We can only reason from what is; we can reason on actualities, but not on possibilities. Thomas Paine More Quotes by Thomas Paine More Quotes From Thomas Paine Where knowledge is a duty, ignorance is a crime. Thomas Paine crimedutyignorance When all other rights are taken away, the right of rebellion is made perfect. Thomas Paine takenrightsperfect The greatest tyrannies are always perpetuated in the name of the noblest causes. Thomas Paine tyrannycausesnames What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Thomas Paine perseverancemotivationinspirational It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies. Thomas Paine unitynumberslying You cannot undermine police authority and then complain about rising crime. Thomas Paine policefearcomplaining There is something in corruption which, like a jaundiced eye, transfers the color of itself to the object it looks upon, and sees everything stained and impure. Thomas Paine coloreyelying A constitution defines and limits the powers of the government it creates. It therefore follows, as a natural and also a logical result, that the governmental exercise of any power not authorized by the constitution is an assumed power, and therefore illegal. Thomas Paine governmentlimitsexercise When it shall be said in 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 a friend of its happiness: When these things can be said, there may that country boast its Constitution and its Government Thomas Paine ignorancehappinesscountry It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine, and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man. Thomas Paine murderbeliefmen Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing. Thomas Paine freedomtruthmen Prophesying is lying professionally. Thomas Paine lyingreligion 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. Thomas Paine atheistheartmean Man did not enter society to be worse off, or to have fewer rights, but rather to have those rights better secured Thomas Paine fewerrightsmen Government is best which governs least Thomas Paine democracies-havefreedomgovernment The Bible is a book that has been read more and examined less than any book that ever existed. Thomas Paine religiousbiblebook What is it the Bible teaches us? - raping, cruelty, and murder. What is it the New Testament teaches us? - to believe that the Almighty committed debauchery with a woman engaged to be married, and the belief of this debauchery is called faith. Thomas Paine biblebelievereligion ...for though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire. Thomas Paine flameslibertyshining Science is the true theology. Thomas Paine theologyreligion The intellectual part of religion is a private affair between every man and his Maker, and in which no third party has any right to interfere. The practical part consists in our doing good to each other. But since religion has been made into a trade, the practical part has been made to consist of ceremonies performed by men called priests ... By devices of this kind true religion has been banished, and such means have been found out to extract money, even from the pockets of the poor, instead of contributing to their relief. Thomas Paine partymenmean
