Thomas Paine Quotes

He who dares not offend cannot be honest.

Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.

I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.

A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.

We have it in our power to begin the world over again.

Character is much easier kept than recovered.

The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.

The greatest remedy for anger is delay.

Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.

Time makes more converts than reason.

My own mind is my own church.

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.

Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of all religions established by law.

Of all the systems of religion that ever were invented, there is no more derogatory to the Almighty, more unedifying to man, more repugnant to reason, and more contradictory to itself than this thing called Christianity. Too absurd for belief, too impossible to convince, and too inconsistent for practice, it renders the heart torpid or produces only atheists or fanatics. As an engine of power, it serves the purpose of despotism, and as a means of wealth, the avarice of priests, but so far as respects the good of man in general it leads to nothing here or hereafter.