Thomas Paine and Common Sense
In a recent edition of “Ad Fontes”, a monthly publication of
the Davenant Institute, they featured, Thomas Paine and his pamphlet “Common
Sense”. Paine was a Founding Father and influential writer of the Revolutionary
War. Both Paine and Common Sense offer some very exciting things about God and
Christianity that I’d like to discuss, including Paine’s belief that America
was an intended “sanctuary” for the Protestant Reformation.
The writings of Thomas Paine offer some interesting and
conflicting viewpoints on the Bible, Christianity and organized religion. In his
pamphlet, “Common Sense” he writes about America as a product of divine
intervention and attempts to tie together the Protestant Reformation with the
discovery of America.
Although in his book, “The Age of Reason” Paine is a fierce critic
of Christianity, it is his writings and sentiments expressed in Common
Sense that I’d like to discuss. But first, some background.
Thomas Paine was a deist. He had fierce criticisms of
Christianity which were showcased in his book “Age of Reason”. In that book Paine
said, “Adam, if ever there were such a man, was created a Deist”. He writes
that the word prophet was “confined to signify poetry and music”, that Moses is
not the “author of the books ascribed to him” and finally Paine writes that the
Bible, “is a book of lies, wickedness, and blasphemy”.
Is it safe to assume that Paine was not exactly a great fan
of Christianity? Which makes his comments in “Common Sense” about divine
intervention with America all the more perplexing.
It starts off with Paine making the case for US independence
from Great Britain.
“I challenge the warmest advocate for reconciliation, to
shew a single advantage that this continent can reap, by being connected with
Great Britain,” writes Paine.
Paine’s primary argument for separation and independence for
America was that, “Europe is our market for trade” and that, “Our plan is
commerce, and that, well attended to, will secure us the peace and friendship
of all Europe.” But he adds, “Dependence on Great Britain tends directly to
involve this continent in European wars and quarrels”.
Paine understood that Europe was, “too thickly planted with
kingdoms to be long at peace” and that whenever a war breaks out between
England and Europe America’s trade would suffer.
Thomas Paine believed that America’s true kinship was with
Europe, not Britain. He also establishes a, “brotherhood with every European
Christian”. No where in Common Sense does he speak of any familial status or
ties with any nation or peoples other than European Christians.
“Europe, and not England, is the parent country of America.
This new World hath been the asylum for the persecuted lovers of civil and
religious liberty from every part of Europe….We claim brotherhood with every
European Christian, and triumph in the generosity of the sentiment”.
Paine begins his argument that America was by Divine design
when he said, “Even the distance at which the Almighty hath placed England and
America, is a strong and natural proof that the authority of the one, over the
other, was never the design of Heaven.”
And finally, Paine draws the connection between the
Protestant Reformation and the United States.
“The time likewise at which the continent was discovered,
adds weight to the argument, and the manner in which it was peopled increases
the force of it. The reformation was preceded by the discovery of America, as
if the Almighty graciously meant to open a sanctuary to the persecuted in
future years, when home should afford neither friendship nor safety.”
Does that sound like the writings of a Deist? Or of someone who
believes that God doesn’t interact directly with His creation? Wouldn’t you
agree that these are bold statements from a man so dead-set against the
prophetic, destiny, and the workings of God on earth?
There has always been a belief by some that America was designed
and birthed of God, that we are a Christian nation. Paine seems to think so.
How prevalent was this belief during the founding of this country? Did our
founding Fathers believe, as Elwood Blues did the comedy hit movie, "The Blues Brothers" that they, "We're on a
mission from God"?
What was considered “religion” and what relationship would
America have with it?
“As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensable duty of
government to protect all conscientious professors thereof, and I know of no
other business which government hath to do therewith. Let a man throw aside
that narrowness of soul, that selfishness of principle, which the niggards of
all professions are so unwilling to part with, and he will be at once delivered
of his fears on that head. Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the
bane of all good society. For myself, I fully and conscientiously believe, that
it is the will of the Almighty that there should be a diversity of religious
opinions among us. It affords a larger field for our Christian kindness: were
we all of one way of thinking, our religious dispositions would want matter for
probation; and on this liberal principle I look on the various denominations
among us, to be like children of the same family, differing only in what is
called their Christian names.”
Paine advocates for diversity of religion then seems to limit
diversity to the confines of Christianity. Was that the sentiment of our
founding fathers, that diversity of religion meant the diversity of the
Christian religion in the form of denominations?
Paine credits God for America’s desire of divorcement from
Great Britain and the feeling that reconciliation was not to the advantage of
the United States.
“There are injuries which nature cannot forgive; she would
cease to be nature if she did. As well can the lover forgive the ravisher of
his mistress, as the Continent forgive the murders of Britain. The Almighty
hath implanted in us these unextinguishable feelings for good and wise
purposes. They are the Guardians of his Image in our hearts.”
Paine goes to great lengths to prove that a king and monarchical
type government goes against scripture and the will of God. He encourages all
to heed the events of the Bible.
“As the exalting one man so greatly above the rest cannot be
justified on the equal rights of nature, so neither can it be defended on the
authority of scripture; for the will of the Almighty as declared by Gideon, and
the prophet Samuel, expressly disapproves of government by Kings. All
anti-monarchical parts of scripture, have been very smoothly glossed over in
monarchical governments, but they undoubtedly merit the attention of countries
which have their governments yet to form.”
“Monarchy is ranked in scripture as one of the sins of the
Jews, for which a curse in reserve is denounced against them. The history of
that transaction is worth attending to.”
“These portions of scripture are direct and positive. They admit
of no equivocal construction. That the Almighty hath here entered his protest
against monarchical government is true, or the
scripture is false.”
“And when a man seriously reflects on the idolatrous homage
which is paid to the persons of kings, he need not wonder that the Almighty,
ever jealous of his honour, should disapprove a form of government which so
impiously invades the prerogative of Heaven.”
Paine proclaims a king that, “reigns above” an earthly king and
advocates for using the divine law as the benchmark standard in which to
compare our “Charter” against.
“But where, say some, is the King of America? I’ll tell you,
friend, he reigns above, and doth not make havoc of mankind like the Royal
Brute of Great Britain. Yet that we may not appear to be defective even in
earthly honours, let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the Charter;
let it be brought forth placed on the Divine Law, the Word of God; let a crown
be placed thereon, by which the world may know, that so far as we approve of
monarchy, that in America the law is king. For as in absolute governments the
King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be king; and there ought to
be no other. But lest any ill use should afterwards arise, let the Crown at the
conclusion of the ceremony be demolished, and scattered among the people whose
right it is.”
Thomas Paine compares America’s present-day struggle for independence
over Britain with the days of Noah.
“We have every opportunity and every encouragement before
us, to form the noblest, purest constitution on the face of the earth. We have
it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the
present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now.”
In conclusion, Thomas Paine was a deist and a strong, vocal
opponent of Christianity and the Bible. But his sentiments and viewpoints as
expressed in “Common Sense” leaves us with an entirely different impression. Paine’s
writings give cause to question his and our founding fathers sentiments towards
God and the role our Lord played in establishing this great nation. And
finally, it is evident that Paine believes religion is a key element to the
United States but brings to question what exactly is meant by religion. Common
Sense gives the impression that Paine believed God created America as a logical
next step from the Protestant Reformation, that our Constitution should be held
up against the standard of “Divine Law”, and that America is in fact, a Christian
nation.
Your comments are greatly appreciated and much sought after.
God Bless!
Bill Hitchcock
