Thomas Paine quotes

Thomas Paine was an English-born political philosopher and writer, famous for his influential pamphlets like "Common Sense." His writings inspired American colonists to pursue independence and championed the principles of democracy and human rights. He played a pivotal role in both the American and French revolutions. Here are 359 of his quotes:

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

Thomas Paine

My own mind is my own church.

Thomas Paine

But 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

He that rebels against reason is a real rebel, but he that in defence of reason rebels against tyranny has a better title to Defender of the Faith, than George the Third.

Thomas Paine

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

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

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

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

But such is the irresistable nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants is the liberty of appearing.

Thomas Paine

We fight not to enslave, but to set a country free, and to make room upon the earth for honest men to live in.

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

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

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

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

Thomas Paine

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.

Thomas Paine

Society is produced by our wants and government by our wickedness.

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

And the final event to himself Mr. Burke has been, that, as he rose like a rocket, he fell like the stick.

Thomas Paine

Everything that is right or natural pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'Tis time to part.

Thomas Paine

That there are men in all countries who get their living by war, and by keeping up the quarrels of nations, is as shocking as it is true but when those who are concerned in the government of a country, make it their study to sow discord, and cultivate prejudices between nations, it becomes the more unpardonable.

Thomas Paine