A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 08 — Voltaire — John Shaqi
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 08
Voltaire · en
PAPIST.--I must confess that a diminution of my wages would be more
disagreeable to me than the admission of these persons; but, then, they
do not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
TREASURER.--What does that signify to you, provided that you are
permitted to believe it, and are well lodged, well clothed, and well
fed? The Jews are far from believing that He is the Son of God, and yet
you are very easy with the Jews, with whom you deposit your money at six
per cent. St. Paul himself has never spoken of the divinity of Jesus
Christ, who is undisguisedly called a man. Death, says he, entered into
the world by the sin of one man ... and by one man, Jesus Christ, the
gift of grace hath abounded unto many, etc. All the early fathers of the
Church thought like Paul. It is evident that, for three hundred years,
Jesus was content with His humanity; imagine yourself a Christian of one
of the first three centuries.
PAPIST.--Yes, sir; but neither do they believe in eternal punishments.
TREASURER.--Nor I either; be you damned eternally if you please; for my
own part, I do not look for that advantage.
PAPIST.--Ah, sir! it is very hard not to be able to damn at pleasure all
the heretics in the world; but the rage which the Unitarian displays for
rendering everybody finally happy is not my only complaint. Know, that
these monsters believe the resurrection of the body no more than the
Sadducees. They say, that we are all anthropophagi, and that the
particles which compose our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, having
been necessarily dispersed in the atmosphere, become carrots and
asparagus, and that it is possible we may have devoured a portion of our
ancestors.
TREASURER.--Be it so; our children will do as much by us; it is but
repayment, and Papists will be as much benefited as others. This is no
reason for driving you from the states of his highness; and why any more
so for ejecting the Unitarians? Rise again, if you are able; it matters
little whether the Unitarians rise again or no, provided they are useful
during their lives.
PAPIST.--And what, sir, do you say to original sin, which they boldly
deny? Are you not scandalized by their assertion, that the Pentateuch
says not a word about it, that the bishop of Hippo, St. Augustine, is
the first who decidedly taught this dogma, although it is evidently
indicated by St. Paul?
TREASURER.--Truly, if the Pentateuch does not mention it, that is not my
fault. Why not add a text or two about original sin to the Old
Testament, as it is said you have added on other subjects? I know
nothing of these subtleties; it is my business only to pay you your
stipend, when I have the money to do so.
POPULATION.
SECTION I.