Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.
Paine once again urges his readers to be true to their own thoughts, opinions, and experiences. He suggests that one cannot be unfaithful by either believing or disbelieving. Rather, for Paine, the true infidelity occurs when one claims to believe something that he/she does not actually believe. For Paine, this pertains most specifically to religion. He comments on infidelity to religion. Paine believes that many people are unfaithful to themselves by claiming to believe religious doctrine, but not actually believing it. For Paine, this is the worst type of infidelity.
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
Paine once again suggests that religion is nothing more than a brain-washing doctrine, designed to enslave its followers into obedience and mindlessness. Here, he makes the bold suggestion that all religious institutions—Jewish, Christian, Turkish—operate under the same evil and misleading scheme. Paine firmly believes that religion is a human invention, designed solely for the purpose of controlling large amounts of people and for the purpose of monopolizing power and money. Paine’s distaste for religion is once again painfully clear. He is firm in his beliefs that religion is a man-made invention—designed with evil and controlling intentions.
What is it the Bible teaches us? — rapine, cruelty, and murder.
Paine once again continues his harsh criticism of the Bible’s doctrine. He argues that the Bible is riddled with cruelty, murder, infidelity, adultery, and blasphemy. Here, the sarcasm is practically dripping. Paine suggests that the Bible is an incredibly flawed book to worship and follow. He suggests that the example set by the Bible is an incredibly poor one. He expresses his shock at the fact that so many choose to follow a religious doctrine that is seemingly riddled with blasphemy, sin, murder, and cruelty.
Whether we sleep or wake, the vast machinery of the universe still goes on.
In the midst of his harsh skepticism and criticism of religious doctrine and ideologies, Paine touched upon ideas of Heaven and after-life. Here, Paine’s use of the word “sleep” and “wake” are simply euphemisms for dead and alive. Paine emphasizes that the universe does not stop nor bend to the will of any one person. Regardless of whether or not we live or die, the universe will continue on; it does not care about our mortality. Paine is proverbially bashing the idea that God—who created the universe—would bend or stop the universe for any one human.
