God created sex. Priests created marriage.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Voltaire contrasts natural human instincts with institutional religious structures regarding sexuality.
- In plain terms
- Sex is natural, but marriage rules were made by priests.
- What can you take from it?
- Distinguish between human nature and religious rules.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How much of morality is natural?
- Who benefits from religious rules?
Another view
It oversimplifies the historical and cultural reasons for marriage.
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