“Of Universal Tolerance” by Voltaire

The essay “Of Universal Tolerance,” by Voltaire, otherwise known as Francois-Marie Arouet was written in seventeen sixty-three. Voltaire a French enlightenment writer states through satire, that all religions have very different believes but that each denomination should tolerate each other regardless of their believes. After all, we are all created equal.

Of Universal Tolerance states that tolerating one another shouldn’t be such a hard task to endure. All Christians should get along, even if the believes aren’t the same and everyone is different with different views and opinions. This thought brings about a question asked by Voltaire. Voltaire asks, “Are we not all children of the same father and creatures of the same God?”

Voltaire states that people of other communities and affiliations despise one another. He goes farther to say, this little globe, which is no more than a mere spec, is just like many other globes, and we are lost in the immensity of the universe. So why do we ridicule one another as if we are the only kind.

Voltaire goes on to explain what he would say to the Christians. He says he would speak to a Dominican inquisitor of faith and say to him, each province of Italy is all different in which they speak their own way. He then asks, Does that mean because they are different, would the academy of which set up the Italian language cut out all of the tongue of each man who speak in their own dialects?

Voltaire spoke his believes in which he states that it is extremely and absurdly cruel to prosecute those who do not have the same thought process as you. Gods entire law explains that we shall “Love God and our neighbor,” but those who worship a merciful God have forgotten this sacred law. Instead they have pointless and meaningless arguments and disputes that are a waste of our precious time. Stating that the God you worship is almighty and true over every other denomination.

Voltaire views the ridiculous suffering of the many people who have been prosecuted from such believes and he states that all mankind will be judged by God, and that God will reward each man according to his own life and works.