V: Examination in Detail of the Preceding Bases explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Critique of Organized Religion

  Paine attacks the Christian story of Satan and redemption as absurd and derogatory to God.

• Reason vs. Revelation

  Paine contrasts rational examination with the credulity induced by religious education and emotional enthusiasm.

Characters to notice

• Thomas Paine

  Author and critic, examining the absurdity of the Christian narrative.

• Satan

  Portrayed in the Christian story as having power equal to or greater than the Almighty, and as being omnipresent after his fall.

Key passages

• “Putting aside everything that might excite laughter by its absurdity, or detestation by its profaneness, and confining ourselves merely to an examination of the parts, it is impossible to conceive a story more derogatory to the Almighty, more inconsistent with his wisdom, more contradictory to his power, than this story is.”

  Ignoring the laughable or offensive aspects, the story itself is deeply insulting to God, contradicting His wisdom and power.

  Paine sets aside emotional reactions to focus on logical critique.

• “They represent him as having compelled the Almighty to the direct necessity either of surrendering the whole of the creation to the government and sovereignty of this Satan, or of capitulating for its redemption by coming down upon earth, and exhibiting himself upon a cross in the shape of a man.”

  The story forces God to choose between giving creation to Satan or redeeming it by becoming human and dying on a cross.

  Paine highlights the absurdity of God being forced into a dilemma by Satan.