“Gentleness and peacefulness regulate our proceedings; theirs are dictated by fury. We employ reason, they accumulate faggots. They preach nothing but love, and breathe nothing but blood. Their words are humane, but their hearts are cruel.” HeartReasonBloodAtheismPositive AtheismBreatheGentlenessHumaneFuryProceedingPeacefulness Author:Denis Diderot
“There comes a moment during which almost every girl or boy falls into melancholy; they are tormented by a vague inquietude which rests on everything and finds nothing to calm it. They seek solitude; they weep; the silence to be found in cloister attracts them: the image of peace that seems to reign in religious houses seduces them. They mistake the first manifestations of a developing sexual nature for the voice of God calling them to Himself; and it is precisely when nature is inciting them that they embrace a fashion of life contrary to nature's wish.” FirstsMomentsSeemsFallGirlFoundHouseWishVoiceReligiousMistakeSilenceBoysAtheismFashionCallingSolitudeEmbraceCalmPositive AtheismContraryDevelopingManifestationMelancholyVagueReignSeducingVoice Of GodEvery Girl Author:Denis Diderot
“At an early age I sucked up the milk of Homer, Virgil, Horace, Terence, Anacreon, Plato and Euripides, diluted with that of Moses and the prophets.” AgeAtheismPositive AtheismProphetMilkPlatoMoses Author:Denis Diderot
“But if you will recall the history of our civil troubles, you will see half the nation bathe itself, out of piety, in the blood of the other half, and violate the fundamental feelings of humanity in order to sustain the cause of God: as though it were necessary to cease to be a man in order to prove oneself religious!” IfsMenFeelingsHumanityOrderNationsCausesReligiousHalfTroubleBloodAtheismProveFundamentalsOneselfPositive AtheismCeaseRecallsBe A ManPietyOther Half Author:Denis Diderot
“If there were a reason for preferring the Christian religion to natural religion, it would be because the former offers us, on the nature of God and man, enlightenment that the latter lacks. Now, this is not at all the case; for Christianity, instead of clarifying, gives rise to an infinite multitude of obscurities and difficulties.” IfsMenGivingReasonWould BeChristianNaturalChristianityCasesAtheismOffersEnlightenmentDifficultyInfinitePositive AtheismFormerLatterMultitudesObscurityClarifying Author:Denis Diderot
“One must be oneself very little of a philosopher not to feel that the finest privilege of our reason consists in not believing in anything by the impulsion of a blind and mechanical instinct, and that it is to dishonour reason to put it in bonds as the Chaldeans did. Man is born to think for himself.” ThinkingMenFeelsBelieveLittlesReasonBornAtheismBlindInstinctPrivilegeOneselfPhilosopherPositive AtheismFinestDishonour Author:Denis Diderot
“I am more affected by the attractions of virtue than by the deformities of vice; I turn gently away from the wicked and I fly to meet the good. If there is in a literary work, in a character, in a picture, in a statue, a beautiful spot, that is where my eyes rest; I see only that, I remember only that, all the rest is well-nigh forgotten. What becomes of me when the whole work is beautiful!” IfsWellsWholeCharacterEyeBeautifulRememberTurnsVirtueAtheismForgottenVicesPositive AtheismAttractionSpotsWickedAffectedStatuesDeformityLiterary Works Author:Denis Diderot
“It seems to me that if one had kept silence up to now regarding religion, people would still be submerged in the most grotesque and dangerous superstition ... regarding government, we would still be groaning under the bonds of feudal government ... regarding morals, we would still be having to learn what is virtue and what is vice. To forbid all these discussions, the only ones worthy of occupying a good mind, is to perpetuate the reign of ignorance and barbarism.” PeopleIfsMindStillsSeemsGovernmentSilenceMoralVirtueAtheismDangerousIgnoranceVicesWorthyPositive AtheismDiscussionSuperstitionsReignBarbarismGrotesqueSubmergedGroaningGood Mind Author:Denis Diderot
“Which is the greater merit, to enlighten the human race, which remains forever, or to save one's fatherland, which is perishable?” HumansRaceForeverGreaterAtheismRemainsPositive AtheismHuman RaceMeritEnlighteningFatherland Author:Denis Diderot
“The good of the people must be the great purpose of government. By the laws of nature and of reason, the governors are invested with power to that end. And the greatest good of the people is liberty. It is to the state what health is to the individual.” PeopleEndsStatesReasonGovernmentLawPurposeIndividualLibertyAtheismPositive AtheismGovernorsLaws Of NaturePurpose Of Government Author:Denis Diderot
“It is raining bombs on the house of the Lord. I go in fear and trembling lest one of these terrible bombers gets into difficulties.” HouseLordAtheismTerribleRainDifficultyPositive AtheismBombsTremblingBombers Author:Denis Diderot
“We are a free people; and now you have planted in our country the title deeds of our future slavery. You are neither god nor demon; who are you, then, to make slaves? Orou! You understand the language of these men, tell us all, as you have told me, what they have written on this sheet of metal: This country is ours. This country yours? And why? Because you have walked thereon? If a Tahitian landed one day on your shores, and scratched on one of your rocks or on the bark of your trees: This country belongs to the people of Tahiti - what would you think?” PeopleIfsThinkingMenCountryLanguageWrittenTreeAtheismRocksOne DaySlaverySlaveDeedsPositive AtheismOur CountryTitlesDemonShoreOur FutureMetalsSheetsBarkTahiti Author:Denis Diderot
“There is only one virtue, justice; only one duty, to be happy; only one corollary, not to overvalue life and not to fear death.” JusticeVirtueAtheismDutyPositive AtheismFear Of Death Author:Denis Diderot
“It has been said that love robs those who have it of their wit, and gives it to those who have none.” LoveLifeGivingHas BeensSaidPositive AtheismWit Author:Denis Diderot
“Superstition is more injurious to God than atheism.” AtheismPositive AtheismSuperstitions Author:Denis Diderot
“No man has received from nature the right to give orders to others. Freedom is a gift from heaven, and every individual of the same species has the right to enjoy it as soon as he is in enjoyment of his reason.” MenGivingReasonOrderIndividualHeavenEnjoyFreedomSpeciesPositive AtheismEnjoyment Book:Selected Writings Source: Selected Writings
“Wandering in a vast forest at night, I have only a faint light to guide me. A stranger appears and says to me: 'My friend, you should blow out your candle in order to find your way more clearly.' This stranger is a theologian.” WayShouldLightNightOrderMy FriendsBlowStrangerPositive AtheismGuidesForestsWanderCandleTheologianGuide Me Author:Denis Diderot
“Patriotism is an ephemeral motive that scarcely ever outlasts the particular threat to society that aroused it.” ParticularThreatPositive AtheismMotivePatriotismPatrioticEphemeral Book:Selected Writings Source: Selected Writings
“When superstition is allowed to perform the task of old age in dulling the human temperament, we can say goodbye to all excellence in poetry, in painting, and in music.” HumansAgeBeliefPaintingTasksExcellencePositive AtheismOld AgeBirthdayGoodbyeSuperstitionsFarewellTemperamentSaying Goodbye Book:Selected Writings Source: Selected Writings
