Famous Thomas Paine Quotations

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"The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion."
by Thomas Paine
"When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary."
by Thomas Paine
"It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry."
by Thomas Paine
"Human nature is not of itself vicious."
by Thomas Paine
"Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the bible is filled, it would seem more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the Word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind."
by Thomas Paine
"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."
by Thomas Paine
"'What is it the Bible teaches us? - rapine, cruelty, and murder. What is it the Testament teaches us? - to believe that the Almighty committed debauchery with a woman engaged to be married, and the belief of this debauchery is called faith."
by Thomas Paine
"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right."
by Thomas Paine
"A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice."
by Thomas Paine
"A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue, but moderation in principle is always a vice."
by Thomas Paine
"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."
by Thomas Paine
"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."
by Thomas Paine
"Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be true"
by Thomas Paine
"Better fare hard with good men than feast it with bad."
by Thomas Paine
"Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man."
by Thomas Paine
"Character is much easier kept than recovered."
by Thomas Paine
"Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one"
by Thomas Paine
"Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil in its worst state, an intolerable one."
by Thomas Paine
"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."
by Thomas Paine
"He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."
by Thomas Paine
"How I longed to see these things; how I longed to see the Liberty Bell and walk on the streets where Thomas Jefferson, Tom Paine and Benjamin Franklin had walked."
by Burl Ives
"I fear not, I see not reason for fear. In the end we will be the victors. For though at times the flame of liberty may cease to shine, the ember will never expire."
by Thomas Paine
"Is it not a species of blasphemy to call the New Testament revealed religion, when we see in it such contradictions and absurdities."
by Thomas Paine
"It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt"
by Thomas Paine
"It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe."
by Thomas Paine
"It is the duty of every patriot to protect his country from its government."
by Thomas Paine
"Lead, follow, or get out of the way"
by Thomas Paine
"My mind is my own church."
by Thomas Paine
"One of the strongest natural proofs of the folly of hereditary right in kings is, that nature disapproves it; otherwise she would not so frequently turn it into ridicule by giving mankind an ass in place of a lion"
by Thomas Paine
"Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it."
by Thomas Paine
"Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best stage, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one."
by Thomas Paine
"Such is the irresistible nature of truth that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing."
by Thomas Paine
"Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society"
by Thomas Paine
"The abilities of man must fall short on one side or the other, like too scanty a blanket when you are abed. If you pull it upon your shoulders, your feet are left bare; if you thrust it down to your feet, your shoulders are uncovered."
by Thomas Paine
"The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, say some, is the king of America? I'll tell you, friend, He reigns above."
by Thomas Paine
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death."
by Thomas Paine
"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."
by Thomas Paine
"The greatest remedy for anger is delay"
by Thomas Paine
"The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place, and common interest produces common security."
by Thomas Paine
"The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is reason."
by Thomas Paine
"The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection."
by Thomas Paine
"The trade of governing has always been monopolized by the most ignorant and the most rascally individuals of mankind."
by Thomas Paine
"There are two distinct classes of what are called thoughts: those that we produce in ourselves by reflection and the act of thinking, and those that bolt into the mind of their own accord"
by Thomas Paine
"These are times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."
by Thomas Paine
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it"
by Thomas Paine
"To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead."
by Thomas Paine
"To establish any mode to abolish war, however advantageous it might be to Nations, would be to take from such Government the most lucrative of its branches."
by Thomas Paine
"Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."
by Thomas Paine
"War involves in its progress such a train of unforeseen circumstances that no human wisdom can calculate the end; it has but one thing certain, and that is to increase taxes."
by Thomas Paine
"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly... it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as Freedom should not be highly rated."
by Thomas Paine
"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. It is dearness only that gives everything its value."
by Thomas Paine
"What we obtain too cheap, we esteem to lightly."
by Thomas Paine
"What we obtain too cheap we esteem too little it is dearness only that gives everything its value."
by Thomas Paine
"When my country, into which I had just set my foot, was set on fire about my ears, it was time to stir. It was time for every man to stir."
by Thomas Paine
"When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon"
by Thomas Paine
"Whenever we read the obscene stories, voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and tortous executions, the unrelenting vindictivenes, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistant that we called it the word of a Demon than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind, and, for my part, I sincerly detest it as I detest everything that is cruel."
by Thomas Paine
"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death."
by Thomas Paine
"I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death."
by Thomas Paine
"The moral duty of man consists of imitating the moral goodness and beneficence of God manifested in the creation towards all his creatures. Everything of persecution and revenge between man and man, and everything of cruelty to animals is a violation of moral duty."
by Thomas Paine
"Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter we are known at home, by the former to the world. Our great title is AMERICANS -- our inferior one varies with the place."
by Thomas Paine
"Everything that is right or natural pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'Tis time to part."
by Thomas Paine
"Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society."
by Thomas Paine
"He is not affected by the reality of distress touching his heart, but by the showy resemblance of it striking his imagination. He pities the plumage, but forgets the dying bird."
by Thomas Paine
"We fight not to enslave, but to set a country free, and to make room upon the earth for honest men to live in."
by Thomas Paine
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
by Thomas Paine
"Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one."
by Thomas Paine
"...the true greatness of a nation is founded on principles of humanity."
by Thomas Paine
"I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life. I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy. But, lest it should be supposed that I believe in many other things in addition to these, I shall, in the progress of this work, declare the things I do not believe, and my reasons for not believing them. 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. I do not mean by this declaration to condemn those who believe otherwise; they have the same right to their belief as I have to mine. But it is necessary to the happiness of man, that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe."
by Thomas Paine
"Every religion is good that teaches man to be good; and I know of none that instructs him to be bad."
by Thomas Paine
"It can only be by blinding the understanding of man, and making him believe that government is some wonderful mysterious thing, that excessive revenues are obtained. Monarchy is well calculated to ensure this end. It is the popery of government; a thing kept up to amuse the ignorant, and quiet them into taxes."
by Thomas Paine
"A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason."
by Thomas Paine
"When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon."
by Thomas Paine
"In the progress of politics, as in the common occurrences of life, we are not only apt to forget the ground we have travelled over, but freque..."
by Thomas Paine
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it."
by Thomas Paine
"Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with wh..."
by Thomas Paine


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