Date of birth: 1737-01-29
Date of death: 1809-06-08
Quotes number: 66
Nationality: English
Profession: Writer
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.
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.
All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.
Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be true.
Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property... Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them.
Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man.
But such is the irresistable nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants is the liberty of appearing.
Character is much easier kept than recovered.
Every religion is good that teaches man to be good; and I know of none that instructs him to be bad.
