Jean Meslier 1728
Source: Mémoire contre la religion, in Oeuvres Complètes. Anthropos, Paris, 1970;
Translated: for marxists.org by Mitchell Abidor;
CopyLeft: Creative Commons (Attribute & ShareAlike) marxists.org 2008.
Here is another demonstration...I will draw it from the abuses, unjust vexations, and even the tyranny which it suffers, which it approves and which it authorizes in the great of the earth, to the great prejudice of the public good and the common good of peoples and individuals. From which I form this argument, that a religion that suffers, approves, and which even authorizes abuses contrary to justice and the good government of men, and which even authorizes the tyranny of the great of the earth to the prejudice of peoples, cannot be true, nor truly be of divine origin, insofar as the laws and ordinances that would be divine would be just and equitable, and that any religion that would be divine would censure and condemn all that would be contrary to justice and the good government of men.
But the Christian religion suffers, approves and authorizes many abuses that are contrary to justice, to right reason and the good government of men. And what is more, it suffers and authorizes many unjust vexations and even the tyranny of kings and he great of the earth, to the great scandal and prejudice of the peoples, who groan and are unhappy and destitute under the yoke of its harsh and tyrannical domination.