Thomas Paine: “It is the faculty of the human mind to become what it contemplates, and to act in unison with its object.”

I have carefully avoided to enlarge upon the subject, because I am inclined to believe that what is called the present ministry, wish to see contentions about religion kept up, to prevent the nation turning its attention to subjects of…

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

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.

As to what are called national religions, we may, with as much propriety, talk of national Gods.