Lamartine, Alphonse de 1790-1869 creator Hale, Edward Everett 1822-1909 Le Baron, Francis 1824-1911 text utu 2008 monographic en 1 online resource : multiple file formats "Atheism Among the People" by Alphonse de Lamartine is a philosophical essay written in the mid-19th century. The book explores the relationship between belief in God and the moral and social fabric of society, with a particular focus on how atheism undermines democratic values and community spirit. It addresses the implications of a society that lacks spiritual guidance and the detrimental effects of materialism and selfishness on political structures." In this essay, Lamartine passionately defends the necessity of a belief in God for a thriving society and a functioning republic. He argues that genuine faith fosters a sense of duty towards others and cultivates a national conscience that upholds justice, charity, and liberty. Lamartine sees atheism as a substantial threat to social cohesion, suggesting that without a divine moral law, individuals become consumed by self-interest, leading to societal decay and ultimately despotism. He reflects on historical events, such as the French Revolution, illustrating how waves of atheism and materialism erode the spiritual foundation of society and lead to chaos and tyranny, warning against the allure of a life devoid of higher purpose or moral responsibility. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Release date is 2008-05-05 Produced by Marilynda Fraser-Cunliffe, Sam W. and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was made using scans of public domain works from the University of Michigan Digital Libraries.) Original publication data not identified Apologetics Atheism BT Original publication data not identified https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25339 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25339 UtSlPG 260607 20260610133559.0 25339