Pensées of d'Holbach

He but ill deserves the title of philosopher, who has not the courage to hear his opinions contradicted. We are not divines; our disputes are of a nature to terminate amicably;

But what is it to have morals, in the language of Christians?
It is

to pray without ceasing,
to frequent churches,
to do penance, and to abstain from pleasure;
to live in selfishness and solitude.

What good results to society from these practices, all of which may be observed by a man, who has not the shadow of virtue?

It is necessary, then, to carefully distinguish Christian morality from political morality;

Ought a God to reveal himself to mankind for the sole purpose of not being comprehended?
Is not such conduct as ridiculous as it is unreasonable?

Baron d'Holbach was a contemporary of the Scottish skeptic David Hume. The above are an excerpt from his writings. Unlike Hume, d'Holbach considered himself an atheist.