Thomas Paine Argument

In an interaction with Thomas Paine through his essay “The Age of Reason,” I noticed many saddening facts about his life. One belief Paine puts forth in his essay is that he believes in one god. However as the reader continues, Paine explains that he does not believe in the God of the Bible, the Trinity, or any such thing. The question that surfaced as I finished reading his piece was, “if Paine’s god is not the one defined by the Bible, then what god does he believe in?” As I read further into his manuscript I noticed that Paine seems to define his god with many different religions’ definitions of their gods. Also on top of all this, Paine refutes and mocks Christ’s divinity and life, and describes Him as merely a good man. After I had

An environment that would possibly prove efficient would be one where we both would feel confortable, but also one that has evidence for me to use in my discussion with him to try and prove the divinity of the G-d of the Bible. Some prime places for a discussion with this man would include a forest, the beach, or a meadow. If the conversation played out in any of these three places I could point to an aspect of creation to prove my points. For instance, in the dull colors of an autumn forest with squirrels skittering here and there finding nuts for the winter, rabbits hoping under old rusted barbwire, birds preparing shelter for the winter in the tree tops, and deer peering at us through the maze of bark, the glory of G-d shines bright and illuminates all within. For as scripture says, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse” (New American Standard Bible, Romans 1:20). Thus with the Holy Spirit’s hand and G-d’s creation, in any circumstance whether in an office with paintings or in a forest clothed in autumn radiance persuading the mind of Thomas Paine is possible. In conclusion, with a common goal for discussion and an appropriate environment, I can enter into a productive conversation with Paine about his beliefs. By asking Paine questions about what he believes, Thomas Paine will automatically ponder his answers and possibly change his mind by seeing the inconsistences in his argument. Also, while walking or sitting in an environment comfortable to both of us, Paine and I will be able to speak freely and express our opinions with