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Of all the tyrannies that afflict mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst. Every other species of tyranny is limited to the world we live in, but this attempts a stride beyond the grave, and seeks to pursue us into eternity.

— Thomas Paine Letter to Thomas Erskine (1797)

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Religion

More quotes by Thomas Paine

It is the duty of every man, so far as his ability extends, to detect and expose delusion and error.

The universe is composed of matter, and, as a system, is sustained by motion.

Discourse to the Theophilanthropists (1798)

To God, and not to man, are all men to account for their belief.

Discourse to the Theophilanthropists (1798)

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.

Accustom a people to believe that priests or any other class of men can forgive sins, and you will have sins in abundance.

Worship and Church Bells (1797)

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All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree. All these aspirations are directed toward ennobling man's life, lifting it from the sphere of mere physical existence and leading the individual towards freedom.

Albert Einstein Moral Decay (1937)

Science and religion are two human enterprises sharing many features.

Freeman Dyson Infinite in All Directions (1988)

The moment the idea is admitted into society, that property is not as sacred as the law of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.

John Adams A Defence of the Constitutions of Government (1787)

The Puritan hated bear-baiting, not because it gave pain to the bear, but because it gave pleasure to the spectators.

Thomas Babington Macaulay History of England (1849)

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Thomas Paine (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.