Thomas Paine
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.Collection: Wisdom
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.Collection: War
Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.Collection: God
The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.Collection: Fear
Every religion is good that teaches man to be good; and I know of none that instructs him to be bad.Collection: Religion
Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man.Collection: Faith
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.Collection: Strength
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.Collection: Happiness
Of all the tyrannies that affect mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst.Collection: Religion
When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.Collection: Men
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.Collection: Power
Those who want to reap the benefits of this great nation must bear the fatigue of supporting it.Collection: Great
The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.Collection: Good
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.Collection: Peace
An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.Collection: Peace
The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place, and common interest produces common security.Collection: Society
I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace.Collection: Peace
Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be true.Collection: Religion
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.Collection: Motivational
My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.Collection: Religion
Time makes more converts than reason.Collection: Time
We have it in our power to begin the world over again.Collection: Inspirational
'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.Collection: Death
The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.Collection: Strength
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.Collection: Equality
Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of all religions established by law.Collection: Religion
It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.Collection: Truth
These are the times that try men's souls.Collection: Men
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.Collection: Best
He that rebels against reason is a real rebel, but he that in defence of reason rebels against tyranny has a better title to Defender of the Faith, than George the Third.Collection: Faith
Is it not a species of blasphemy to call the New Testament revealed religion, when we see in it such contradictions and absurdities.Collection: Religion
Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.Collection: Best
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.Collection: Freedom
Every science has for its basis a system of principles as fixed and unalterable as those by which the universe is regulated and governed. Man cannot make principles; he can only discover them.Collection: Science
Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society.Collection: Society
Human nature is not of itself vicious.Collection: Nature
He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death.Collection: Death
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.
That God cannot lie, is no advantage to your argument, because it is no proof that priests can not, or that the Bible does not.
To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.
That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly.
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.
Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property... Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them.
Character is much easier kept than recovered.
The Vatican is a dagger in the heart of Italy.
What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.
Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
It is not a God, just and good, but a devil, under the name of God, that the Bible describes.
Titles are but nicknames, and every nickname is a title.
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.