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Written Assignment

University of the People

Introduction to Philosophy (PHIL 1402)

Unit 3

Instructor: Charles Mccarthy

Submission Date: 21st September, 2022

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Introduction

Believing the transcendental perception toward “God” is full of doubt for me. Additionally, I

find it intriguing how humanists would perceive connotation of “God”. With the aim of deeper

understanding in that connotation, I choose “Thomas Paine and God” to dig deeper of the

perception. People have a variety of opinions, and Thomas Paine is no exception because he

firmly believes in both his main contentions and his own personal creed. Rust claimed that

Thomas Paine was a founding father, the American Revolution's philosophy, and an actual

revolutionary (Rust, 2022). According to the Humanists International, humanism is a

democratic and ethical way of living that upholds the idea that everyone has the right and

obligation to give their own lives purpose and direction. It advocates for the development of a

more compassionate society through an ethics grounded in human and other natural values, in a

spirit of free inquiry and reason, using human capabilities. It is not theistic and does not

acknowledge the reality of any supernatural forces (Definition of Humanism, 2019).

Explanation of Thomas Paine’s Belief

To provide a thorough analysis of humanism and Thomas Paine's position, I chose this subject.

Paine (1974) claimed that he continued to believe in God despite criticizing traditional

Christianity and exposing religion. Therefore, he was adamant in his opposition to

institutionalized religion and Christianity and was clear in his reasoning. He also freely stated his

ideas. The fact that Paine has made it obvious he doesn't believe in institutionalized churches

speaks volumes about his rational position on his belief in God. According to Paine (1974), he

perceived all national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, in the same

way that he did any other human construct. I'm curious as to why Paine claimed that his own
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thought was his own religion. The happiness of man, according to Paine, requires that he be

mentally honest with himself (Paine,1974). Thus, while believing firmly in God as the creator,

Payne was dubious of most claims of the supernatural, contending that the only trustworthy,

constant, and all-encompassing proof of God's existence is found in the natural world.

Belief of a humanist who doesn’t object to belief in God

I have seen a lot of dishonest religious organizations that purport to adhere to Buddhist precepts

but actually run their own money-making and enslavement operations. I really believe that one

needs to grow spiritually in order to distinguish between what is right and bad. From the

experience of that, for me, believing in the humanist is diagnosing the needs for the right person.

Notwithstanding my perception, humanists are frequently used as a synonym for philanthropy, or

showing kindness and charity to one's fellow humans, according to Gellius, who was referenced

by Morain and Morain in 2007. Paine made a point of stressing his humanistic views and his

faith in God. Therefore, it is feasible to believe in God and be a humanist, as Paine described

himself as being.

In addition to what Gellius stated, Alleby (2003) claimed that Paine held the view that all men

are created equal and that our religious obligations are to act with justice, charity, and goodwill

toward all living things. A humanist can therefore both believe in God and practice being

humanistic. Because he believed that everyone had the freedom to hold beliefs that are different

from their own, Paine did not criticize anyone who hold beliefs that differ from his.

In our contemporary environment, humanists are recognized for being non-religious, which is

why I think one may be a humanist and still believe in God because one need not be religious to

believe in God.
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The importance of study in philosophy of religion

In the modern world, where many thieves use various religious institutions to defraud helpless

people, philosophy of religion is important. He opposed religious organizations, as stated by

Paine (1974), accusing priests of having a hunger for wealth and power as well as the Church's

resistance to scientific inquiry. Due to the insurmountable barriers between philosophy and

scientific research, current philosophy students must investigate and consider the logic and

importance of these emerging religions and sects. Studying how heavily churches or other

religious institutions rely on them to spread humanism and social values nowadays is crucial.

Considering that Pain was crucial to the accomplishment of the revolution, many philosophers

have a favorable opinion of his attitude toward it. A revolution in the political system would

almost certainly be followed by a revolution in the religious order, according to Davies (1997).

The claim by the Davies is true to every revolution, being given the current political situation in

Myanmar. We live in a diverse society with individuals who hold a variety of views, standards,

and values; therefore, studying philosophy of religion and humanism, in particular, will aid

contemporary students in comprehending the stages that people went through in the past to arrive

where we are today.

Given the case study of Thomas Paine's beliefs, it is impossible to deny the importance of

religion as a socialization tool. Religion plays a significant role in fostering virtues like love,

empathy, respect, and harmony.

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References

Rust, R. (2022, July 12). Thomas Paine. American History Central. Retrieved September 21,

2022, from https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/thomas-paine/

Definition of Humanism. (2019, November 14). American Humanist Association. Retrieved

September 21, 2022, from https://americanhumanist.org/what-is-humanism/definition-of-

humanism/

Alleby, B. (2003). "Humanism". Encyclopedia of Science & Religion. 1 (2nd ed.).

Macmillan:USA. http://www.palmyreoomen.nl/uploads/pdf's/Encyclopedia-of-Science-and-

Religion_Vol1+2.pdf

Davies, T (1997). Humanism The New Critical Idiom. Drakakis, John, series editor. Universityof

Stirling, UK. Routledge, https://www.academia.edu/33435702/Humanism_doc

Flew, A. (2008). "Humanism". In Hamowy, Ronald (ed.). The Encyclopedia of

Libertarianism.Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE; Cato Institute.

http://ciudadanoaustral.org/biblioteca/The%20Encyclopedia%20Of%20Libertarianism%20-

%20Ronald%20Hamowy.pdf

Morain, L. and; Morain, M. (2007). Humanism as the Next Step. Washington, D.C.:

HumanistPress http://aha-files.s3.amazonaws.com/63/226/Hum_as_the_Next_Step.pdf