NOTES FROM 'THE AGE OF REASON' by Thomas Paine

In the general wreck of superstition, of false systems of government, and of false theology, we lose sight of MORALITY and of HUMANITY.

I believe in the equality of human beings [none are inherently superior to any other].

I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow humane beings happy.

From ESV Bible: 1 Corinthians 15:14 (Paul’s letter to the Corinthians):

14. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

Four propositions undercut the entire foundations of Christianity—THE BELIEF THAT JESUS HAD LITERALLY RISEN FROM A GRAVE:

1. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead involved the resuscitation of his corpse.
2. All statements in the New Testament and other early Christian literature about Jesus’ resurrection are statements of faith, not reports of an historical event.
3. Jesus’ body decayed.
4. Somebody stole the body and disposed of it.
5. His followers lied about his resurrection after he died.
6. Belief in Jesus’ resurrection does not depend on what happened to his body.

Therefore, because nobody living can ever know what really happened to Jesus' body, if there was indeed a man who did die on a cross that came to be called Jesus, it is very likely that the Christian faith is in vain.

Moreover, these differing narratives of Easter in the later Gospels cannot be harmonized to produce a consistent story. They contradict each other too much. It’s clear that the physical resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday is a fictional evolution arising a good half-century after Jesus’ death. It is impossible any longer to accept such a miraculous event.

~ Professor Thomas Shehan

THE MEANING OF LIFE

In all theistic systems--even non-theological mystical systems--there is the assumption of a supernatural realm that transcends normal human perceptions, giving meaning and validity to a person's life in exchange for some sort of obedience or submission to a prescribed way of living (believing, behaving, or worshipping) in accordance with the respective theological or mystical system.

In a non-theistic and non-mystical system, there is no belief in any spiritual realm outside of a person or transcending him or her. The realm of love, reason and justice exists as a reality only because, and inasmuch as, a person has been able to develop these powers in himself or herself throughout the process of his or her self-awareness, self-improvement, and eventual self-fulfillment.

In this non-theistic and non-mystical view there is no meaning to life, except the meaning that the person himself or herself gives to it. Such a person realizes that he or she is utterly alone except inasmuch as he or she cooperates or associates with another.

GOD IS I, INASMUCH AS I AM HUMANE

We can never BE a god, but as we improve and become more in accord with accurate thinking, love, and justice we get closer to becoming our humane godly ideal. 
We must strive to evolve from the superstitious idealizations to humane principles.

The God of Abraham can be loved, or feared, as a father, sometimes his forgiveness, sometimes his anger being the dominant aspect. Inasmuch as God is the father, I am the child. I have not emerged fully from the fantastic wish for omniscience and omnipotence. I have not yet acquired the objectivity to realize my limitations as a human being, my ignorance, my helplessness. I still claim, like a child, that there must be a father who rescues me, who watches me, who punishes me, a father who likes me when I am obedient, who is flattered by my praise and angry because of my disobedience.

Quite obviously, the majority of people have, in their personal development, not overcome this infantile stage, and hence the belief in God to most people is the belief in a helping father—a childish illusion.

In spite of the fact that this concept of religion has been overcome by some of the great teachers of the human race, and by a minority of people, it is still the dominant form of religion.