Voltaire+1st+Draft

Mike Bock Ms. Porter AP Literature February 25, 2010 Voltaire: Not Afraid of Life After Death “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders…And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” //-Corinthians 6:9~10// It is a fact that Francois-Marie Arouet, Voltaire, was a deist [1]. After all, if he did not believe in God, Voltaire would not have purchased a run-down Church at Ferney that he rebuilt! In both novels of __Candie__ and __L’Ingenu__ by Voltaire, it is apparent that he satirizes the religious practices of Christianity. And his life reveals much more. Mark Molesky states that for sixty years, Voltaire preached about religious tolerance—Protestant worship—within Catholic nations edging him on the line of excommunication. Fortunately, despite all his annoyances to the Church, Voltaire’s friendships with the highest-level clerics allowed him to stay within the Catholic vicinity. But why did he want to stay in the Church so much? Because he was afraid of death and of after life—at least that is what many of the critics claim. Without a doubt, Voltaire held deist ideals. Do not be fooled, by the critics, he did not believe in religious practices not because he was afraid of the life after death but because he was homosexual and the ideas are seen throughout both novels of __Candide__ and __L’Ingenu__. Constantly arguing with the Church, Voltaire tested its patience to allow him to be buried under the Church or not. Throughout his life, Voltaire was exiled constantly from Paris because of his works. In 1715, Louis XIV died and Voltaire was welcomed into Paris for his literary works. Taking advantage of the warm reception, he wrote a satirical poem about prince regent Orleans, which obviously got him deported. Wondering why? Let’s take a look at his novels. In __Candide__, Voltaire is constantly mocking the blind optimism of the followers of Christianity. “Maitre Pangloss was quite right when he told me that everything in this world is for the best” (Voltaire 8), that is what Candide says after, they had been attacked by the Bulgars and everybody was killed. How rational! But there is more to the story. Voltaire is not afraid of death. People “lay dying, their throats slit, and clutching their children to blood-spattered breasts” but Candide does not lose his optimism. He was definitely not afraid of the life after death. So then, why did Voltaire insist so much on a Church burial? [Connect with an issue today] From the beginning, it is clearly stated in the bible that homosexuality is a sin. It is repeatedly stated in the passages of the bible. Rom.1,24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, Rom.1,25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen. Rom.1,26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, Rom.1,27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error. Rom.1,28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct. Rom.1,29 They were filled with all manner of wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity, they are gossips, Rom.1,30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, Rom.1,31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Rom.1,32 Though they know God's decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them but approve those who practice them. Yes, it is true: Voltaire was homosexual. Cunegonde is a joke in __Candide__. The heterosexual relationship between her and Candide is overshadowed by the love between Pangloss and Cucumbo.

[1] Deism believes in God but a deist does not blindly believe, he/she applies logic and rational thinking. Many followers consist of people who despise the inconsistencies and pessimistic thinking of the religions—condemning all to hell if one does not believe in God.