Calvinism is the biggest obscenity of Western Europe (HL Mencken)

It characterizes Calvin as a jealous tyrant, monomaniac, intolerant, dogmatic, bigoted, greedy for absolute power, the worst enemy of intelligence, a negativistic repressing sensuality (all pleasure is a sin) and a killer in the name of God!

Anyone who dared to contradict his doctrine was at the peril of his life. Voltaire meant the sadistic execution of Michael Servetus his opponent as a religious murder.

Calvin fanaticism killed a man and therefore freedom of conscience in the Reformation.

Calvin was also fundamentally cowardly and hypocritical: during the plague, all the pastors of the city, to his mind, declare that none of them will go to the hospital for plague victims. In addition, he has denied all previous works to his seizure of power, in which he criticized the actions of his opponents that he himself afterwards adopted.

Calvin created in Geneva the first totalitarian state on behalf of a utopian idea and one book (the Bible) as master of conduct. This scheme was a real 'Bibliocratie' with the interpretation of the book board monopolized by a small Consistory. But in reality, the rule of God Calvin was basically a denunciation regime of prohibitions and spies.

After the murder of Michael Servetus, one man dared to criticize his new doctrine in the name of freedom of thought, expression and conscience (for Calvinists freedom of conscience is a devilish doctrine): the poor teacher Basel, Castellon.

Calvin, fearing all independent minds, the continued throughout Europe, morally by prohibiting the publication of his works and physically suing order to burn at the stake.

Stefan Zweig depicts the fight between Castellon (symbol of freedom, tolerance, humanity and individuality) and Calvin (symbol of authority, intolerance, fanaticism and repression of individuality) with a tone of public prosecutor, ferociously indignant inhumanity of the regime and his inquisitive. It shows that no dictatorship can not last without violence and that religious and political ideologies degenerate into tyrannies. For him the equal intolerance war peace and tolerance.

This book is a true masterpiece treating a highly important and topical theme.

The 20th century saw many Calvins and Genèves and 21th already garnered a number.

We need Castellions today.