Sabtu, 23 April 2016
Rationality Leads to Natural Human Faith
Article by Reverend Thomas Paine, Socrates of the Modern Times and The Most Valuable Englishman EverLived
1What is it we want to know? 2Does not the creation, the universe we behold, preach to us the existence of an Almighty power that governs and regulates the whole? 3 And is not the evidence that this creation holds out to our senses infinitely stronger than any thing we can read in a book, that any impostor might make and call the word of God? 4As for morality, the knowledge of it exists in every man's conscience. 5Here we are. 6The existence of an Almighty power is sufficiently demonstrated to us, though we cannot conceive, as it is impossible we should, the nature and manner of its existence. 7We cannot conceive how we came here ourselves, and yet we know for a fact that we are here. 8We must know, also, that the power that called us into being, can, if he please, and when he pleases, call us to account for the manner in which we have lived here; and, therefore, without seeking any other motive for the belief, it is rational to believe that he will, for we know before-hand that he can. 9The probability, or even possibility of the thing is all that we ought to know; for if we knew it as a fact, we should be the mere slaves of terror; our belief would have no merit; and our best actions no virtue. 10Deism then teaches us, without the possibility of being deceived, all that is necessary or proper to be known. 11The creation is the Bible of the Deist. 12He there reads, in the handwriting of the Creator himself, the certainty of his existence, and the immutability of his power, and all other Bibles and Testaments are to him forgeries. 13The probability that we may be called to account hereafter, will, to a reflecting mind, have the influence of belief; for it is not our belief or disbelief that can make or unmake the fact. As this is the state we are in, and which it is oroper we should be in, as free agents, it is the fool only, and not the philosopher, or even the prudent man, that would live as if there were no God.
Page 148, Conclusions, THE THEOLOGICAL WORKS of THOMAS PAINE, TO WHICH ARE ADDED THE PROFESSION OF FAITH OF A SAVOYARD VICAR, BY J. J. ROUSSEAU AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PIECES.
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http://goo.gl/cAiKIO
The Works of Thomas Paine: A Hero in the American Revolution
BOSTON:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED AT THE BOSTON INVESTIGATOR OFFICE,
BY J. P. MENDUM.
1858.
To analyze we can divide the above quote in sections: Verses 1-3
"1What is it we want to know? 2Does not the creation, the universe we behold, preach to us the existence of an Almighty power that governs and regulates the whole? 3 And is not the evidence that this creation holds out to our senses infinitely stronger than any thing we can read in a book, that any impostor might make and call the word of God?"
Paine emphasizes the sheer power, andperfection in the cosmological control & management thatmankind observes in theirsurroundings in which we are immersed inand within ourselves as well. His objective seems to point towards signs of super human intelligence, wisdom, knowledge & power. In verse 3 he brings forward a natural conclusion of the above: that things written on the paper are far less effective in conveying the infiniteness, strengthand power of the cosmological Manager than spectacular multi color, multi dimensional experiences and observationsin thehorizons of space.He saysthat because the real world is beyond the imagination of any human beingthere is surety that itcan only befromGod. The books claimed to be God sent are artifacts of paper and ink, human creations, and hence can be falsely attributed to God.
The Works of Thomas Paine: A Hero in the American Revolution
BOSTON:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED AT THE BOSTON INVESTIGATOR OFFICE,
BY J. P. MENDUM.
1858.
To analyze we can divide the above quote in sections: Verses 1-3
"1What is it we want to know? 2Does not the creation, the universe we behold, preach to us the existence of an Almighty power that governs and regulates the whole? 3 And is not the evidence that this creation holds out to our senses infinitely stronger than any thing we can read in a book, that any impostor might make and call the word of God?"
Paine emphasizes the sheer power, andperfection in the cosmological control & management thatmankind observes in theirsurroundings in which we are immersed inand within ourselves as well. His objective seems to point towards signs of super human intelligence, wisdom, knowledge & power. In verse 3 he brings forward a natural conclusion of the above: that things written on the paper are far less effective in conveying the infiniteness, strengthand power of the cosmological Manager than spectacular multi color, multi dimensional experiences and observationsin thehorizons of space.He saysthat because the real world is beyond the imagination of any human beingthere is surety that itcan only befromGod. The books claimed to be God sent are artifacts of paper and ink, human creations, and hence can be falsely attributed to God.
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