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It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error.

Thomas Paine

All churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Muslim, are simply human inventions. They use fear to enslave us. They are a monopoly for power and profit.
THOMAS PAINE

Fear Human Invention Power Profit Religion
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

Constitution Exercise Government Illegal Limitation Logic Natural Power Result
The Deist needs none of those tricks and shows called miracles to confirm his faith, for what can be a greater miracle than the creation itself, and his own existence?
THOMAS PAINE

Creation Existence Faith Greatness Miracle Need Trick
Reason and Ignorance, the opposites of each other, influence the great bulk of mankind. If either of these can be rendered sufficiently extensive in a country, the machinery of Government goes easily on. Reason obeys itself; and Ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
THOMAS PAINE

Easy Government Greatness Ignorance Influence Kind Man Reason
I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.
THOMAS PAINE

Change Man Myself Opinion Present Right Slave Support
Virtue is not hereditary.
THOMAS PAINE

Inheritance One Liner Virtue
A Constitution is not the act of a Government, but of a people constituting a government, and a government without a constitution is a power without right.
THOMAS PAINE

Act Constitution Government People Power Right
We repose an unwise confidence in any government, or in any men, when we invest them officially with too much, or an unnecessary quantity of, discretionary power.
THOMAS PAINE

Confidence Government Man Necessary Power
From the east to the west blow the trumpet to arms! Through the land let the sound of it flee; Let the far and the near all unite, with a cheer, In defense of our Liberty Tree.
THOMAS PAINE

Liberty Ourselves Sound Success Tree Unity
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
THOMAS PAINE

Children Day Myself Peace Trouble
Taxes were not raised to carry on wars, but that wars were raised to carry on taxes.
THOMAS PAINE

Carry Deep Tax War
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

Discouragement Law Mischief Order World
It is important that we should never lose sight of this distinction. We must not confuse the peoples with their governments.
THOMAS PAINE

Government Important Lose People Sight
Government without a constitution, is a power without a right.
THOMAS PAINE

Constitution Government Power Right
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

Administration Argument Atheist Authority Humanity Man Medicine Philosophy Reason Scripture
It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and finish with contempt.
THOMAS PAINE

Arrogance Beginning Career Hypocrisy Politics

It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error.

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It is the duty of every man, as far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error.

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