Richard Simon led the way in what is known as the higher criticism of Scripture, the analysis of its meaning and truth, and not just the purity of the text. ... Their rational religion is called Deism, the idea that God created the universe like a master engineer and then left it to run on its own. ... The philosophes found the Renaissance and classic cultures appealing because it allowed men like Voltaire, Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Diderot to roll with the times and express their ideas. ... He learns in the end that the only solution is productive work that benefits those around you (WSU...

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