New Releases by Jean Meslier

Pubblicato postumo nella Francia della metà del Settecento, Testamento di Jean Meslier è uno dei frutti più radicali dell’illuminismo. E se la vita del suo misterioso autore, ritenuto dal filosofo Michel Onfray “curato ateo, per di più rivoluzionario comunista e internazionalista, materialista integrale, edonista convinto, collerico patentato, vendicativo, bestemmiatore anticristiano, ma anche, e soprattutto, filosofo nel senso pieno e nobile del termine”, appare priva di eventi straordinari, davvero straordinaria è invece l’appassionata ed eversiva requisitoria della sua opera. Nel testamento spirituale del miscredente parroco di Etrépigny, infatti, Meslier non esita a esporre i fondamenti di una filosofia materialista e ateistica, invitando alla ribellione contro le strutture oppressive della società. La complicità tra il potere religioso e la società civile viene messa alla berlina, suggerendo che l’umanità debba liberarsi dalle catene imposte dalle autorità. Eppure, nonostante le invettive, nella dottrina atea di Meslier sono presenti i principi del cristianesimo primitivo, quelli dell’uguaglianza e della comunità dei beni; ci sono, insomma, gli elementi essenziali del messaggio evangelico sia pure nell’interpretazione più rivoluzionaria.

This book is the life''s work and legacy of a priest who blew the whistle on Christianity; he begins with: "My dear friends, all the world''s religions are only human inventions, and there is nothing but error, abuse, vanity, illusion, deceit, lies, and imposture in all that is said, and all that is practiced in the world in worshipping the Gods." In a remote corner of France, Jean Meslier (1664-1729) did his duty as a village priest by day, and spent his evenings composing a complete refutation of the Bible, an attack on the political and economic system of the day, and an exposition of materialism.As an advocate of the voiceless masses, Meslier longed to see the political and religious establishment overthrown and replaced with a secular society based on liberty, communal values, orderly morals, and good government. He was a key, if unacknowledged, figure in the development and spread of Enlightenment thought. This book has also been published in four parts; this is the complete version.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

LIFE OF JEAN MESLIER BY VOLTAIRE. Jean Meslier, born 1678, in the village of Mazerny, dependency of the duchy of Rethel, was the son of a serge weaver; brought up in the country, he nevertheless pursued his studies and succeeded to the priesthood. At the seminary, where he lived with much regularity, he devoted himself to the system of Descartes. Becoming curate of Etrepigny in Champagne and vicar of a little annexed parish named Bue, he was remarkable for the austerity of his habits. Devoted in all his duties, every year he gave what remained of his salary to the poor of his parishes; enthusiastic, and of rigid virtue, he was very temperate, as much in regard to his appetite as in relation to women. MM. Voiri and Delavaux, the one curate of Varq, the other curate of Boulzicourt, were his confessors, and the only ones with whom he associated. The curate Meslier was a rigid partisan of justice, and sometimes carried his zeal a little too far. The lord of his village, M. de Touilly, having ill-treated some peasants, he refused to pray for him in his service. M. de Mailly, Archbishop of Rheims, before whom the case was brought, condemned him. But the Sunday which followed this decision, the abbot Meslier stood in his pulpit and complained of the sentence of the cardinal. "This is," said he, "the general fate of the poor country priest; the archbishops, who are great lords, scorn them and do not listen to them. Therefore, let us pray for the lord of this place. We will pray for Antoine de Touilly, that he may be converted and granted the grace that he may not wrong the poor and despoil the orphans." His lordship, who was present at this mortifying supplication, brought new complaints before the same archbishop, who ordered the curate Meslier to come to Donchery, where he ill-treated him with abusive language.....

"Catéchisme du curé Meslier" de Jean Meslier. Prêtre et philosophe des Lumières français (1664-1729).

Un libro fundamental en la historia del pensamiento: la obra que dejó, para publicar después de su muerte, un cura del norte de Francia del siglo XVIII, Jean Meslier, al que leyeron todos los ilustrados radicales. Un testimonio estremecedor y una sincera declaración de ateísmo. Primera traducción completa al castellano. "El autor de Memoria contra la religión —Laetoli publica ahora la primera edición íntegra del texto en castellano— fue considerado por los pensadores del siglo XVIII como un revolucionario y entró en los libros de Historia como el padre del ateísmo." Guillaume Fourmont, Público "Bermudo sostiene que Meslier veía 'excesivo dolor y miseria en nombre de Dios para no rebelarse de forma absoluta contra su existencia' y, en ese sentido, entiende que su deber es demostrar la no existencia de Dios." Agencia EFE "Devastadora Memoria contra la religión." Manuel Rodríguez Rivero, El País, Babelia "Rescata la editorial Laetoli el texto pionero de Jean Meslier, sacerdote católico que en 1729 osó decir que la religión era una impostura. Su Memoria contra la religión debería ser, con Holbach y otros pensadores, lectura obligatoria especialmente en los centros concertados." Javier Armentia, Diario de Noticias

My brothers, you know my disinterestedness. I do not sacrifice my beliefs to any low interest. If I could have done it with impunity, I would rather have enlightened you. You can testify to the truth of what I say. I did not degrade my ministry by asking for the remuneration attached to it. What contempt I felt for my ministry, and particularly for the superstitious mass and the ridiculous administration of the sacraments, especially when they had to be carried out with a solemnity that attracted your piety and excited your credulity? A thousand times I was on the point of publicly exploding. I wanted to open your eyes, but a fear stronger than my strength suddenly held me back, and forced me to remain silent until my death. The Sentiments of Jean Meslier Addressed to his parishioners on a part of the abuses and errors in general and particular. Jean Meslier was a French Catholic priest who was discovered, upon his death, to have written a book-length philosophical essay promoting atheism. Described by the author as his "testament" to his parishioners, the text denounces all religion.

Quand le curé d'Etrépigny meurt en 1729, il a recopié en trois exemplaires un message destiné à ses paroissiens, copieuse somme philosophique distribuée en huit " Preuves de la vanité et de la fausseté des religions ", qui débouche sur une virulente critique sociale et politique. C'est le vécu, l'insertion durant trente ans dans un petit village de Champagne, et une réflexion assidue, méticuleuse, qui ont alimenté la réflexion de Jean Meslier, donnant profondeur et originalité à cet homme discret et isolé mais précurseur des bouleversements révolutionnaires qui vont suivre, et qu'il annonce. Son message restera un temps occulté. Des trois volumineux manuscrits et des douze copies retrouvées depuis dans des bibliothèques privées, seuls seront connus des extraits centrés sur sa critique exégétique, bientôt truffés de commentaires adventices, voire même de passages d'œuvres du baron d'Holbach. Pourtant, plus de cent exemplaires manuscrits circulent lorsque Voltaire, alerté dès 1735 sur ce " curé de village aussi philosophe que Locke ", publie en 1762 un Extrait des sentiments de Jean Meslier, bientôt appelé Testament du curé Meslier. Mais Voltaire donnant à la pensée de Meslier un tour déiste, l'émascule gravement. Nous reproduisons l'intégralité du Mémoire tel qu'il figure sur l'un des trois manuscrits originaux conservés, à l'exclusion de toute copie ou édition fragmentaire. Toutefois, considérant le combat du curé Meslier comme actuel nous avons actualisé l'orthographe et la ponctuation, devenues aujourd'hui obsolètes et parfois indéchiffrables. L'édition intégrale de cet ouvrage exceptionnel, unique, souhaite rendre justice au courage intellectuel et à la puissance visionnaire de cet humble curé, premier écrivain ouvertement athée de notre histoire.