A conspiracy of priests? Imposture and fanaticism in the Mémoire of Jean Meslier

While L’Esprit de Spinoza maintains that religions are instruments of political domination, Meslier’s Mémoire takes a different perspective: ignorance and superstition play a crucial role among the dominated, but also among some of those who wield power. Jesus Christ and the priests, some of whom can still be reformed, are examples of these fanatical impostors. Meslier insists that his atheistic arguments will be well received by some fanatics.