Quotes from Thomas Paine

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.

Independence is my happiness, and I view things as they are, without regard to place or person; my country is the world, and my religion is to do good.

Whatever is my right as a man is also the right of another; and it becomes my duty to guarantee as well as to possess.

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.

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.

What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.

It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine, and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.

When it can be said by any country in the world, my poor are happy, neither ignorance nor distress is to be found among them, my jails are empty of prisoners, my streets of beggars, the aged are not in want, the taxes are not oppressive, the rational world is my friend because I am the friend of happiness. When these things can be said, then may that country boast its constitution and government. Independence is my happiness, the world is my country and my religion is to do good .

If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.

One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests.

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.

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

He who dares not offend cannot be honest.

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.