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Voltaire (pen name of François-Marie Arouet) (1694-1778) was a leading philosopher in the Enlightenment, advocating freedom everywhere and emphasizing his form of reason. He was a [[Deism|deist]] who rejected Christianity and criticized organized religion.  Voltaire is sometimes called the "Father of the Enlightenment."

Voltaire (pen name of François-Marie Arouet) (1694-1778) was a leading philosopher in the [[Enlightenment]], advocating freedom everywhere and emphasizing his form of reason. He was a [[Deism|deist]] who rejected Christianity and criticized organized religion.  Voltaire is sometimes called the "Father of the Enlightenment."

In his ''Philosophical Dictionary,'' he fantasizes a conversation in which he asks a spirit "Tell me if there have been peoples other than the Christians and the Jews in whom zeal and religion wretchedly transformed into fanaticism, have inspired so many horrible cruelties." The spirit replies "Yes, the Mohammedans were sullied with the same inhumanities, but rarely; and when one asked amman, pity, of them, and offered them tribute, they pardoned."

In his ''Philosophical Dictionary,'' he fantasizes a conversation in which he asks a spirit "Tell me if there have been peoples other than the Christians and the Jews in whom zeal and religion wretchedly transformed into fanaticism, have inspired so many horrible cruelties." The spirit replies "Yes, the Mohammedans were sullied with the same inhumanities, but rarely; and when one asked amman, pity, of them, and offered them tribute, they pardoned."

A Frenchman, he wrote "Candide," in which Voltaire described many bad things that happen to Candide in order to make the point that the world could be a better place.  Increased freedom was Voltaire's way of improving things.

A Frenchman, he wrote "Candide," in which Voltaire described many bad things that happen to Candide in order to make the point that the world could be a better place.  Increased freedom was Voltaire's way of improving things.