Thomas Paine
African Slavery in America (1775) (Off Site)
Age of Reason (1795) [ Index ]
One of America's Founding Fathers, Thomas Paine, critiques Christianity and the Bible as a Deist. When Paine wrote, the idea of examining the Bible as a text objectively, let alone critically, was unheard of. Paine finds many of the internal contradictions and atrocities of the Bible and lays them out with withering scorn. The Age of Reason is a freethought classic.
Editor's Introduction to "The Age of Reason"
Paine demonstrates the absurdity of a word of God existing in print. As a Deist, Paine believed that the true word of God is nature.
Paine demonstrates that neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament can be the Word of God.
Agrarian Justice (Off Site)
The American Crisis (1776 - 1783) [ Index ] (Off Site)
Publication of The Age of Reason generated a storm of controversy. One of Paine's critics was Bishop Llandaff, who published a detailed rebuttal to The Age of Reason. This is Paine's reply to that rebuttal.
Biblical Blasphemy (Off Site)
Dissertation on First Principles of Government (1795) (Off Site)
An Essay on Dream (1807)
Examination of the Prophecies (1807)
Letter to Andrew Dean (1806)
Thomas Paine on death and Christianity.
Letters Concerning "The Age of Reason" (1797-1803)
Thomas Paine's correspondence concerning The Age of Reason. Includes correspondence with Samuel Adams
Of the Religion of Deism Compared with the Christian Religion (Off Site)
In this hard-hitting article, Paine argues that Deism is superior to Christianity.
Origin of Free-Masonry (1818)
Prospect Papers (1804)
Rights of Man (1792)
Worship and Church Bells (1797)
See Also:
Thomas Paine . Collected By Positive Atheism (Cliff Walker, Webmaster) (Off Site)
Published on the Secular Web
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Historical Library
Thomas Paine Age Of Reason Intro
Editor’s Introduction to the Age of Reason Moncure D. Conway WITH SOME RESULTS OF RECENT RESEARCHES. IN the opening year, 1793, when revolutionary France had beheaded its king, the wrath turned next upon the King of kings, by whose grace every tyrant claimed to reign. But eventualities had brought among them a great English and […]
Thomas Paine Age Of Reason Part1
Contents Chapter I – The Author’s Profession Of Faith Chapter II – Of Missions And Revelations Chapter III – Concerning The Character of Jesus Christ, And His History Chapter IV – Of The Bases Of Christianity Chapter V – Examination In Detail Of The Preceding Bases Chapter VI – Of The True Theology Chapter VII […]
Thomas Paine Age Of Reason Part2
Contents Preface Chapter I – The Old Testament Chapter II – The New Testament Chapter III – Conclusion PREFACE I HAVE mentioned in the former part of The Age of Reason that it had long been my intention to publish my thoughts upon Religion; but that I had originally reserved it to a later period […]
Thomas Paine Ans Bishop Llandaff
Editorial Note IMMEDIATELY after perusal of Bishop Watson’s reply to “The Age of Reason” (“An Apology for the Bible,” 1796) Paine began his answer to it. By reference to his letter to Jefferson (vol. iii. P. 377 of this edition) it will be seen that in October, 1800, he was still writing on it, and […]
Thomas Paine Origin Free Masonry
[NOTE: This essay appeared in New York, 1818, with an anonymous preface of which I quote the opening paragraph: “This tract is a chapter belonging to the Third Part of the “Age of Reason,” as will be seen by the references made in it to preceding articles, as forming part of the same work. It […]
Thomas Paine Age Of Reason Letters
I. AN ANSWER TO A FRIEND PARIS, May 12, 1797 IN your letter of the 20th of March, you give me several quotations from the Bible, which you call the ‘word of God,’ to shew me that my opinions on religion are wrong, and I could give you as many, from the same book to […]
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