The Age of Reason
by THOMAS PAINE

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• ISBN13: 9780806505497
• Condition: New
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Book Reviews of The Age of Reason

Book Review: A Must for Your Bible-Study Group
Summary: 5 Stars

Paine is a master of the quip, and this is sure to insult some readers, while delighting others. Paine's writing is very direct and, at times, intentionally insulting. For example, Paine notes the unusual "Christian arithmetic" where three are one and one is three. Or in response to the preaching of tithes based on Deuteronomy ch. 25, v. 4, "Oh, priests! priests! ye are willing to be compared to an ox, for the sake of tithes".

Paine had intended that a discussion on religion would be his last work. Due to the changing nature of the French Revolution, Paine realized that his liberty was to be short-lived, so he quickly composed the first part of the Age of Reason in Dec. 1793 and Jan. 1794. He had no Bible at hand, and as such the discussions are general. Within hours of completing the first part, he was arrested. In a few months and after a serious illness, Paine was released from prison. In 1795 he wrote the second part of the Age of Reason partially in response to written criticism of the former part by priests. This time Paine had a Bible, and he composed a detailed book-by-book attack.

Typically using no more than the Bible itself as evidence, Paine points out so many inconsistencies and immoralities that this work could not possibly be the word of God. An example inconsistency is Christ's two vastly different natural genealogies according to Matthew and Luke, and an example immorality is Numbers 31, 17-18. Paine thought that the collapse of "revealed religion" was imminent, as mankind entered a new age of reason. However, Paine was no more a prophet than those of the Bible, as reason is no match for faith in the short term.

While criticizing Christianity, Paine promotes his own religious belief, Deism, which was a common tenant of intellectuals in Paine's day, including Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. In short, deism recognizes one God as revealed to us by nature. One may reasonably consider that some of Paine's Deist beliefs also crossed the line between reason and faith.

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