Criticism of Religion in Voltaire’s Candide Essay -- Candide essays

Criticism of Religion in Voltaires CandideIn his novel Candide, Voltaire a good deal criticized religious beliefs of the times. His criticism of holiness surfaces throughout the entire write up. The kindness of the Anabaptist that Candide met showed the silliness of religious prejudices. The old womans story of her father, Pope Urban X, and the life of wealth she lived as a nestling shows the corruption of the Catholic clergy. Finally, the conversation Candide and Cacambo had with the old man in eldorado shows the benefits of a simple religion, a contrast of the European religions of the time.During the eighteenth century, the Anabaptists were often persecuted and hated because of their radical religious beliefs. Voltaire attacked this custom with his description of the kindness of an Anabaptist by the name of James. Candide found himself in Holland, a Christian country, with no food for thought or work, so he asked one of the Protestant citizens for some bread. aft(prenominal) Candide did not admit that the pope was the antichrist, the Protestant yelled at him, You dont merit to eat... go you scoundr...