Loving, of enemies is another dogma of feigned morality, and has besides no meaning. It is incumbent on man, as a moralist, that he does not revenge an injury; and it is equally as good in a political sense, for there is no end to retaliation; each retaliates on the other, and calls it justice: but to love in proportion to the injury, if it could be done, would be to offer a premium for a crime. Besides, the word enemies is too vague and general to be used in a moral maxim, which ought always to be clear and defined, like a proverb. If a man be the enemy of another from mistake and prejudice, as in the case of religious opinions, and sometimes in politics, that man is different to an enemy at heart with a criminal intention; and it is incumbent upon us, and it contributes also to our own tranquillity, that we put the best construction upon a thing that it will bear. But even this erroneous motive in him makes no motive for love on the other part; and to say that we can love voluntarily, and without a motive, is morally and physically impossible. Morality is injured by prescribing to it duties that, in the first place, are impossible to be performed, and if they could be would be productive of evil; or, as before said, be premiums for crime. The maxim of doing as we would be done unto does not include this strange doctrine of loving enemies; for no man expects to be loved himself for his crime or for his enmity. Those who preach this doctrine of loving their enemies, are in general the greatest persecutors, and they act consistently by so doing; for the doctrine is hypocritical, and it is natural that hypocrisy should act the reverse of what it preaches. For my own part, I disown the doctrine, and consider it as a feigned or fabulous morality; yet the man does not exist that can say I have persecuted him, or any man, or any set of men, either in the American Revolution, or in the French Revolution; or that I have, in any case, returned evil for evil.
Thomas Paine
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More Thomas Paine
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right. THOMAS PAINE If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace. THOMAS PAINE That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly. THOMAS PAINE The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance. THOMAS PAINE I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, lovi... THOMAS PAINE Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting ... THOMAS PAINE An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot. THOMAS PAINE These are the times that try men's souls. THOMAS PAINE What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value... THOMAS PAINE Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man. THOMAS PAINE The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. THOMAS PAINE Titles are but nicknames, and every nickname is a title. THOMAS PAINE Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supportin... THOMAS PAINE And as to you, Sir, treacherous in private friendship and a hypocrite in public life, the world will... THOMAS PAINE The right of voting for representatives is the primary right by which other rights are protected. To... THOMAS PAINE War involves in its progress such a train of unforeseen circumstances that no human wisdom can calcu... THOMAS PAINE My country is the world, and my religion to do good. THOMAS PAINE Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder t... THOMAS PAINE I die content, I die for the liberty of my country.
[Fr., Je meurs content, je meurs pour la liber... THOMAS PAINE A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and ra... THOMAS PAINE Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it. THOMAS PAINE The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too l... THOMAS PAINE ...the true greatness of a nation is founded on principles of humanity. THOMAS PAINE Man must go back to nature for information. THOMAS PAINE When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon. THOMAS PAINE Every religion is good that teaches man to be good; and I know of none that instructs him to be bad. THOMAS PAINE I believe in one God, and no more; and I hope for happiness beyond this life. I believe in the eq... THOMAS PAINE To establish any mode to abolish war, however advantageous it might be to Nations, would be to take ... 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THOMAS PAINE We have it in our power to begin the world over again. 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 These are the times that try men's souls. THOMAS PAINE It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause, that we are defending, and whether we defea... THOMAS PAINE A bad cause will never be supported by bad means and bad men. THOMAS PAINE It is the direction and not the magnitude which is to be taken into consideration. THOMAS PAINE When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary THOMAS PAINE The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion. THOMAS PAINE It can only be by blinding the understanding of man, and making him believe that government is some ... THOMAS PAINE A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and ra... THOMAS PAINE Whatever is my right as a man is also the right of another; and it becomes my duty to guarantee as w... THOMAS PAINE We fight not to enslave, but to set a country free, and to make room upon the earth for honest men t... THOMAS PAINE When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary. THOMAS PAINE It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause, that we are defending, and whether we defea... THOMAS PAINE There are two distinct classes of what are called thoughts: those that we produce in ourselves by re... THOMAS PAINE Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us. THOMAS PAINE He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he viol... 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difficult to class them separatel... THOMAS PAINE There are two distinct classes of what are called thoughts: those that we produce in ourselves by r... THOMAS PAINE The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too ligh... THOMAS PAINE 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approv... THOMAS PAINE The Vatican is a dagger in the heart of Italy. THOMAS PAINE He that rebels against reason is a real rebel, but he that in defence of reason rebels against tyran... THOMAS PAINE One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests. THOMAS PAINE Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it. THOMAS PAINE Character is much easier kept than recovered. THOMAS PAINE Human nature is not of itself vicious. THOMAS PAINE The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place... THOMAS PAINE Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous execution... THOMAS PAINE All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other ... THOMAS PAINE The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too ligh... THOMAS PAINE Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice THOMAS PAINE Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice. THOMAS PAINE The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lig... THOMAS PAINE He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he viola... THOMAS PAINE It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not... THOMAS PAINE Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature... THOMAS PAINE It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not... THOMAS PAINE I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by ... THOMAS PAINE When my country, into which I had just set my foot, was set on fire about my ears, it was time to st... THOMAS PAINE A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue, b... THOMAS PAINE What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly. THOMAS PAINE To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dea... THOMAS PAINE Such is the irresistible nature of truth that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appea... THOMAS PAINE Society is produced by our wants and government by our wickedness. THOMAS PAINE Better fare hard with good men than feast it with bad. THOMAS PAINE Suspicion is a mental picture seen through an imaginary keyhole THOMAS PAINE I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and row brave by r... THOMAS PAINE I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and row brave by r... THOMAS PAINE If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace THOMAS PAINE The study of theology, as it stands in the Christian churches, is the study of nothing; it is founde... THOMAS PAINE The adulterous connection between church and state THOMAS PAINE Is it not a species of blasphemy to call the New Testament revealed religion, when we see in it such... THOMAS PAINE The New Testament, they tell us, is founded upon the prophecies of the Old; if so, it must follow th... THOMAS PAINE Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature... THOMAS PAINE The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too ligh... THOMAS PAINE It is necessary to the happiness of a man that he be mentally faithful to himself. THOMAS PAINE 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approv... THOMAS PAINE What we obtain too cheap, we esteem to lightly. THOMAS PAINE I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by ... THOMAS PAINE The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance THOMAS PAINE It is not a God, just and good, but a devil, under the name of God, that the Bible describes THOMAS PAINE I do not believe in the creed professed by any church that I know of. Each of these churches accuse ... THOMAS PAINE When I see throughout this book, called the Bible, a history of the grossest vices and a collection ... THOMAS PAINE We have it in our power to begin the world over again THOMAS PAINE The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is reason. THOMAS PAINE The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection THOMAS PAINE Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best stage, is but a necessary evi... THOMAS PAINE The most detestable wickedness, the most horrid cruelties, and the greatest miseries, that have affl... THOMAS PAINE We fight not to enslave, but to set a country free, and to make room upon the earth for honest men t... THOMAS PAINE One of the strongest natural proofs of the folly of hereditary right in kings is, that nature disapp... THOMAS PAINE I have always strenuously supported the right of every man to his own opinion, however different tha... THOMAS PAINE Action and care will in time wear down the strongest frame, but guilt and melancholy are poisons of ... THOMAS PAINE Suspicion is the companion of mean souls, and the bane of all good society THOMAS PAINE But such is the nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants is the liberty of appearing irre... THOMAS PAINE Therefore we say that a lying Spirit has been in the mouth of the writers of the books of the Bible THOMAS PAINE Now, Sir, it is impossible for serious men, to whom God has given the divine gift of reason, and who... THOMAS PAINE Though the flame of liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire THOMAS PAINE I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek chur... THOMAS PAINE The New Testament rests itself for credulity and testimony on what are called prophecies in the Old ... THOMAS PAINE These are the times that try men’s souls. He that stands now deserves the love and thanks of men a... THOMAS PAINE The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his cou... THOMAS PAINE There are matters in the Bible, said to be done by the express commandment of God, that are shocking... THOMAS PAINE That government is best which governs least. THOMAS PAINE ...it is easy to see that when the republican virtue fails, slavery ensues. THOMAS PAINE For my own part, my belief in the perfection of the Deity will not permit me to believe that a book ... THOMAS PAINE The bishop who has answered me has been obliged to acknowledge the fact, that the Books that compose... THOMAS PAINE Society is produced by our wants and government by our wickedness THOMAS PAINE Of all the systems of religion that ever were invented, there is no more derogatory to the Almighty,... THOMAS PAINE He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression;for if he violat... THOMAS PAINE These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this ... THOMAS PAINE What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its valu... THOMAS PAINE The character of Moses, as stated in the Bible, is the most horrid that can be imagined. If those ac... THOMAS PAINE Each of those churches shows certain books, which they call revelation, or the Word of God. The Jews... THOMAS PAINE It has been the practice of all Christian commentators on the Bible, and of all Christian priests an... THOMAS PAINE [The Hits 1789-'97 George Washington was serenaded with new words to] God Save the King ... I don't ... THOMAS PAINE When it can be said by any country in the world, my poor are happy, neither ignorance nor distress i... THOMAS PAINE We ought therefore to suspect that a great mass of information respecting the Bible, and the introdu... THOMAS PAINE The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind THOMAS PAINE My mind is my own church. THOMAS PAINE Action and care will in time wear down the strongest frame, but guilt and melancholy are poisons of ... THOMAS PAINE We must be compelled to hold this doctrine to be false, and the old and new law called the Old and N... THOMAS PAINE Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous execution... THOMAS PAINE These repeated forgeries and falsifications create a well-founded suspicion that all the cases spoke... THOMAS PAINE All the tales of miracles, with which the Old and New Testament are filled, are fit only for imposto... THOMAS PAINE It has been the political career of this man to begin with hypocrisy, proceed with arrogance, and fi... THOMAS PAINE A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it the superficial appearance of being right, and r... THOMAS PAINE Those who expect to reap the blessings of liberty must undergo the fatigues of supporting it THOMAS PAINE Let them call me rebel, and welcome; I feel no concern from it. For I should suffer the misery of de... THOMAS PAINE If we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately. THOMAS PAINE The American constitutions were to liberty, what a grammar is to language: they define its parts of ... THOMAS PAINE Of all the tyrannies that affect mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst THOMAS PAINE He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he viol... THOMAS PAINE These are times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this cris... THOMAS PAINE Calvinism is the belief (1) That there are three Gods (2) That good works, or the love of our neighb... THOMAS PAINE It is an affront to treat falsehood with complaisance THOMAS PAINE One good schoolmaster is of more use than a hundred priests THOMAS PAINE The story of the whale swallowing Jonah, though a whale is large enough to do it, borders greatly on... THOMAS PAINE I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by ... THOMAS PAINE Later times have laid all the blame upon the Goths and Vandals, but, however unwilling the partizans... THOMAS PAINE All the tales of miracles, with which the Old and New Testament are filled, are fit only for imposto... THOMAS PAINE The Christian theory is little else than the idolatry of the ancient mythologists, accommodated to t... THOMAS PAINE Now, if the writers of these four books [Gospels] had gone into a court of justice to prove an alibi... THOMAS PAINE With respect to the books of the New Testament, particularly such parts as tell us of the resurrecti... THOMAS PAINE The first chapter of Matthew begins with giving a genealogy of Jesus Christ; and in the third chapte... THOMAS PAINE It is not then the existence or the non-existence, of the persons that I trouble myself about; it is... THOMAS PAINE In stating these matters, I speak an open and disinterested language, dictated by no passion but tha... THOMAS PAINE That there are men in all countries who get their living by war, and by keeping up the quarrels of n... THOMAS PAINE Be this as it may, they decided by vote which of the books out of the collection they had made, shou... THOMAS PAINE People in general know not what wickedness there is in this pretended word of God. Brought up in ... THOMAS PAINE He prays dictatorially. When it is sunshine, he prays for rain, and when it is rain, he prays f... THOMAS PAINE As to the ancient historians, from THOMAS PAINE It is difficult beyond description to conceive that space can have no end; but it is more difficult ... THOMAS PAINE The Almighty Lecturer, by displaying the principles of science in the structure of the universe, has... THOMAS PAINE When also I am told that a woman, called the Virgin Mary, said, or gave out, that she was with child... THOMAS PAINE Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe w... THOMAS PAINE It was needless, after this, to say that all was vanity and vexation of spirit; for it is impossible... THOMAS PAINE But the resurrection of a dead person from the grave, and his ascension through the air, is a thing ... THOMAS PAINE