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Rousseau's contempt for Christians and love for big government
Rousseau vehemently detested [[Catholicism]] along with other institutionalized as well as private forms of [[Christianity]], believing that mankind would be better off with his idea of a civil religion wedded to the state.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=IPZa0_Qx0koC&pg=PA16&dq=%22civil+religion%22+rousseau#PPA17,M1 ''Religion as a Public Good''], Alan Mittleman, Rowman & Littlefield, 2003
Rousseau vehemently detested [[Catholicism]] along with other institutionalized as well as private forms of [[Christianity]], believing that mankind would be better off with his idea of a civil religion wedded to the state.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=IPZa0_Qx0koC&pg=PA16&dq=%22civil+religion%22+rousseau#PPA17,M1 ''Religion as a Public Good''], Alan Mittleman, Rowman & Littlefield, 2003
ISBN 0742531252, 9780742531253, 336 pages, pp. 16-17</ref> He also believed that the society had a duty toward the poor, to care for them, and to look after them, but interestingly he dumped all 19 of his own illegitimate children in charitable institutions, some of them Roman Catholic and expected them to take care of them.
ISBN 0742531252, 9780742531253, 336 pages, pp. 16-17</ref> As such, Rousseau was known for making the claim that followers of [[Jesus]] would not be good citizens.<ref>[https://mises.org/library/6-jean-jacques-rousseau The History of Political Philosophy: From Plato to Rothbard]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=CNafZ4xYV2kC&pg=PA201 Jesus and Mary]</ref><ref>[http://www.philosophybasics.com/philosophers_rousseau.html Jean-Jacques Rousseau]</ref>
The Sovereign State, Rousseau argues, can rely on its best citizens in time of war. He wrote: "If war breaks out with another State, the citizens march readily out to battle; not one of them thinks of flight; they do their duty, but they have no passion for victory; they know better how to die than how to conquer." He continued: "imagine your Christian republic face to face with Sparta or Rome: the pious Christians will be beaten, crushed and destroyed, before they know where they are, or will owe their safety only to the contempt their enemy will conceive for them." He concluded: "I shall be told that Christian troops are excellent. I deny it."<ref>[http://www.constitution.org/jjr/socon_04.htm The Social Contract: BOOK IV]</ref>
Rousseau put government, or "The Sovereign" above all else, and he had that expectation for others. This was the hallmark of good citizenship: willing subjugation. Christians, on the other hand, place God above government. This is why, in his eyes, Christians make for very poor citizens.
He also believed that the society had a duty toward the poor, to care for them, and to look after them, but interestingly he dumped all 19 of his own illegitimate children in charitable institutions, some of them Roman Catholic and expected them to take care of them.
==Influence==
==Influence==
Aside from his work of ''The Social Contract'' as well as his role in supplying a blueprint for the French Revolution and Reign of Terror, he was also responsible for several of the aspects of modern education, including especially early childhood education, via his work ''Emile: or On Education''.
Aside from his work of ''The Social Contract'' as well as his role in supplying a blueprint for the French Revolution and Reign of Terror, he was also responsible for several of the aspects of modern education, including especially early childhood education, via his work ''Emile: or On Education''.
Although Rousseau is taught in various educational circles and was valued as an Enlightenment sage, [[Paul Johnson]] in his book ''[[Intellectuals]]'' demonstrated that Rousseau was a veritiable psychopath and a liar, also citing other people from that time who expressed similar views.<ref>[http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/Z5260P.pdf Excerpt from Paul Johnson's ''Intellectuals''] on thedivineconspiracy.org</ref>
Although Rousseau is taught in various educational circles and was valued as an Enlightenment sage, [[Paul Johnson]] in his book ''[[Intellectuals]]'' demonstrated that Rousseau was a veritable psychopath and a liar, also citing other people from that time who expressed similar views.<ref>[http://www.thedivineconspiracy.org/Z5260P.pdf Excerpt from Paul Johnson's ''Intellectuals''] on thedivineconspiracy.org</ref>
==Notes and references==
==Quotes==
* "Christianity as a religion is entirely spiritual, occupied solely with heavenly things; the country of the Christian is not of this world." - ''The Social Contract: Book IV''
==See also==
==See also==
*[[Humanism#Secular Humanism|Secular Humanism]]
*[[Humanism#Secular Humanism|Secular Humanism]]
==References==
{{reflist|1}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rousseau, Jean Jacques}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rousseau, Jean Jacques}}
[[Category:French Philosophers]]
[[Category:French Philosophers]]
[[Category:French Revolution]]
[[Category:French Revolution]]
[[Category:Enlightenment]]
[[Category:Enlightenment]]
[[Category:Deists]]
[[Category:Deists]]