The Age of Reason

by Thomas Paine

Book Overview

It has been my intention, for several years past, to publish my thoughts upon religion; I am well aware of the difficulties that attend the subject, and from that consideration, had reserved it to a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0806505494
• ISBN13: 9780806505497
• Release Date: January 1988
• Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

A defense of deism and a polemic against theism

Thomas Paine, like others among our nation's founders (Ethan Allen, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Joel Barlow), considered himself a deist, a term that encompasses a wide range of beliefs but is principally based on "religious rationalism": that, initially created by a benevolent God, the universe operates on rational rather than supernatural principles. Paine (and Allen), however, departed from the cautiously nuanced approach to religious issues adopted by his peers and vociferously rejected Judeo-Christian tenets and scriptures. In "The Age of Reason," Paine outlines his objections to theism and his belief in deism, and he dissects the inconsistencies in both the Old and New Testaments.Paine published the book in two parts: the first he hurriedly finished in January 1794 when he realized he would be arrested during the French Revolution (passages were in fact written from the Luxembourg Palace in Paris, where he was imprisoned). The second part was written the following year, and he responds to the critics of the first part with a no-holds-barred attack on the veracity of the Bible.Paine presents his basic belief that "it is only in the creation that all our ideas and conceptions of a word of God can unite," and later in the book he says that "the creation is the bible of the deist." To Paine, the Bible is the word of man, not the Word of God, and he confronts many of the literalist beliefs proffered by the clergy and worshippers in his day. Many of his arguments, once shocking and blasphemous, are now taken for granted. For instance, he analyzes internal evidence in the books allegedly written by Moses, Joshua, and Samuel to show that it's impossible for Moses, Joshua, and Samuel to have written them--a view that most Christians and nearly all biblical scholars acknowledge today. In other ways, he is way ahead of his time, pondering the minuteness of our world in the immensity of the universe, speculating that other planets around other stars may well hold other intelligent species, and mocking the resulting conclusion that "the Son of God . . . would have nothing else to do than to travel from world to world, in an endless succession of death."Paine believes that God made a complex multi-world universe (rather than a single world) so that it would serve as a textbook for humankind: "As therefore the Creator made nothing in vain, so also must it be believed that he organized the structure of the universe in the most advantageous manner for the benefit of man." It is through this "revelation" of nature that believers can know God: "The principles of science lead to this knowledge; for the creator of man is the creator of science, and it is through that medium that man can see God, as it were, face to face."Even if one disagrees with Paine (and many obviously do),"The Age of Reason" is an essential book both historically and philosophically. It should be read whether you hope to provide support for your own beliefs or to discover what non-Chris

Exercise Your God-Given Reason and Logic--Read This Book!

Not for the faint of heart or those convinced of the truth of their religion. Thomas Paine assails the veracity of the "sacred scriptures" and the entire concept of "revealed religion" with the scholarly integrity the topic deserves. Using the Bible's own words and timelines, he demonstrates irrefutably that it could not possibly have been written by whom it is supposed to have been written, under the circumstances under which it was supposed to have been written, rendering belief in it completely a matter of choice. Over two hundred years later, his findings have never yet been disproven. We are called upon to use our God-given reasoning ability to sort out the likelihood of any of the Bible's major themes being correct. This book will challenge the very foundation upon which rest the edifices of Judaism and Christianity, effectively and concisely reducing them to their absurdly simplistic roots, then demolishing them with undeniably compelling prose. We are left with a profound respect and belief in God, the Creator of the Universe, which is the starting point for all major religions--without all the manmade, blasphemous, invented mythology polluting the air. Anyone who can read this book and still be a Christian or Jew deserves congratulations: They will never have their faith or belief shaken by anything--even facts or rationally demonstrated, objective reality. This book is a godsend for all those who were raised in a conventional religious tradition, but who have secretly known all along in their heart of hearts that something was very definitely not right with the way God was portrayed, and with the notion of his "speaking" directly to a chosen few males and "telling" them to write down what He said...and who aren't illogical enough to assert that they had scoured the entire universe and determined conclusively that God did not exist. Fascinating, life-changing, rational thought.

Should be put in every hotel room!

This book should be read by all in the world IMO. It will give you the true feelings of our forefathers in America (U.S.) and the motivation of the constitution for freedom of religion as well as freedom "FROM" religion. I got sucked into the christian cult and was the typical "holy" person who was intolerant and judged others though I read "do not judge" a thousand times. You have not rounded out your education until you have read this book cover to cover! Though not against religon I feel religion is nothing more than opinion. Ever notice people choose their religion based on their own personality (unless they were brainwashed sine a baby).

The Most Remarkable Book Ever Written

If the title above seems like hyperbole, I am prepared to defend it: Thomas Paine was one of the most important figures of the American revolution, his pamphlet "Common Sense" did more to bring the colonies to revolt than any other document. After the revolution he went to France believing the French revolution to be the next step in the development of the freedom of mankind. While there he was condemned to death by Robespierre and detained pending execution. Believing that his death was imminent, Paine wrote Part One of Age of Reason, which is a compelling critique of the Bible and the faults of Christianity. His analysis is thorough, detailed and compelling, which is particularly impressive since he did it entirely without access to a Bible! This topic will offend many (which explains Paine's current demise from the pantheon of revolutionary heroes) but it should be read both for its analysis of the Bible and for appreciation of one of America's founding fathers.