Thomas Paine: “Common interest regulates their concerns, and forms their law; and the laws which common usage ordains, have a greater…”

But as religion is very improperly made a political machine, and the reality of it is thereby destroyed, I will conclude this work with stating in what light religion appears to me.

Reason and discussion, persuasion and conviction, become the weapons in the contest, and it is only when those are attempted to be suppressed that recourse is had to violence.

I do not believe that any two men, on what are called doctrinal points, think alike who think at all.

Why may we not suppose, that the great Father of all is pleased with variety of devotion; and that the greatest offence we can act, is that by which we seek to torment and render each other miserable?