Thomas Paine
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
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In response to Sharon Jones' "Godlessness", Sharon, as a student of Thomas Paine, I can only hope that I can position myself in such a way as to defend his honor, seeing how he can not, however, be it his legacy.
Thomas Paine was an enlightened man trying to escape the tyranny of his time, namely, the chains of orthodox religion. Actually, decades later Theodore Roosevelt said he was a filthy little atheist; however, most believe he was a deist.
In "Age of Reason", Thomas Paine states, "I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church. All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit."
Sharon, when you speak of "Godlessness," do you mean a society where one citizen lacks concern for its fellow citizen? Or, do you mean someone who does not believe in some kind orthodox religion? And when you speak of heathen, do you mean someone who has no compassion? I just do not understand what you mean by "Godlessness". Explain your mythology. What is "Godlessness"? Who are heathens?
I have read much of Thomas Paine's works and I do not believe he adhered to any religion. To this point, Theodore Roosevelt thought he was a heathen. It seems to me you are propagating the very religious doctrines that Paine was in conflict with, while at the same time using his name and intellect.
Orthodox religion was the tyrant suppressing Thomas Paine, and he believed it striped humankind of its ability to think autonomously. Paine supposed that reason and common sense should be the only measure of human worth, not religious doctrines. I do believe this is what they call separation of church and state. Paine believed religious institutions were nothing more than human fables set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
"That many good men have believed this strange fable, and lived very good lives under that belief (for credulity is not a crime) is what I have no doubt of. In the first place, they were educated to believe it, and they would have believed anything else in the same manner." - Thomas Paine, "Age of Reason".
Bennie Hively
Warsaw, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
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In response to Sharon Jones' "Godlessness", Sharon, as a student of Thomas Paine, I can only hope that I can position myself in such a way as to defend his honor, seeing how he can not, however, be it his legacy.
Thomas Paine was an enlightened man trying to escape the tyranny of his time, namely, the chains of orthodox religion. Actually, decades later Theodore Roosevelt said he was a filthy little atheist; however, most believe he was a deist.
In "Age of Reason", Thomas Paine states, "I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church. All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit."
Sharon, when you speak of "Godlessness," do you mean a society where one citizen lacks concern for its fellow citizen? Or, do you mean someone who does not believe in some kind orthodox religion? And when you speak of heathen, do you mean someone who has no compassion? I just do not understand what you mean by "Godlessness". Explain your mythology. What is "Godlessness"? Who are heathens?
I have read much of Thomas Paine's works and I do not believe he adhered to any religion. To this point, Theodore Roosevelt thought he was a heathen. It seems to me you are propagating the very religious doctrines that Paine was in conflict with, while at the same time using his name and intellect.
Orthodox religion was the tyrant suppressing Thomas Paine, and he believed it striped humankind of its ability to think autonomously. Paine supposed that reason and common sense should be the only measure of human worth, not religious doctrines. I do believe this is what they call separation of church and state. Paine believed religious institutions were nothing more than human fables set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
"That many good men have believed this strange fable, and lived very good lives under that belief (for credulity is not a crime) is what I have no doubt of. In the first place, they were educated to believe it, and they would have believed anything else in the same manner." - Thomas Paine, "Age of Reason".
Bennie Hively
Warsaw, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
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