ere corrupt. Church was useless and designed to control people, while benefiting from its members at least that is what Voltaire thought. Church is meant to bring people closer to their religion and even themselves, why he thought it corrupted people is what makes his arguments hard to comprehend. For Christianity, he would substitute deism, a purely rational religion. “Voltaire’s religion reflects the concurrence of a character and age” (Pomeau 140). Voltaire was a deist, “ for some sixty years he kept seeking historical and philosophical justification” (Pomeau 140). “Voltaire pleads for a true religion (on the model of Deism) that devoid power structure, politics and wealth- worship a God of mercy, humanity and tolerance” (Appelgate 9). During Candide, he talks about the Inquisitor, the old women and El Dorado these are examples of how he uses satire while talking about religion. The Grand Inquisitor, who was a very significant member of the church, made some choices a man in his position should not act. He wanted Cunegonde as he own, Don Issachar who owned her now did not want to do that at all. Then the Inquisitor threatened him with an auto-de-fe. Therefore, the men decided to share her. The Old women who had done may bad things throughout her life is the daughter of a pope, almost hard to believe. She lived a horrible life, she was the daughter of a pope one day the next she is kidnapped by pirates. Imagine watching your mother torn to pieces, then being sold from one person to another. El Dorado is this perfect place, still religious but no bishops, priests or monks to control people. How can a town be so religious but have no priests? In El Dorado, there is no such thing as organized religions, no courts or prisons, no poverty and complete equality. Even the king was treated as a normal citizen. I think it would be wonderful to live in a world where everyone was treated as equals....
