Whilst on his deathbed, Voltaire was asked by a Catholic priest to renounce Satan. With a smile he replied,
"Now, now my good man this is not the time to make new enemies"
Who was Voltaire?
François-Marie Arouet a French philosopher was popularly known as Voltaire (1694 -1778).
He was also an enlightenment writer, historian. Famous for his wit, his attacks on the established aristocracy, Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and separation of church and state.
Voltaire was a versatile writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, and historical and scientific works. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and more than 2,000 books and pamphlets.
He was an outspoken advocate of several liberties, despite the risk this placed him in under the strict censorship laws of the time. He frequently made use of his works in satirical form to criticise intolerance, religious dogma, and the French institutions of his day.
Not surprisingly Voltaire faced lifelong troubles with the authorities for critiques of dictatorial, unjust and hypocritical forces.
Voltaire's activities were to result in numerous imprisonments and exiles. Yet the brave man refused to give up his principles.
He mainly argued for religious tolerance and freedom of thought. He campaigned to eradicate dictatorial priestly and aristo-monarchical authority, and supported a constitutional monarchy that protects people's rights.
The character and beliefs of the man can be judged by his words and actions. In arguing a particular case he declared, "I do not agree with what you say, but I shall defend to my dying breath your right to say it." Indeed a lesson for many so called religious and political leaders of today
Despite great pressure and threats from the aristocracy and the Church, Voltaire refused till his dying breath to retract his well-known criticism of the Church.
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| Satan -The Temptation of Christ - Ary Scheffer 1854 |
Why do Christians ask that people renounce Satan?
Christians believe that against God's wishes Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge. Hence they were thrown out of paradise, the garden of Eden by God. God cursed them as sinners and therefore their children would also be born sinners.
Thereafter God felt remorse and wanted to correct the situation. So he sent His own son Jesus Christ, (who was born from the virgin Mother Mary and hence not a sinner) to take upon himself the sins of all of humanity.
Therefore as per the christian faith only way a person can receive salvation is to renounce Satan, to accept that they believe in God, accept that Jesus as the Son of God who has taken the sins of the believers upon himself.
Satan is believed to be an angel who rebelled against God and therefore evil.
