Thomas Paine The Relationship Between Religion And Humanism

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Written Assignment Philosophy week 3
University of the People
Student name: Edwin Chavulimu
PHIL 1402 - Introduction to Philosophy
Professor: Luis Filipe B. Teixeira
Date: 16/02/2023

Thomas Paine and God
Although a humanist, Thomas Paine believed in God and the afterlife. In this paper, I will explain Paine's logic and offer my own perspective on his views. This topic is important because it raises fundamental questions about the relationship between religion, philosophy, and humanism, and it remains relevant to contemporary discussions about spirituality, morality, and ethics.
Paine was an important figure during the Age of Enlightenment, a time when many thinkers sought to reconcile religion and reason (Boeckelman, 2012). His …show more content…

If God is all-knowing and all-powerful, why does evil exist in the world? Some argue that evil is necessary for human beings to exercise their free will, make decisions that are customized to the situation at hand, and develop a moral character that is acceptable based on societal culture or accepted practices, while others see it as a result of human transgressions or human limitations and that of the natural world.
Despite the challenges, limitations, and controversies that encircle the idea of a humanist whose belief in God, still stands out to be an important topic for discourse for modern students of philosophy to study. This is because it questions the fundamental relationship between religion, philosophy, and humanism. The topic is also relevant to contemporary discussions about spirituality, morality, and ethics.
In conclusion, Thomas Paine's belief in God and the afterlife was not a rejection of humanism but rather an extension of it. Paine saw God as the ultimate embodiment of reason, morality, and justice, and he believed that religion and philosophy could be integrated into a coherent whole. By embracing this perspective of God, Paine sought to reconcile religion and philosophy, creating a new form of humanism that integrated both into a coherent