Thomas Paine: “It means arbitrary power in an individual person; in the exercise of which, himself, and not the res-publica, is the…”

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.

In those which proceed from the former cause, the temper becomes incensed and soured; and the redress, obtained by danger, is too often sullied by revenge.

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

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.