of human reason before all the wise enlightened people, rejecting as judges in this affair all the ignorant bigots, all the partisans and instigators of errors and superstitions, also all the flatterers and favorites of tyrants and all their pawns Know, Then, My Friends, That Everything That Is Recited And Practiced In The World For The Cult And Adoration Of Gods Is Nothing But Errors, Abuses, Illusions, And Impostures. All The Laws And Orders That Are Issued In The Name And Authority Of God Or The Gods Are Really Only Human Inventions . And What I Say Here In General About The Vanity And Falsity Of The Religions Of The World, I Don't Say Only About The Foreign And Pagan Religions, Which You Already Regard As False, But I Say It As Well About Your Christian Religion Because, As A Matter Of Fact, It Is No Less Vain Or Less False Than Any Other. These Are Not The Words Of Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Or Any Other Outspoken Contemporary Atheist. In Fact, They Are The Words Of A Quiet, Modest Parish Priest Named Jean Meslier, Who Died In Early 18th-century France And Left Behind His Copious Testament As A Legacy For His Parishioners.^ This Obviously Controversial Work, Which Influenced Such Noted Thinkers As Baron D'holbach And Voltaire, And Is Viewed By Some Historians As Anticipating Both The French Revolution And Karl Marx, Is Now Available In English For The First Time. J In Impassioned Tones But With Analytical Precision, Meslier Presents A Methodical Deconstruction Of Christianity And The Governments That Support It, Along With A Thoughtful Defense Of The Fundamental Human Rights Of Liberty, Equality, And The Pursuit Of Happiness. He Reveals Himself Not Only As A Materialist And Unbeliever But Also As A Man Of Revolutionary Sentiments Who Firmly Opposes The Governments Of His Day, Which He Maintains Keep The Common People In Ignorance, Fear, And Poverty Through Religion.^ Moreover, He Urges His Former Parishioners To Wake Up And Inform Themselves About The Truth Of Their Governments And Religion. This Fascinating Document, Which Is An Early Forerunner Of Many Later Critiques Of Religion, Is Must Reading For Freethinkers, Skeptics, And Anyone With An Interest In The History Of Religion And Dissent.--book Jacket. Jean Meslier ; The First English Translation Of The Complete Work By Michael Shreve ; With A Preface By Michel Onfray. "Know, then, my friends, that everything that is recited and practiced in the world for the cult and adoration of gods is nothing but errors, abuses, illusions, and impostures. All the laws and orders that are issued in the name and authority of God or the gods are really only human inventions...." "And what I say here in general about the vanity and falsity of the religions of the world, I don't say only about the foreign and pagan religions, which you already regard as false, but I say it as well about your Christian religion because, as a matter of fact, it is no less vain or less false than any other."These are not the words of Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, or any other outspoken contemporary atheist. In fact, they are the words of a quiet, modest parish priest named Jean Meslier, who died in early 18th-century France and left behind his copious Testament as a legacy for his parishioners. This obviously controversial work, which influenced such noted thinkers as Baron d'Holbach and Voltaire, and is viewed by some historians as anticipating both the French Revolution and Karl Marx, is now available in English for the first time.In impassioned tones but with analytical precision, Meslier presents a methodical deconstruction of Christianity and the governments that support it, along with a thoughtful defense of the fundamental human rights of liberty, equality, and the pursuit of happiness. He reveals himself not only as a materialist and unbeliever but also as a man of revolutionary sentiments who firmly opposes the governments of his day, which he maintains keep the common people in ignorance, fear, and poverty through religion. Moreover, he urges his former parishioners to wake up and inform themselves about the truth of their governments and religion.This fascinating document, which is an early forerunner of many later critiques of religion, is must reading for freethinkers, skeptics, and anyone interested in the history of religion and dissent.