It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry. Thomas Paine More Quotes by Thomas Paine More Quotes From Thomas Paine The moral duty of man consists of imitatingthe moral goodness and beneficence of God,manifested in the creation, toward all His creatures. Thomas Paine moral-goodnessvegetarianmen There are two distinct classes of what are called thoughts: those that we produce in ourselves by reflection and the act of thinking and those that bolt into the mind of their own accord. Thomas Paine reflectionclassthinking It requires but a very small glance of thought to perceive, that although laws made in one generation often continue in force through succeeding generations, yet that they continue to derive their force from the consent of the living. A law not repealed continues in force, not because it cannot be repealed, but because it is not repealed; and the non repealing passes for consent. Thomas Paine succeedgenerationslaw Yet this is trash that the Church imposes upon the world as the Word of God; this is the collection of lies and contradictions called the Holy Bible! This is the rubbish called Revealed Religion! Thomas Paine churchlyingreligion Before anything can be reasoned upon to a conclusion, certain facts, principles, or data, to reason from, must be established, admitted, or denied. Thomas Paine dataprinciplesfacts The mere man of pleasure is miserable in old age, and the mere drudge in business is but little better, whereas, natural philosophy, mathematical and mechanical science, are a continual source of tranquil pleasure, and in spite of the gloomy dogmas of priests and of superstition, the study of these things is the true theology; it teaches man to know and admire the Creator, for the principles of science are in the creation, and are unchangeable and of divine origin. Thomas Paine philosophyscienceknowledge Those words, temperate and moderate, are words either of political cowardice, or of cunning, or seduction. 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 a species of vice. Thomas Paine politicalpainvices Public money ought to be touched with the most scrupulous conscientiousness of honor. It is not the produce of riches only, but of the hard earnings of labor and poverty. It is drawn even from the bitterness of want and misery. Not a beggar passes, or perishes in the streets, whose mite is not in that mass. Thomas Paine bitternesspovertyhonor Change of ministers amounts to nothing. One goes out, another comes in, and still the same measures, vices, and extravagances are pursued. It signifies not who is minister. The defect lies in the system. The foundation and superstructure of the government is bad. Prop it as you please, it continually sinks and ever will. Thomas Paine politicalgovernmentlying In the progress of politics, as in the common occurrences of life, we are not only apt to forget the ground we have travelled over, but frequently neglect to gather up experiences as we go. Thomas Paine progresspoliticstravel All the religions known in the world are founded, so far as they relate to man or the unity of man, as being all of one degree. Whether in heaven or in hell, or in whatever state man may be supposed to exist hereafter, the good and the bad are the only distinctions. Thomas Paine equalitymenheaven Call to mind the sentiments which nature has engraved on the heart of every citizen, and which take a new force when they are solemnly recognised by all:-For a nation to love liberty, it is sufficient that she knows it; and to be free, it is sufficient that she wills it. Thomas Paine libertymindheart It is with a pious fraud as with a bad action; it begets a calamitous necessity of going on. Thomas Paine fraudbegetsaction We do not admit the authority of the church with respect to its pretended infallibility, its manufactured miracles, its setting itself up to forgive sins. It was by propagating that belief and supporting it with fire that she kept up her temporal power. Thomas Paine religiousfirefather No nation ought to be without a debt. A national debt is a national bond; and when it bears no interest, is in no case a grievance. Thomas Paine debtcasesbears The Book of Job and the 19th Psalm, which even the Church admits to be more ancient than the chronological order in which they stand in the book called the Bible, are theological orations conformable to the original system of theology. Thomas Paine jobsorderbook It will be proper to take a review of the several sources from which governments have arisen, and on which they have been founded. Thomas Paine sourcegovernmentreligion I know not whether taxes are raised to fight wars, or wars are fought in order to raise taxes. Thomas Paine fightingwarorder In the first part of 'Rights of Man' I have endeavoured to show...that there does not exist a right to establish hereditary government...because hereditary government always means a government yet to come, and the case always is, that the people who are to live afterwards, have always the same right to choose a government for themselves, as the people had who have lived before them. Thomas Paine rightsmenmean Now, which am I to believe, a book that any impostor might make and call the Word of God, or the creation itself which none but an Almighty Power could make? For the Bible says one thing; and the creation says the contrary. The Bible represents God with all the passions of a mortal, and the creation proclaims him with all the attributes of a God. Thomas Paine passionbelievebook
