Famous Quotes by Thomas Paine

Below are famous quotes by Thomas Paine - US patriot & political philosopher (1737 - 1809).

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.
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.
Better fare hard with good men than feast it with bad.
Character is much easier kept than recovered.
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.
Human nature is not of itself vicious.
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.
It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.
It is the duty of every patriot to protect his country from its government.
Such is the irresistible nature of truth that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing.
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.
The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.
The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.
To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.
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.
When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.
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.
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.

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