Thomas Paine Quotes - Famous Quotes by Thomas Paine
Born: 1737-01-29
Died: 1809-06-08
Thomas Paine Biography
"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.
- Thomas Paine
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'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.
- Thomas Paine
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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.
- Thomas Paine
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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.
- Thomas Paine
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Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man.
- Thomas Paine
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Better fare hard with good men than feast it with bad.
- Thomas Paine
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Character is much easier kept than recovered.
- Thomas Paine
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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.
- Thomas Paine
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Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.
- Thomas Paine
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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.
- Thomas Paine
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Human nature is not of itself vicious.
- Thomas Paine
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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.
- Thomas Paine
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It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.
- Thomas Paine
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It is the duty of every patriot to protect his country from its government.
- Thomas Paine
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Such is the irresistible nature of truth that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.
- Thomas Paine
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That government is best which governs least.
- Thomas Paine
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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.
- Thomas Paine
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The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place, and common interest produces common security.
- Thomas Paine
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The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.
- Thomas Paine
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The United States of America will sound as pompously in the world or in history as The Kingdom of Great Britain.
- Thomas Paine
More quotations on: [ America ] ***
The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.
- Thomas Paine
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Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.
- Thomas Paine
More quotations on: [ Freedom ] [ Effort ] ***
To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.
- Thomas Paine
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Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.
- Thomas Paine
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What we obtain too cheap we esteem too little it is dearness only that gives everything its value.
- Thomas Paine
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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.
- Thomas Paine
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When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.
- Thomas Paine
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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.
- Thomas Paine
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