Thomas Paine was a revolutionary and an intellectual that was influencial in the American revolution. His famous works include Common Sense, which advocated independence of the American colonies, and The Age of Reason, which criticized Christianity and the bible.
- “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”
- “There is scarcely any part of science, or anything in nature, which those imposters and blasphemers of science, called priests, as well Christians as Jews, have not, at some time or other, perverted, or sought to pervert to the purpose of superstition and falsehood.”
- “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.”
- “It is from the Bible that man has learned cruelty, rapine and murder; for the belief of a cruel God makes a cruel man.”
- “To argue with a man who has renounced his reason is like giving medicine to the dead.”
- “A man will pass better through the world with a thousand open errors upon his back than in being detected in one sly falsehood. When one is detected, a thousand are suspected.”
- “He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression.”
- “The Christian system of religion is an outrage on common sense.”
- “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.”
And sometimes I wish that our generation was even half as enlightened as that of our Founding Fathers. Thanks for these quotes — they’re very very reasonable.
Yeah, half as enlightened as sexist, genocidal slave-owners? Actions speak greater than words.
Thomas Paine was not a slave owner. His actions met his fiery rhetoric.
Fascinating blog you’ve got here. VERY well written.
Have you been watching John Adams on HBO?
I think it’s funny that Thomas Jefferson referred people to “Common Sense” when asked about whether Negroes were included in “All men are created equal”.
Alright you ignorant atheists… if there is no god, then HOW DOES THE SUN KEEP ORBITING THE EARTH? BAM!
You see people, that’s how you deal with atheist skum. With LOGIC! Hit that bullseye and the rest of the dominoes will come down like a house of cards… CHECKMATE!
And on that note…
Dunt dun duuh DAAAAHHHH!
!!!!!!!!!MY ATHEIST STORE!!!!!!!!!
Aristotle’s Muse
This is my store. Maybe wearing an atheist T-shirt won’t change the world, but enough of them just might.