Thomas Paine
By Denis Mueller
Thomas Paine was born on January 29, 1737. He was the son of
a corset maker. His father, Joseph, tried to provide his
son with a proper education but he soon had to abandon his
dream and Paine, with great hesitation, followed in his
father's footsteps. Thomas never liked his trade and was
unsuccessful in marriage as well. His first wife died after
only a year and he left his second wife to come to America.
It was here, in the new world, that Paine found his calling.
He became a journalist, and after only one year in the
United States, established himself as the propagandist for
the American Revolution. His short pamphlet, Common Sense,
was widely read and Paine committed himself to the cause
of freedom and the idea that America provides us with of a
new beginning. In doing this he attacked his former home,
Great Britain, with passion and called for independence
for the colonies, along with the establishment of a
constitutional government. Paine distrusted government but
he also saw of it could be used to protect the unfortunate
and called for tax-funded public programs to protect the
poor from the abuses of those with power.
Democracy was born through the writings of Thomas Paine.
His writings and ideas made him one of the greatest public
figures of his time. Yet, he would die as a pauper, indeed
hated in the country, which he helped to create. Paine was
a citizen of the world, a man who fought for and was jailed
in France because of his role in the French Revolution. He
spoke out against the hypocrisy of religion, which
displeases many to this day, but is as prevalent in the
21st century as it was in the 18th.
Paine viewed democracy as a system that dares to be
different. He was self-educated, and like many self-
educated men, was perhaps combative to a fault. But when
we think of the man who stands up to authority, who is
unafraid to voice his objections over the abuses of power,
who speaks on behalf of those who are powerless, we think
of Thomas Paine. Paine is the father of American radicalism.
His term "Winter Soldiers" has been adopted by groups like
the Vietnam Veterans Against the War who looked to Paine
as their spiritual leader. His view of what life should be
like and how one should act, included a respect for
ordinary folk and a demand for a government, which is
accountable to its citizens. He remains a guiding light to
those who cherish the ideal of democracy, and one wonders
what he would say about a President who said, "God told
him to go to war" while using lies and deceit to achieve
that goal.
He is interpreted differently by various generations,
which makes him a character that can still arouse our
passions. His legacy is in those who have followed in his
footsteps. They include people such as George Seldes, Emma
Goldman, Howard Zinn, Molly Ivans, Woody Guthrie, Martin
Luther King and a whole host of people I have forgotten to
mention. Paine is America at its best. He represents the
type of country we think we should be, which is often the
country we are not. Paine is the moral compass by which
American radicalism sets it standard. It is a tradition,
which we are proud to be a part.
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A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
Thomas Paine
A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.
Thomas Paine
An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.
Thomas Paine
Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man.
Thomas Paine
But such is the irresistable nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants is the liberty of appearing.
Thomas Paine
Character is much easier kept than recovered.
Thomas Paine
Every science has for its basis a system of principles as fixed and unalterable as those by which the universe is regulated and governed. Man cannot make principles; he can only discover them.
Thomas Paine
From such beginnings of governments, what could be expected, but a continual system of war and extortion?
Thomas Paine
Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.
Thomas Paine
He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself.
Thomas Paine
Human nature is not of itself vicious.
Thomas Paine
I believe in the equality of man; and I believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.
Thomas Paine
I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.
Thomas Paine
If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.
Thomas Paine
If we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately.
Thomas Paine
It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving, it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.
Thomas Paine
It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause, that we are defending, and whether we defeat the enemy in one battle, or by degrees, the consequences will be the same.
Thomas Paine
It is the direction and not the magnitude which is to be taken into consideration.
Thomas Paine
Lead, follow, or get out of the way.
Thomas Paine
Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.
Thomas Paine
My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.
Thomas Paine
My mind is my own church.
Thomas Paine
Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
Thomas Paine
Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.
Thomas Paine
Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best stage, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one.
Thomas Paine
That which we obtain too easily, we esteem too lightly.
Thomas Paine
The greatest remedy for anger is delay.
Thomas Paine
The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.
Thomas Paine
The instant formal government is abolished, society begins to act. A general association takes place, and common interest produces common security.
Thomas Paine
The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is reason.
Thomas Paine
The whole religious complexion of the modern world is due to the absence from Jerusalem of a lunatic asylum.
Thomas Paine
There are two distinct classes of what are called thoughts: those that we produce in ourselves by reflection and the act of thinking and those that bolt into the mind of their own accord.
Thomas Paine
These are 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 now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.
Thomas Paine
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
Thomas Paine
Time makes more converts than reason.
Thomas Paine
'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.
Thomas Paine
Titles are but nicknames, and every nickname is a title.
Thomas Paine
To establish any mode to abolish war, however advantageous it might be to Nations, would be to take from such Government the most lucrative of its branches.
Thomas Paine
To say that any people are not fit for freedom, is to make poverty their choice, and to say they had rather be loaded with taxes than not.
Thomas Paine
Virtues are acquired through endeavor, Which rests wholly upon yourself. So, to praise others for their virtues Can but encourage one's own efforts.
Thomas Paine
War involves in its progress such a train of unforeseen and unsupposed circumstances that no human wisdom can calculate the end. It has but one thing certain, and that is to increase taxes.
Thomas Paine
We can only reason from what is; we can reason on actualities, but not on possibilities.
Thomas Paine
We have it in our power to begin the world over again.
Thomas Paine
What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.
Thomas Paine
When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon.
Thomas Paine
When we are planning for posterity, we ought to remember that virtue is not hereditary.
Thomas Paine
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My Thoughts....
I would if I could, have all of us remember this single idea.
It's not what you do to help make our country and the world a better place.
It's not about how much you accomplish, or what others think of what you do.
What matters, is that you do it at all!
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Just Do It
"And therefore, all of those for whom authentic transformation has deeply unseated their souls must, I believe, wrestle with the profound moral obligation to shout from the heart-perhaps quietly and gently, with tears of reluctance; perhaps with fierce fire and angry wisdom; perhaps with slow and careful analysis; perhaps by unshakable public example-but authenticity always and absolutely carries a demand and duty: you must speak out, to the best of your ability, and shake the spiritual tree, and shine your headlights into the eyes of the complacent. You must let that radical realization rumble through your veins and rattle those around you.
Alas, if you fail to do so, you are betraying your own authenticity.You are hiding your true estate. You don't want to upset others because you don't want to upset your self. You are acting in bad faith, the taste of a bad infinity.
Because, you see, the alarming fact is that any realization of depth carries a terrible burden: Those who are allowed to see are simultaneously saddled with the obligation to communicate that vision in no uncertain terms. That is the bargain. You were allowed to see the truth under the agreement that you would communicate it to others (that is the ultimate meaning of the bodhisattva vow). And therefore, if you have seen, you simply must speak out. Speak out with compassion, or speak out with angry wisdom, or speak out with skillful means, but speak out you must.
This is truly a terrible burden, a horrible burden, because in anycase there is no room for timidity. The fact that you might be wrong is simply no excuse: you might be right in your communication, and you might be wrong, but that doesn't matter. What does matter, as Kierkegaard so rudely reminded us, is that only by investing and speaking your vision with passion, can the truth, one way or another, finally penetrate the reluctance of the world. If you are right, or if you are wrong, it is only your passion that will force either to be discovered. It is your duty to promote that discovery-either way-and therefore it is your duty to speak your truth with whatever passion and courage you can find in your heart. You must shout, in whatever way you can."
Ken Wilbur
