Thomas Paine on Religion

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Thomas Paine on Religion

Posted: 8/13/2005 10:19:54 AM EDT

Most of us know about Thomas Paine from the pamplet Common Sense which has a great influence on the opinions of Colonial Americans. But unknown to me until recently, he also wrote a piece called The Age of Reason where he discusses his views on religion. It pretty long but very interesting

The Age of Reason

Here's a quote from it

I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life.

I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.

But, lest it should be supposed that I believe in many other things in addition to these, I shall, in the progress of this work, declare the things I do not believe, and my reasons for not believing them.

I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.

All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.

I do not mean by this declaration to condemn those who believe otherwise; they have the same right to their belief as I have to mine. But it is necessary to the happiness of man, that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.

Posted: 8/13/2005 1:30:04 PM EDT

[#1]

I used to be very interested in Deism, so I've read Paine's works, as well as those of Jefferson and Martin Gardner. I have done several papers on Paine; I think he's wrong on many things, but he's very interesting nonetheless.

Here is an interesting read entitled: The Age of Reason Dissected

Here is a shorter article in response to Paine called Common Nonsense. It's by the same author, J.P. Holding.

Posted: 8/13/2005 2:38:11 PM EDT

[#2]

Tag for when I have time to read H's links...

Posted: 8/13/2005 7:20:22 PM EDT

[#3]

Paine believed in the existence of God, but that he did not interfere with the affairs of men. Today he would be called an agnostic. He believed that man's intellect was not affected by man's sinful nature, and so man could trust his own reason implicitly and figure out how to solve his own problems himself. He was a product of the "enlightenment", and was a humanist.

But he had a very keen mind, despite it's flaws.

Posted: 8/14/2005 11:14:01 PM EDT

[#4]

Sounds eerily familiar.

Posted: 8/15/2005 6:49:49 AM EDT

[#5]

Voltaire was also a severe critic of faith in general and Christianity in particular.

Just because a fellow has a couple of good ideas doesn't make him right on everything.

Posted: 8/15/2005 12:47:04 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Voltaire was also a severe critic of faith in general and Christianity in particular.

Just because a fellow has a couple of good ideas doesn't make him right on everything.

And the converse can be said of most awful criminals - many started out, and remain practicing Christians.

I've always believed it works both ways - if you are lost because in spite of being a great man you have no use for Christianity, then you are equally lost because you practice like a good Christian but commit grave sins.

But, then again, I don't believe in Christianity, just God and I don't think he judges us on petty details - just the big stuff like being a good person. Yup, I'm a weirdo.

Posted: 8/15/2005 1:05:44 PM EDT

[#7]

Tag.

Posted: 8/15/2005 3:59:46 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
And the converse can be said of most awful criminals - many started out, and remain practicing Christians.

Are you serious? Are you SERIOUSLY alleging that the jails are full of good Christians who are in there for doing what good Christians do?

If so, then the stupidity of that statement can only be expressed via scientific notation.

I've always believed it works both ways - if you are lost because in spite of being a great man you have no use for Christianity, then you are equally lost because you practice like a good Christian but commit grave sins.

Guh.

Good Christians don't kill people. They don't steal. They don't fornicate. They don't practice homosexuality. It is all in the book, if you would care to read it sometime.

But, then again, I don't believe in Christianity, just God and I don't think he judges us on petty details - just the big stuff like being a good person. Yup, I'm a weirdo.

What you believe is one thing, but much of what you express about Christianity has absolutely no factual or theological basis whatsoever.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Thomas Paine on Religion

General » Religion

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