"Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one." -- Thomas Paine, Common Sense (1776) "As to religion, I hold it to be the indispensible duty of government to protect all conscientious professors thereof, and I know of no other business which government hath to do therewith." -- Thomas Paine, Common Sense (1776) "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of men and women." -- Thomas Paine, The Crisis (December 1776), Introduction [Paine is referring to the American Revolution (1775-83)] "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." -- Thomas Paine, The American Crisis (September 12, 1777), no. 4 "Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of all religions established by law." -- Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man (1791-2) "The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion. " -- Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man, Part 2 (1792) "It is a fraud of the Christian religion to call the sciences human invention; it is only the application of them that is human." -- Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason, Part 1 (1794)

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