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The Age Of Reason Thomas Paine Summary

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Throughout “The Age of Reason,” Thomas Paine gives several examples for why he is opposed to Christianity. Before I began reading this essay, I was absolutely positive that I was going to disagree with every point that Paine had to make and every opinion that he expressed. It did not take long for me to realize that I had made the wrong assumption. There was more than one occasion while reading “The Age of Reason” that I discovered I actually agreed with Paine's opinion/belief. This encouraged me to read “The Age of Reason” once again, but this time with an open-mind. I decided that I would also take notes on the similarities and differences between Paine's worldview and mine. I came across my first disagreeance with Paine a few sentences …show more content…

The morality that he preached and practiced was of the most benevolent kind. . .” (Timmerman and Hettinga). I was very surprised that Paine had written these words. I was let down again when I read that Paine did not believe in the way that Jesus was placed into Mary's womb by God or how he resurrected three days after his death and then ascended into heaven. Paine's reason for not believing these facts about Jesus is simply because “evidence never was given.” Paine relays the message to me that he will not believe anything unless there is evidence to support the fact or opinion. Paine relies on evidence. This is one of the many ways that Paine's worldview is different from mine. I rely on faith. I have faith that Jesus was placed into Mary's womb by God and that He rose from the grave three days after his death. The next time I find myself agreeing with what Paine believes is when he states, “Human language is local and changeable, and is therefore incapable of being used as means of unchangeable and universal information” (Timmerman and Hettinga 100). I agree that the human language is not solid and that it cannot be trusted; however, I once again find something wrong with Paine's worldview. Paine did not believe that Jesus had any kind of supernatural abilities. He believed that Jesus was just like any other human being. He therefore comes to the conclusion that Jesus'

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