The Age of Reason
Thomas Paine
Read by lukkystarr
The Age of Reason: Being an Investigation of True and Fabulous Theology, a deistic treatise written by eighteenth-century British radical and American revolutionary Thomas Paine, critiques institutionalized religion and challenges the inerrancy of the Bible. Published in three parts in 1794, 1795, and 1807, it was a bestseller in America, where it caused a short-lived deistic revival. British audiences, however, fearing increased political radicalism as a result of the French revolution, received it with more hostility. The Age of Reason presents common deistic arguments; for example, it highlights the corruption of the Christian Church and criticizes its efforts to acquire political power. Paine advocates reason in the place of revelation, leading him to reject miracles and to view the Bible as an ordinary piece of literature rather than as a divinely-inspired text. Yet, The Age of Reason is not atheistic: it promotes natural religion and argues for a creator-God. (Summary by Wikipedia) (8 hr 11 min)
Chapters
| Part First, Introduction | 1:28 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 1 | 8:20 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 2 | 10:28 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 3 | 9:41 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 4 | 10:56 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 5 | 11:27 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 6 | 10:11 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 7 | 11:08 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 8 | 12:14 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 9 | 8:44 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 10 | 12:31 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 11 | 13:18 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 12 | 13:35 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 13 | 12:47 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 14 | 13:12 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part First, Section 15 | 13:42 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Preface | 9:46 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Sections 1 & 2 | 12:40 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 3 | 13:12 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 4 | 13:41 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 5 | 14:53 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 6 | 22:06 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 7 | 12:59 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 8 | 0:56 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 9 | 14:20 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 10 | 15:50 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 11 | 16:47 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 12 | 13:09 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 13 | 14:57 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 14 | 15:23 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 15 | 16:17 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 16 | 15:03 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 17 | 14:21 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 18 | 15:06 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 19 | 8:08 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 20 | 15:50 | Read by lukkystarr |
| Part Second, Section 21 | 17:59 | Read by lukkystarr |
Reviews
I Have put off listening to this.
Paul S.
For the, going on three years I've had this App. I have come across this book dozens of times. I finally decided that it needs to be listened to. And I'm so glad I did. His view is so much like my own on many subjects. Very Witty and well put on A few subjects that may have gotten you in some deep water back then. It always surprises me when I listen to some of these books that are going on a few hundred years old that so much is still relevant to today. This same book could come out tomorrow and still have deep meaning.
Interesting perspective
SG
I believe that anyone who thinks seriously about religion should consider the ideas in this book. Even if you disagree with the ideas you should atleast be aware, otherwise you're accepting the opinion of others without making up your own mind.
A LibriVox Listener
A very interesting read to anyone interested in religion, christianity, atheism, deism, or history. Even as someone who has read the bible i didn't notice all of the intricacies Thomas Paine points out. Highly recommended
A LibriVox Listener
The author is clear, but wow is he boring. He might as well be a professor that clearly doesn't want to teach this class.
Genuine View of a Diest
David Schultz
Paine is a very good writer and does not slack off here. He delivers up some very good arguments and points that must be considered about religion, science, and philosophy. However, contrary to many modern users of his words, he is not an atheist as he points out his firm belief in God and faith, even citing Pslams 19 for the Second Great witness of God; Nature. He is a devout Diest. His criticism is directed at organized religion, but unlike many of his time who supported newer churches, he is against those churches as well. When he ventures beyond this, especially in Sec. 2, his arguments faulter under the same tired flaws of inconsistent standards, double standards, strawmen, context, and seemingly a lack Of basic Scripture knowledge. Of course we must forgive the difference in historical knowledge since archeology has been at work for over 200 yrs since this was written.
Mixed Feelings
TheGreatAgnostic
While I applaud the narrator's courage and perseverance, his inflection is non-existent and the repeated mispronunciations of multiple words, indeed even somewhat common words is more than I can take. Enthusiasm and spirit is severely lacking and the listener is hard pressed to avoid falling off into a bored state of borderline sleep. This timeless and invaluable work is from one of America's greatest thinkers and writers, Thomas Paine. Surely he deserves the kind of attention to detail as he himself would demand. I think that while he would be appreciative of the effort, he would cringe at quality of this narration of his incredibly detailed and eloquent study of the Bible.
Ugh.
clarkfk
I'm going to be brutally honest here. I love Librivox and I love that they make classics available for free to listen to. For the most part, I've gotten wonderful readers. But this guy completely has ruined the experience for me. He has absolutely NO inflections. Inconsistent volume and sound quality. Absurd pauses. Mispronunciations. It makes me angry, because I have read other things by Paine and have discovered that I quite like his writing. This reader makes it exceedingly difficult to continue. I think I may read the book myself and submit for a replacement. I mean, I can't possibly do worse than this guy...
Inherently Raycyst
Bill Cosby
Thomas Pain was an old white male. His position of privilege can only have existed through the systematic oppression of nonbinary BIPOCs. We need to discredit his hideously raycyst ideas of reason and individualism and replace them with a blind adherence to the ideas of social justice as perpetuated by liberal billionaires fighting against inequality.