Government is a necessary evil Thomas Paine More Quotes by Thomas Paine More Quotes From Thomas Paine The people of America are a people of property; almost every man is a freeholder. Thomas Paine wisdom men america Evils, like poisons, have their uses, and there are diseases which no other remedy can reach. Thomas Paine poison use evil The Christian church has set up a religion of pomp and revenue in pretended imitation of a person (Jesus) who lived a life of poverty. Thomas Paine church christian jesus Man is not the enemy of man, but through the medium of a false system of Government. Instead, therefore, of exclaiming against the ambition of kings, the exclamation should be directed against the principle of such governments; and instead of seeking to reform the individual, the wisdom of a nation should apply itself to reform the system. Thomas Paine ambition kings men It is the fable of Jesus Christ, as told in the New Testament, and the wild and visionary doctrine raised thereon, against which I contend. The story, taking it as it is told, is blasphemously obscene. Thomas Paine religious father jesus To live with our enemies as if they may some time become our friends, and to live with our friends as if they may some time become our enemies, is not a moral but a political maxim Thomas Paine political may enemy If there was ever a just war since the world began, it is this in which America is now engaged. Thomas Paine war america world As priestcraft was always the enemy of knowledge, because priestcraft supports itself by keeping people in delusion and ignorance, it was consistent with its policy to make the acquisition of knowledge a real sin. Thomas Paine ignorance real people A man will pass better through the world with a thousand open errors upon his back than in being detected in one sly falsehood. When one is detected, a thousand are suspected. Thomas Paine atheism errors men Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods. It would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as Freedom should not be highly rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth. Even the expression is impious, for so unlimited a power can belong only to God. Thomas Paine army expression heaven It is not the nature of avarice to be satisfied with anything but money. Every passion that acts upon mankind has a peculiar mode of operation. Many of them are temporary and fluctuating; they admit of cessation and variety. But avarice is a fixed, uniform passion. Thomas Paine uniforms passion peculiar These are the days that try man's heart. Thomas Paine heart trying men The state of a king shuts him from the world, yet the business of a king requires him to know it thoroughly. Thomas Paine states kings world How strangely is antiquity treated! To answer some purposes it is spoken of as the times of darkness and ignorance, and to answer others, it is put for the light of the world. Thomas Paine light ignorance history Every age and generation must be as free to act for itself. Thomas Paine generations age Immediate necessity makes many things convenient, which if continued would grow into oppressions. Thomas Paine convenient oppression grows Man cannot make, or invent, or contrive principles; he can only discover them; and he ought to look through the discovery to the Author. Thomas Paine principles discovery men The animals to whom nature has given the faculty we call cunning know always when to use it, and use it wisely; but when man descends to cunning he blunders and betrays. Thomas Paine use animal men Liberty cannot be purchased by a wish. Thomas Paine liberty wish The NT, compared with the Old, is like a farce of one act. Thomas Paine farce religion
