Age of reason Quote by Thomas Paine
“As to the Christian system of faith, it appears to me as a species of Atheism — a sort of religious denial of God. It professes to believe in a man rather than in God. It is a compound made up chiefly of Manism with but little Deism, and is as near to Atheism as twilight is to darkness. It introduces between man and his Maker an opaque body, which it calls a Redeemer, as the moon introduces her opaque self between the earth and the sun, and it produces by this means a religious, or an irreligious, eclipse of light. It has put the whole orbit of reason into shade.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Age of Reason, 1794
The Christian faith is depicted as a diluted form of atheism, replacing God with a human figure, obscuring true reason.
In simple terms: Christianity is portrayed as a weakened belief in God, focusing on man.
Key Takeaway
Question the foundations of belief.
Themes
faith
reason
religion
Mood
critical
contemplative
Type
philosophical
theological
When to use this quote
- personal belief reflection
- academic study of religion
- interfaith dialogue
Key Concepts
skepticism
theology
humanism
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you think religion can coexist with reason?
- What role does symbolism play in faith?
A Different Perspective
The critique may overlook the spiritual value many find in religion.
![“All this [Paul's writing] is nothing better than the jargon of a conjurer who picks up phrases he does not understand to confound the credulous people who come to have their fortune told. Age of Reason” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/462/thomas-paine-267_age_all-this-paul-s-writing-is-nothing-bette_1361138.jpg)
![“When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity of his mind, as to [profess] things he does not believe, he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime.” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/1a2/thomas-paine-267_age-of-reason_when-a-man-has-so-far-corrupted-and-pros_852248.jpg)
![“...Thomas did not believe the resurrection [John 20:25], and, as they say, would not believe without having ocular and manual demonstration himself. So neither will I, and the reason is equally as good for me, and for every other person, as for Thomas.” quote by Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8f1/thomas-paine-267_age-of-reason_thomas-did-not-believe-the-resurrection_650433.jpg)
