What ways did Voltaire criticize the church and religion?

In his novel Candide, Voltaire often criticized religious beliefs of the times. His criticism of religion surfaces throughout the entire story. The kindness of the Anabaptist that Candide met showed the silliness of religious prejudices. The old woman's story of her father, Pope Urban X, and the life of wealth she lived as a child shows the corruption of the Catholic clergy....Voltaire also attacked the traditional religion of the day by showing the benefits of a better religion. He used a conversation between an old man and Candide in Eldorado to display this ideal religion. After questioning the man about whether or not his people had a religion and what God it was that they worshipped, Candide asked to see some of their priests. The old man's response was that they were all priests, they needed no special people to interfere in their worship with God. To this, Candide exclaimed, "What! You have no monks who teach, argue, rule, plot and burn people who don't agree with them?" (67). The old man replied that they would be mad if they did. The religion that the people of Eldorado had was much simpler than any of the European religions. Voltaire spoke of this religion to show how the clergy were unnecessary and sometimes even harmful, and how a simple religion might benefit Europeans better.