Difference between revisions of "The Age of Reason"

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m (Removed "so called" because the Enlightenment was a philosophical movement which the author must already know as the writer capitolized "Enlightenmnet")
m (so-called belongs because this period of atheism and secularism hardly deserves the description "enlightened")
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*<small>For other uses, see [[Age of reason]].</small>
 
*<small>For other uses, see [[Age of reason]].</small>
  
'''''The Age of Reason''''' is a book by [[Thomas Paine]], published in 1794. Influenced by the [[Enlightenment]], Paine gives his views on religion, espouses his philosophy of [[deism]], and criticizes the [[Bible]] and organized religion:
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'''''The Age of Reason''''' is a book by [[Thomas Paine]], published in 1794. Influenced by the so-called [[Enlightenment]], Paine gives his views on religion, espouses his philosophy of [[deism]], and criticizes the [[Bible]] and organized religion:
  
 
: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.
 
: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.

Revision as of 02:09, November 20, 2009

The Age of Reason is a book by Thomas Paine, published in 1794. Influenced by the so-called Enlightenment, Paine gives his views on religion, espouses his philosophy of deism, and criticizes the Bible and organized religion:

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.

The book attacks the concept of revelation, saying,

It is a contradiction in terms and ideas, to call anything a revelation that comes to us at second-hand, either verbally or in writing. Revelation is necessarily limited to the first communication - after this, it is only an account of something which that person says was a revelation made to him; and though he may find himself obliged to believe it, it cannot be incumbent on me to believe it in the same manner; for it was not a revelation made to me, and I have only his word for it that it was made to him.

See also