" Each of those churches accuses the other of unbelief;
and, for my own part, I disbelieve them all...
...My own mind is my own church."
(Thomas Paine, one of the Founding Fathers of America)
I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life
I believe... the equality of man, and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.
I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.
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.
Each of those churches shows certain books, which they call revelation, or the Word of God. The Jews say that their Word of God was given by God to Moses face to face; the Christians say, that their Word of God came by divine inspiration; and the Turks say, that their Word of God (the Koran) was brought by an angel from heaven.
Each of those churches accuses the other of unbelief; and, for my own part, I disbelieve them all.
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(Thomas Paine).
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