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Paine argues that some chapters in Job, and the 19th Psalm: ________

1) support his argument
2) contradict his argument
3) are unrelated to his argument
4) cannot be determined

User Axel Borja
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1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

Thomas Paine likely used the chapters in Job and the 19th Psalm to support his argument on the inadequacy of scriptural claims to convince non-believers of God's existence, though the full context in Paine's writings is not provided.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student appears to be asking about Thomas Paine's arguments regarding the existence of God, particularly in relation to some chapters in the Book of Job and the 19th Psalm. Paine, a noted thinker and writer, often critiqued religious scripture in his works. Without the specific context of Paine's work provided, the argument that 'some chapters in Job, and the 19th Psalm' would typically fall into the category of supporting or challenging his views cannot be precisely determined.

Assuming the question relates to Paine’s skepticism on the proof of God's existence through scripture, we can infer that he likely used those chapters to illustrate his point. For example, Paine argued that circular reasoning and assumptions found within religious texts weren't enough to convince a rational, non-believing person of God's existence.

Based on the provided information about critics' works, it seems that the arguments found in those biblical texts would support Paine's argument to a degree. Specifically, point 4 mentioned in the reference material states that an argument 'establishes the possibility of the existence' of a deity but does not convert non-believers. This aligns with Paine's approach that such arguments wouldn't suffice for rational individuals who are already skeptical. However, without direct quotes from Paine’s writings mentioning Job and the 19th Psalm, the full context remains undetermined (option 4).

User Bloodboiler
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