by Jean Meslier
What subtle and beautiful instructions for a man who called himself God’s son, and whom our Christ-cultists claim to have been wisdom itself, and the eternal wisdom. What charming and clever parables, or comparisons, giving such a lofty idea of the greatness and excellence of this fine Kingdom of Heaven, since it’s just like so many fine and amazing things as: a grain of mustard seed planted in a field, or a net thrown in the sea, or yeast in dough or flour, etc. If certain among our Doctors and Preachers tried out similar sermons on us, wouldn’t they only be laughed at? No doubt they would, and they would only get scorn from everyone. And yet, our God-Christ-cultists want us to believe that those are the words of an infinite and eternal wisdom. And what is also remarkable in this, is that this supposedly amazing and divine wisdom[530] only offered the masses such parables in order, as it says[531], so that seeing, they don’t see and hearing, they don’t comprehend, and that it told them, that thus they wouldn’t be converted and so that their sings would not be forgiven them. And on another occasion, it said, this supposedly[532] divine wisdom, that it came to blind those who see clearly. Ego veni, said Jesus Christ, in hunc mundum ut qui vident coeci fiant. That being the case, it’s not only folly, but also malice and wickedness in his speeches and preaching, since he would have deliberately used dubious and unclear terms, to keep people from understanding what he said, and so that nobody could benefit by it. It’s in wise Ecclesiasticus that he who speaks sophistically, i.e., he who speaks in an ambiguous and deceptive way, is odious[533], qui sophistice loquitur odibilis est. With all the more reason is he who speaks in order to trick and blind and confuse those who hear, an odious person; and therefore, the Christ-cultists’ Christ, having spoken in order to keep those who see from seeing, and those who hear from comprehending what he told them, and this to keep them from converting, and their sins from being forgiven, it clearly follows that there was or would have been, not only folly, but also malice and wickedness in his speeches and sermons, by which he rendered himself not only contemptible, but also deserving of the hatred of the masses. On one hand he said that he came to save men, to seek out and save all that was lost; that he came to call and save sinners; that he asked for no sacrifices, but only wanted to bring mercy to all; that he was the light of the world; that he was the way and the truth and the life; that he was a good shepherd, and that he even gave his life for the salvation of his flock. And on the other hand, he said that he had come to blind those who saw clearly, that they ought not think[534] that he came to bring peace to the Earth, but rather to light the fires of war. “Do not think,” as he said himself, “that I came to bring peace to the Earth, I did not come to bring peace but a sword, for I have come,” he said, “to bring division between father and son, between mother and daughter, between stepmother and stepdaughter, and the domestic servants of a man will be his enemies. He who loves father or mother more than me,” he said, “is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever,” he added, “does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”[535] Wouldn’t a person have to be either mad or quite extravagant to make speeches like this, which are mutually contradictory and completely negate each other? For if he came to enlighten men and instruct them in his wisdom, then why did he say that he had come to blind those who see clearly? And why did he talk to the people in parables, to keep them from comprehending what he told them? That was no way to instruct them, or to enlighten them by his wisdom. And if he did come, as he said, to save men, to save sinners, and to bring them mercy, then why was he afraid of their conversion, and the forgiveness of their sins, if they did convert and repent? And finally, if he were, as he said, the good shepherd, and if he came to give his life for the salvation of his flock, i.e., for the salvation of mankind and to save them all, how could he say that he had come to lose them, to spark, among them, the fires war and division, and to sow discord everywhere, and between even the closest relatives and friends? All of this contradicts itself, and it clearly negates itself, and only a madman and a fanatic would talk like that.
Consider another episode of his preaching: One day, being followed by a crowd of people[536], he climbed a mountain, and being seated, he opened his mouth, and, looking at his disciples, he said to them, as if uttering oracles: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs; blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth; blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted; blessed are those who hunger and thirst after justice, for they will be satisfied; blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy; blessed are those who have pure hearts, for they will see God; blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God; blessed are those who suffer persecution for justice, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. You will be blessed, he said to them, when men insult you for my sake, for you will meet with persecution and all manner of lies[537]; you should rejoice and be ecstatic about this,” he told them, for a great reward awaits you in heaven.” Gaudete et exultate quoniam merces vestra copiosa est in coelis. Any given impostor or fanatic could say and promise the same thing to their disciples. Also consider this part of his preaching: “Verily, verily,” he said to the crowd that followed him, “I tell you that if a grain of wheat falls to Earth and doesn't die, it remains alone and brings forth no fruit, but when it dies, it brings forth much fruit. He who loves his soul[538],” he said, “will lose it; but he who hates his soul in this world will keep it for eternal life. He who serves me follows me,” he said, “for he who serves me must be with me, and he who serves me, will be raised to honor by my Father. But behold,” he said at the same time, “my soul is troubled within me. What shall I say therefore, my Father, deliver me from this hour and glorify your name...Gird up your loins[539],” he told them, “and let your lamps be always lit in your hands, like men who are waiting for their master to come to the wedding, to be able to promptly open the door when he comes and knocks it. If any come to me[540],” he said to the crowd that followed him, and does not hate his father and his mother, his wife and his children, his brothers and his sisters, and his own soul, he cannot be my disciple, and anyone who does not bear his cross (or his gallows) and does not follow me, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good,” he said, “but if salt becomes dull, how will things be salted?[541] Let he who has ears to hear, hear,” he said: qui habet aures audiendi audiat, etc. What fine sayings from an utterly divine and eternal wisdom. Here’s another example. “A sower,” he said, “left his house one day, to plant his seeds; while he was sowing, a part of the seed,” he said, “fell beside the path, and the birds of heaven came and devoured it; another part,” he said, “fell among stones, where it found scant dirt to grow in, but as the dirt was shallow, as the Sun rose, it was scorched and dried out, for it had no roots; another part,” he said, “fell among thorns, and when these thorns grew, they strangled it. Finally, the other part fell,” he said, “on good ground, and produced a hundred times more fruit than was planted[542], one of the grains,” he said, “brought a hundred, and the other 60.”[543] And, while delivering such a fine speech, he cried these words loudly: “Let he who has ears understand well what I say: Haec dicens clamabat, qui habet aures audiendi audiat. One day when he was preaching in the temple of Jerusalem, the Jews ironically pretended to admire his teaching, and, mistaking their intentions, he said: “My doctrine is not my doctrine, but the doctrine of He who sent me. Moses,” he told them, “gave you a Law, and none of you observe this Law. Why do you seek to kill me?[544]” The Jews, astonished at these words, said to him: “You are either insane or possessed; who is seeking to put you to death?” And, when he continued to preach like this, and apparently realizing that the Jews made no effort to hear him, or even listen to him, he began to shout loudly in the temple, saying: “And you know me well, and you well know where I come from, and I am not come from myself, but He who sent me is true and you know him not, but for my part I do know him, because I come from him, and that it is
he who sent me. Another time he said this to them: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that if anyone keeps my words, he will never die.” Another time he said: “I am the living bread descended from on high: if anyone eats this bread, he will never die, and the bread I give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world: for my flesh,” he said, “is nourishment indeed, and my blood a true drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him, and I will give him eternal life. Verily, verily”, he said, “I say, that it if you don't eat my flesh or drink my blood, you will have no life in you, for he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Another time, which was the last day of a great solemn festival, he went to the public place in Jerusalem, and began to shout and to say these words: “Oh, you know me well, and you know where I came from, and I have not come of myself[545], but He who sent me is true and you know Him not, but as for me, I know Him, for I come from Him, and it’s He who sent me.” Another time, he told them the following: “Verily, verily I tell you, that if anyone keeps my word, he will never die.”[546] Another time he told them: “I am the living bread which came down from Heaven, if anyone eats this bread, he will never die, and the bread I will give is my flesh, for I will give it for the life of the world: for my flesh,” he told them, is true food and my blood is true drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, dwells in me and I in him, and I will give him eternal life. Verily, verily,” he told them, “I tell you that if you don’t eat my flesh or drink my blood, you will have no life in you: for he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will resurrect him on the last day[547]. Another time, which happened to be the last day of a great solemn festival, he went into the public square in the city of Jerusalem, and suddenly began shouting these words[548]:
“If any thirst, come to me and drink. Rivers” he said, “of living water will flow from the bowels of those who believe in me”, and much else that would take too long to share here. In all honesty, are those not the musings of madmen and fanatics? You’d certainly have to have lost your mind to talk this way. If anyone came today to say similar things, we’d consider them insane, to be sure, or fanatical.
Here are a few other particular speeches that the Christ delivered one day to a Pharisee, who had invited him to dine with him, in company with a few other people. When he was there, at table without having washed his hands, the Pharisee who had invited him, found this improper, but he also indicated that he was displeased; note how Jesus Christ spoke to him[549]: “You Pharisees,” he said, “clean the outside of the cup and plate, and inside you are full of rapine and injustice. Insane as you are,” he tells him, “he who does the outside, hasn’t he also done the interior? Cursed are you, Pharisees,” he continues, “cursed are you, who pay the tithe of your mint, rue, and all other garden herbs, but who abandon the judgment and charity of God; all those things were indeed necessary, but you should not have omitted the latter. Cursed are you, Pharisees...you are like whitened tombs, whose exterior looks well to human eyes, but whose interior is full of the bones of the dead and decay...In the same way, you[550] appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and injustice. Blind Pharisees,” he said, “first clean the inside of the cup and the plate, so that its outside will also become clean!” Can anyone imagine a sensible man ever delivering such a speech to the man who had invited him to eat with him, and who was presently at his table? No, there’s no way; only a madman, a careless fanatic, would rise to such an excess of rudeness and folly.
Here’s another piece of reasoning that he shared, and which clearly shows the derangement of his mind. One day, when the Jews had told him that he was giving witness of himself, and that for this reason his testimony was invalid, he said: “Even though I give testimony of myself”, he told them, “my testimony does not therefore cease to be true, for I know,” he said, “whence I come, and where I'm going, but you, however,, you know not whence I come, nor where I go, and if I judged anyone, my judgement would be just, since I am not alone, but my Father, who has sent me, and is with me, and it is written in your Law[551],” he said, “that the testimony of two people is considered true, but,” he said, “I bear witness of myself and my Father also, who sent me, bears witness of me,” etc. Then, according to his logic, his witness of himself should be considered true. Is this not a fantastic proof? How can you not laugh at such logic? It’s easy to see, from all these speeches, and from all that I have shared here, that he truly was a fanatic, and it’s clear that, if he could come back among us, and he said similar things nowadays, there’s no doubt but we would see him as a madman and a fanatic.
The same opinion will readily be formed about him, upon close examination of his actions and how he acted; for, 1) to go through a whole province in its towns, bourgs and villages, as he did, preaching, as he did, the soon arrival of an imaginary kingdom of Heaven, is the work of a fanatic, and even today we would take anyone who acted this way for one. 2) Having been, as it says in his Gospel, carried away by the Devil[552] to a high mountain, from which he fancied he saw all Kingdoms of the Earth, certainly belongs to a visionary and a fanatic; for it is certain that there is no mountain on Earth from which even a single kingdom can be seen in its entirety, with the sole possible exception of the tiny Kingdom of Yvetot, in our France. It was, therefore, only in his imagination that he saw all the kingdoms of the world, and it was also without doubt in his imagination that he was carried to this mountain, as well as to the pinnacle of the temple, which is mentioned in the same Gospels. And only a madman, a visionary, and a fanatic would have such visions and take such imaginary journeys. 3) When healed the deaf and dumb man, as mentioned in Mark[553], it says that he drew him aside, that he put his fingers in his ears, spit, and then touched the man’s tongue; then, casting his eyes upwards, he gave a loud sigh and said: Eppheta, which means “Open”! All these details and gestures are certainly those of a fanatic. On another day he experienced a sudden movement of joy in his mind, and said: “I bless you, my Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, for having hidden these things from the wise and the prudent and made them known to the small ones. Yes, my father,” he said, talking to himself, “for it pleased you to have it so”; then, turning to his disciples, he said[554]: “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see, for I declare”, he told them, “that many prophets and many kings have desired to see what you see but never could, and to hear what you hear, but were unable.” This is also just the sort of way visionaries and fanatics would do.
When he raised Lazarus, or seemed to resurrect him, he played the mourner; he trembled in his mind and was emotional, then, approaching the tomb of the supposedly dead man, he shivered internally again; then, raising his hands to heaven, said: “My Father, I give you thanks for hearing me,” then he shouted: “Lazarus, come out here!” All these mannerisms would only suit a fanatic.
One day, as he was going to Jerusalem, upon seeing the city, he started crying over it, saying: “Oh! if you only knew, this day at least, who would be favorable for you, all the things that come forth to bring you peace! But no, they are now hidden from your eyes: for a time of misfortune will come to you, your enemies will surround you[555] with trenches, they will lay siege to you, and will contain you on all sides, they will destroy your houses, exterminate your inhabitants; stone will not remain upon stone, for you have ignored the time of your visitation. When he had entered the Temple, he chased out with a whip those who bought and sold there, upset their tables and chairs, saying[556]: “It is written, my house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.” These are also the truly fanatical deeds and words.
On the morning of his death, when he was speaking with his disciples, his mind was suddenly troubled, and he told them: “Verily, verily, one of you will betray me[557].” A moment later, after the one who was going to betray him had gone out, Jesus said: “Now the Son of man is glorified and God is glorified in him; God will also
glorify him in himself and he will glorify him soon. My little children,” He said to his disciples, “I will only be with you a little longer;” then, raising his eyes upward, he said: “My Father, the hour has come, glorify your son, so that your son may glorify you, as you have established his power over all men, that he may give a share in eternal life to all those you have given him; eternal life is knowing you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent[558]. I have glorified you on Earth, I have completed the work you gave me, even you, my Father! Now glorify me in your own glory, which I had with you before the world was made.... My Father,” he continued, “I want those you have given me, be where I am, so they see my glory that you gave me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they be one as we are one. I am in them and you in me, so they are consumed in the unit. Righteous Father[559],” he continued, “the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these you sent me have known you,” etc., along with many similar examples of his speeches that I might share. Certainly, once more, if we now encountered such characters who spoke this way, they would unfailingly be considered insane and fanatical.