Belief Quote by Thomas Paine
““Though it is not a direct article of the christian system that this world that we inhabit is the whole of the habitable creation, yet it is so worked up therewith, from what is called the Mosaic account of the creation, the story of Eve and the apple, and the counterpart of that story, the death of the Son of God, that to believe otherwise, that is, to believe that God created a plurality of worlds, at least as numerous as what we call stars, renders the christian system of faith at once little and ridiculous; and scatters it in the mind like feathers in the air. The two beliefs can not be held together in the same mind; and he who thinks that be believes both, has thought but little of either. ...And, on the other hand, are we to suppose that every world in the boundless creation had an Eve, an apple, a serpent, and a redeemer? In this case, the person who is irreverently called the Son of God, and sometimes God himself, would have nothing else to do than to travel from world to world, in an endless succession of death, with scarcely a momentary interval of life.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Thoughts on the Origin of the World, Thomas Paine, 1795
Paine argues that believing in multiple worlds contradicts Christian doctrine, making the faith seem limited and absurd when compared to the vastness of creation.
In simple terms: Multiple worlds clash with traditional Christian beliefs.
Question the limits of religious doctrine.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- religious debate
- scientific speculation
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- Can faith adapt to a multiverse?
- What defines a core belief?
The argument assumes a literal interpretation of scripture, which many modern believers do not hold.