The Corruption Of Religion In Voltaire's Candide

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In Candide, Voltaire expressed his hatred toward religion, and their culture as different organizations and their corruption of the view of God. Voltaire’s issue was the moral implications that separated religious groups, often to the point of war with each other. Religious intolerance was a theme he dealt with in Candide. If I was a Pope or any other religious leader during this time period reading Candide, there would be a handful of incidences that would make myself feel very uncomfortable with Voltaire’s ideas about religion. The religious characters in Candide were mostly negative such as The Grand Inquisitor and the Jesuit Priest. Who was represented as a Portuguese Catholic Church religious leader with false virtue. Voltaire’s opinion…show more content…
The most unconcealed character is found in the Grand Inquisitor. The Grand Inquisitor was an important official of the Catholic Church. His hypocrisy here was evident when he forced a Jew to share Cunegonde with him by threatening him with prosecution from the Lord. The Grand Inquisitor proposed the Jew with an “auto da fe,” which was the burning alive of his kinsmen (Voltaire, 32). The Jew he dealt with was Don Issachar; who was the one who bought Cunegonde to make her his own sex slave. Seeing this event take place would cause myself as the Pope to bring up a few things that I would find insulting. Lets start with the Grand Inquisitor being an important part of the Catholic Church having affairs with Cunegonde, who is now a sex slave. This would bring up an act of social vice or evil having an affair with a prostitute. Even worse is the fact he condemns the Jew only if he does not share Cunegonde. The Grand Inquisitor is being a hypocrite here calling the Jew out for sinning but he is doing the same thing as well. Furthermore being the Pope, I also would find this scene with the Jew very offensive since Catholics and Jews do not agree on much but Voltaire thinks the corruption of lust would bring these two men together is even more…show more content…
He later revealed that he had homosexual tendencies. “While in Turkey,” he stated, “I found myself with a very handsome young officer of the sultan’s palace. It was hot…so I bathed with him, not knowing it was crime for a Christian” (Voltaire, 105). Eventhough he is Jesuit he still is a priest of the Lord and I would be fully outraged to read of a Christian priest having homosexual intercorse which is considered a sin against the commandments. While he states how he did not know bathing with another man he finds attractive is against God's will being a priest in the name of Lord makes it ten times worse. Under no circumstances can they be approved by the Church. The Church teaches that a homosexual inclination and can be a great trial for the person for whoever the Church feels is going down the sinful road. Being the Pope I find this event showing another corrupted religious figure tempted by lust this time in homosexuality. Which is putting more sinful acts in the eyes of others making it look okay since these religious leaders are doing what they desire
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