Thomas Paine in his work Common Sense (1776) appeals to reason and the use of human common sense, according to the prevailing age of Enlightenment or Reason. He supports independence from Great Britain. The well-being of America, in his opinion, should never depend on Great Britain. Britain's attachment to the United States arises only from selfish and vested interests, but America owes no allegiance to Britain as both continents are distinct and separate as two continents. Saddened that some Americans are still clinging to the coattails of mother Britain, Paine declares that Americans are European immigrants whose mother is now America. Paine also points out that there is no benefit to be gained in maintaining the British colonies and their identities. Since strained political relations, bloodshed and conflict are the consequences of British colonialism, Britain cannot be trusted even as an American ally. America's major industries are trade and commerce, so continued alliance with Britain alone will alienate potential trading partners. Britain's only legacy to America was conflict and plunder. Like Great Britain, America claims its right to self-government and freedom, and for this it had to throw off the English yoke. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Thomas Paine in his work The Age of Reason (1794) states that every religion has an authoritative figure from whose lips inspiration and revelation are given and accepted by the faithful. Paine does not doubt the direct revelation given to prophets such as Jesus, Moses and Muhammad but states that the blind faith of a second or third person is just hearsay. He therefore concludes that religion is a rumor since revelation is limited to the first person. He undermines Christianity because it contains no original values, but only concepts borrowed from other pagan cultures. It must be understood that Paine adheres to deism which affirms the existence of God but does not validate any other doctrinal beliefs based on the sacred text; instead revelation occurs through personal experience. The Age of Reason was published during the French Revolution where there was the abolition of the state religion and binding articles of faith. The treatise advances Paine's atheist and agnostic beliefs. For example, he claims that Jesus is not a deity as Christianity believes; rather, he is a copy of Confucius and other Greek philosophers who preceded him. Paine discredits the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ because concrete evidence is lacking, according to popular scientific thinking. He boldly stated that Jesus himself never wrote an autobiographical work and denounces the whole of Christianity as a fairy tale that only the naive believe. Science and reason neglect and question previously cherished Christian principles and truths. Enlightened philosophers demand tangible evidence for every argument. Paine rejects the sacred inspiration of the Bible and provides a logical explanation for supernatural events. It also highlights the separation between the doctrine of Church and State, which places both Church and State as two distinct entities that should never harmonize, otherwise some fundamental freedoms would be compromised. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In summary, Paine's school of thought simply reflects those of many philosophes during the enlightened and revolutionary period that.