Review: The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine
The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Thomas Paine wrote quote a controversial book for the time when it was published. So much so that he endured prison for part of his life given his public beliefs on the subject. He examines religion, particularly Christianity and spends most of the time with this book dissecting the bible on its meanings and many contradictions. There are a number of points in which he raises interesting points. He leaves you questioning what Christianity really is about and what it stands for given historical events. Given the topic of religion I’m going to omit my opinion and perspectives here other than finishing with my three key takeaways.
Three key takeaways from the book (one bonus):
1. The fact that Paine could not have read the proof of part one of this book given he was in prison at the time. A lot of the quotes to the bible were referred to by memory
2. There is no account of Jesus Christ written by himself. Not a line in the New Testament. All of the history of Jesus has been written by other people
3. The four books already mentioned, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are altogether anecdotal. They relate events after they had taken place. They tell what Jesus Christ did and said, and what others did and said to him; and in several instances they relate the same event differently.
4. Mary, the supposed virgin, mother of Jesus, had several other children, sons and daughters. See Matt. xiii. 55, 56