I would have very much loved to do a review of this book by Messlier, but I am afraid I wouldn’t do him justice. His arguments against the gods, against tyranny of the princes is astounding.
But don’t lose heart, I will share a small part from the conclusion, it’s beautiful.
I would like to be able to make my voice heard from one end of the kingdom to the other, or rather from one extremity of the earth to the other. I would cry out with all my force; O men, you are crazy! You are crazy to let yourselves be led in this way and to believe so blindly in so many stupidities.
[ ] religion and politics are united in cooperation to hold you always captive under their tyrannical laws.
Banish from your minds this crazy and blind belief in its false mysteries, put no faith in it, mock everything your self interested priests tell you.
Set your minds and hearts completely at ease in this matter and banish all these vain and superstitious offices of priests and sacrificers, and reduce them all to living and working usefully like you, or at least to being busy in something good and useful
Jean Messlier
Random thoughts 