Top 530 Quotes & Sayings by Thomas Paine

Explore popular quotes and sayings by an English activist Thomas Paine.

Last updated on September 10, 2024.

Thomas Paine was an English-born American political activist, philosopher, political theorist, and revolutionary. He authored Common Sense (1776) and The American Crisis (1776–1783), two of the most influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution, and helped inspire the Patriots in 1776 to declare independence from Great Britain. His ideas reflected Enlightenment-era ideals of transnational human rights.

English - Activist | January 29, 1737 - June 8, 1809

Source: Wikipedia

War involves in its progress such a train of unforeseen circumstances that no human wisdom can calculate the end; it has but one thing certain, and that is to increase taxes.

Thomas Paine

Those who want to reap the benefits of this great nation must bear the fatigue of supporting it.

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

It is not a God, just and good, but a devil, under the name of God, that the Bible describes.

Thomas Paine

These are the times that try men's souls.

Thomas Paine

The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.

Thomas Paine

Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best stage, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.

Thomas Paine

Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.

Thomas Paine

Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be true.

Thomas Paine

My mind is my own church.

Thomas Paine

Human nature is not of itself vicious.

Thomas Paine

I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.

Thomas Paine

My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.

Thomas Paine

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

Virtues are acquired through endeavor, Which rests wholly upon yourself. So, to praise others for their virtues Can but encourage one's own efforts.

Thomas Paine

I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

It is the direction and not the magnitude which is to be taken into consideration.

Thomas Paine

We can only reason from what is; we can reason on actualities, but not on possibilities.

Thomas Paine

An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.

Thomas Paine

When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.

Thomas Paine

The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place, and common interest produces common security.

Thomas Paine

He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.

Thomas Paine

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

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.

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry.

Thomas Paine

Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man.

Thomas Paine

A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.

Thomas Paine

The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is reason.

Thomas Paine

He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death.

Thomas Paine

When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.

Thomas Paine

The Vatican is a dagger in the heart of Italy.

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

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.

Thomas Paine

It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause, that we are defending, and whether we defeat the enemy in one battle, or by degrees, the consequences will be the same.

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.

Thomas Paine

Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society.

Thomas Paine

It is an affront to treat falsehood with complaisance.

Thomas Paine

Is it not a species of blasphemy to call the New Testament revealed religion, when we see in it such contradictions and absurdities.

Thomas Paine

The abilities of man must fall short on one side or the other, like too scanty a blanket when you are abed. If you pull it upon your shoulders, your feet are left bare; if you thrust it down to your feet, your shoulders are uncovered.

Thomas Paine

To establish any mode to abolish war, however advantageous it might be to Nations, would be to take from such Government the most lucrative of its branches.

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

Time makes more converts than reason.

Thomas Paine

Character is much easier kept than recovered.

Thomas Paine

The whole religious complexion of the modern world is due to the absence from Jerusalem of a lunatic asylum.

Thomas Paine

That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly.

Thomas Paine

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 always a vice.

Thomas Paine

Titles are but nicknames, and every nickname is a title.

Thomas Paine

Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property... Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them.

Thomas Paine

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.

Thomas Paine

Of all the tyrannies that affect mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst.

Thomas Paine

I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace.

Thomas Paine

Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.

Thomas Paine

'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.

Thomas Paine

What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.

Thomas Paine

Every religion is good that teaches man to be good; and I know of none that instructs him to be bad.

Thomas Paine