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The greatest tyrannies are always perpetuated in the name of the noblest causes.

Thomas Paine

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

Children Choice Live Myself Peace Time Trouble
It is always to be taken for granted, that those who oppose an equality of rights never mean the exclusion should take place on themselves.
THOMAS PAINE

Equality Opposition Place Right
The mind once enlightened cannot again become dark.
THOMAS PAINE

Darkness Enlightenment Mindset
One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests.
THOMAS PAINE

Goodness Priest Worth
The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection.
THOMAS PAINE

Brave Growth Man Reality Reflection Strength Trouble
It is the madness of folly, to expect mercy from those who have refused to do justice; and even mercy, where conquest is the object, is only a trick of war; the cunning of the fox is as murderous as the violence of the wolf.
THOMAS PAINE

Expectation Justice Madness Mercy Murder Trick Violence War Wolf
For though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.
THOMAS PAINE

Coal Flame Liberty Shine
The greatest tyrannies are always perpetuated in the name of the noblest causes.
THOMAS PAINE

Destruction Disguise Greatness Name Noble
When all other rights are taken away, the right of rebellion is made perfect.
THOMAS PAINE

Perfection Rebel Right
When extraordinary power and extraordinary pay are allotted to any individual in a government, he becomes the center, round which every kind of corruption generates and forms.
THOMAS PAINE

Extraordinary Generation Government Kind Pay Power
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

Appearance Freedom Liberty Nature Reason Rebel Truth
It is not in numbers, but in unity, that our great strength lies.
THOMAS PAINE

Greatness Power Strength Unity
When it becomes necessary to do a thing, the whole heart and soul should go into the measure, or not attempt it.
THOMAS PAINE

Heart Necessary Soul
Government is not a trade which any man or body of men has a right to set up and exercise for his own emolument, but is altogether a trust, in right of those by whom that trust is delegated, and by whom it is always resumable. It has of itself no rights; they are altogether duties.
THOMAS PAINE

Body Government Man Right Togetherness Trust
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
Religion is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize humankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it as I detest everything that is cruel.
THOMAS PAINE

Corruption Cruelty History Human Kind Religion Service Sincere
When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity of his mind, as to [profess] things he does not believe, he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime.
THOMAS PAINE

Believe Corruption Crime Himself Man Mindset Preparation Prostitution
Virtue is not hereditary.
THOMAS PAINE

Inheritance One Liner Virtue
You cannot undermine police authority and then complain about rising crime.
THOMAS PAINE

Authority Crime Police Rise Yourself
Men should not petition for rights, but take them.
THOMAS PAINE

Action Man Right
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
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
THOMAS PAINE

Appearance Habit Right Thinking Wrong
The right of voting for representatives , is the primary right by which other rights are protected.
THOMAS PAINE

Protection Representation Right Vote
The slavery of fear had made men afraid to think.
THOMAS PAINE

Afraid Fear Man One Liner Slave Thinking
If I do not believe as you believe, it proves that you do not believe as I believe, and that is all that it proves.
THOMAS PAINE

Believe Evidence Myself Philosophy Yourself
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason.
THOMAS PAINE

Appearance Habit Reason Time Wrong

The greatest tyrannies are always perpetuated in the name of the noblest causes.

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The greatest tyrannies are always perpetuated in the name of the noblest causes.

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