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The danger to which the success of revolutions is most exposed, is that of attempting them before the principles on which they proceed, and the advantages to result from them, are sufficiently seen and understood.

Thomas Paine

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Thomas Paine
Age: 72 †
Born: 1737
Born: January 29
Died: 1809
Died: June 8
Author
Entrepreneur
Journalist
Opinion Journalist
Philosopher
Politician
Prosaist
Writer
Thetford
Norfolk
Danger
Advantages
Principles
Nationalism
Results
Attempting
Seen
Exposed
Success
Result
Advantage
Revolutions
Revolution
Sufficiently
Understood
Proceed

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I believe in one God, and no more and I hope for happiness beyond this life.
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Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom must undertake to support it.
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The duty of man is not a wilderness of turnpike gates, through which he is to pass by tickets from one to the other. It is plain and simple, and consists but of two points--his duty God, which every man must feel and, with respect to his neighbor, to do as he would be done by.
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It is from the power of taxation being in the hands of those who can throw so great a part of it from their own shoulders, that it has raged without a check.
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The art of publicity is a black art but it has come to stay, and every year adds to its potency.
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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.
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It is only by the exercise of reason that man can discover God.
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Therefore we say that a lying Spirit has been in the mouth of the writers of the books of the Bible.
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Nothing, they say is more certain than death, and nothing more uncertain than the time of dying
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For the fate of Charles the first, hath only made kings more subtle — not more just.
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The case, however, is, that the Bible will not bear examination in any part of it, which it would do if it was the Word of God. Those who most believe it are those who know least about it, and priests always take care to keep the inconsistent and contradictory parts out of sight.
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Tears may soothe the wounds they cannot heal.
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These are the times that try men's souls.
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Thus commerce, though in itself a moral nullity, has had a considerable influence in tempering the human mind....he trades with the same countries ...(that he) would have gone to war with.
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It can only be by blinding the understanding of man, and making him believe that government is some wonderful mysterious thing, that excessive revenues are obtained. Monarchy is well calculated to ensure this end. It is the popery of government a thing kept up to amuse the ignorant, and quiet them into taxes.
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Men should not petition for rights, but take them
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Character is much easier kept than recovered.
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Reputation is what men and women think of us character is what God and angels know of us.
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We hold the moral obligation of providing for old age, helpless infancy, and poverty is far superior to that of supplying the invented wants of courtly extravagance.
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An avidity to punish is always dangerous to liberty. It leads men to stretch, to misinterpret, and to misapply even the best of laws.
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