Christian Quote by Thomas Paine
““The christian religion is a parody on the worship of the Sun, in which they put a man whom they call Christ, in the place of the Sun, and pay him the same adoration which was originally paid to the Sun. [ An Essay on the Origin of Free-Masonry ]””
About This Quote
Source Essay: An Essay on the Origin of Free-Masonry, 1798
He compares Christianity to sun worship, suggesting it replaces the sun with a human figure and receives similar devotion.
In simple terms: Christianity is likened to solar worship with a human substitute.
Question the basis of religious reverence.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- interfaith dialogue
- personal belief assessment
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Is reverence inherently irrational?
- Can symbolic substitution be meaningful?
Religious symbolism can be deeply rooted and not merely a parody.