The religious views of Paine and Williams are strikingly dissimilar, as they advocate entirely different things. Unlike Williams, who supported the separation of church and state and religious tolerance, Paine criticized traditional religion. Williams defended his spiritual principles, condemned the orthodoxy of New England Puritanism, and decried the theological foundations of Quakerism. Paine claimed that he did not believe in religions professed by churches but only believed in the church of his mind. Williams was convinced that the true church of Christ could not be known among people until Christ himself returns to establish it. Paine opposed the” true religion “(deism) to the religions of “revelation,” and Williams adopted the radical principles of separatism. Paine believed that true religion should be free from all mystery, and Williams argued that there was no true form of religion.
Paine’s views on religion are astonishing since they were formed when traditional religion played a significant role in people’s lives. In the social thought of the XVIII century, it was one of the most critical topics, around which there was an acute ideological and political struggle (Aldridge, 2018). The ideologists of the bourgeoisie realized that the dominant forms of religion at that time, its dogmas, cult, and social institutions were outdated and hindered social progress. Nevertheless, vast masses of people continued to believe in the biblical legends, the Old and New Testaments, the essential support of the Christian and Jewish faith. Criticism of Sacred texts could lead to inevitable consequences since it could be equated with a severe crime. Surprisingly, a person who influenced the formation of one of the most religious countries worldwide criticized the churches and the Holy Scriptures.
Reference
Aldridge, A. O. (2018). Thomas Paine: A Survey of research and criticism since 1945. Routledge.