Advantage Quote by Thomas Paine
“That God cannot lie, is no advantage to your argument, because it is no proof that priests can not, or that the Bible does not.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: The Age of Reason, Thomas Paine, 1794
The claim that God cannot lie does not prove priests are truthful or that the Bible is infallible.
In simple terms: God's truthfulness doesn't guarantee human honesty.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about divine authority.
Themes
theology
logic
skepticism
Mood
skeptical
critical
Type
philosophical
argumentative
When to use this quote
- Debates on religious authority
- critical reading of scripture
- ethical discussions
Key Concepts
Divine immutability
human fallibility
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we differentiate divine truth from human interpretation?
- Can moral authority exist without religious foundations?
A Different Perspective
Relies on the premise that divine nature is universally accepted.
![“What harm would it do, if a man told a good strong lie for the sake of the good and for the Christian church? [...] a lie out of necessity, a useful lie, a helpful lie, such lies would not be against God, he would accept them.” quote by Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe2/martin-luther-106_accepting_what-harm-would-it-do-if-a-man-told-a-go_2919130.jpg)
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
