# XVI: Application of the Preceding to the System of the Christians explained — The Age of Reason > Chapter companion for The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine. ## What happens Paine applies his earlier arguments about the vastness of the universe to critique the Christian system, which he sees as absurdly centered on a single world and the story of Adam and Eve. He argues that rejecting the evidence of creation leads to fabricated religious systems, and he suggests that Christianity may have originated as a pious fraud that later became entrenched through institutional interests and persecution of science. ## Themes in this chapter ### Reason vs. Revelation Paine contrasts the evidence of creation accessible to reason with the absurdities of Christian revelation. ### Critique of Organized Religion Paine argues that Christianity originated as a pious fraud and was maintained by institutional interests. ### Science vs. Superstition Paine uses the vastness of the universe to expose the superstition of a single-world redemption story. ## Character check-ins ### Thomas Paine Author and narrator; applies his deist reasoning to critique Christian theology. ### Jesus Christ Referenced as the preacher of morality whose teachings were combined with the Christian system. ### Adam Mentioned in the context of the Eden story that Paine ridicules. ### Eve Mentioned in the context of the Eden story that Paine ridicules. ## Key lines > Alas! what is this to the mighty ocean of space, and the almighty power of the Creator! Paine exclaims that the small size of Earth is insignificant compared to the vastness of the universe and God's power. _Highlights the deist argument from the scale of creation._ > From whence then could arise the solitary and strange conceit that the Almighty, who had millions of worlds equally dependent on his protection, should quit the care of all the rest, and come to die in our world, because, they say, one man and one woman had eaten an apple! Paine ridicules the Christian belief that God would abandon all other worlds to die for humanity's sin over eating a fruit. _Central critique of Christian exclusivity and anthropocentrism._ > It is possible to believe, and I always feel pleasure in encouraging myself to believe it, that there have been men in the world who persuaded themselves that what is called a pious fraud, might, at least under particular circumstances, be productive of some good. Paine suggests that early Christians may have thought their system was a beneficial deception. _Introduces the 'pious fraud' hypothesis for the origin of Christianity._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_age_of_reason_se/chapters/part-i-xvi-application-of-the-preceding-to-the-system-of-the-christians - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_age_of_reason_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_age_of_reason_se/chapters