Thomas Paine Quotes

If the myth of pure evil is that evil is committed with the intention of causing harm and an absence of moral considerations, then it applies to very few acts of so-called 'pure evil' because most evildoers believe what they are doing is forgivable or justifiable.

Nowadays those are rewarded who make right appear wrong.

One must be especially wary of an Administration that seems to feel that what it judges to be a good end, always justifies any means.

Evil is evil, and it doesn't discriminate by dress. Some evil people in the headlines wear designer suits and wing-tipped shoes.

He who is bent on doing evil can never want occasion.

Men whose wit has been mother of villainy once have learned from it to be evil in all things.

No scoundrel is so stupid as to not find a reason for his vile conduct.

Evil is often supposed to be without rhyme or reason.

When evil acts in the world it always manages to find instruments who believe that what they do is not evil but honorable.

In a way, fraud in business is no different from infidelity in marriage or plagiarism in scholarly work. Even people committed to high moral standards succumb.

Evil is the interruption of a truth by the pressure of particular or individual interests.

Heroism in a bad cause.

We should not underestimate the ability of people to do wrong if they want to do so.

For there is no defense for a man who, in the excess of his wealth, has kicked the great altar of Justice out of sight.

Things have got to be wrong in order that they may be deplored.

Politics ruins the character.

Often even a whole city suffers for a bad man who sins and contrives presumptuous deeds.

No evil can result from its inhibition more pernicious than its toleration.

As long as dishonorable success outranks honest effort—as long as society bows and cringes before the great thieves, there will be little ones enough to fill the jails.

No man is justified in doing evil on the ground of expediency.

Look through the whole histories of countries professing the Romish religion and you will uniformly find the leaven of this besetting and accursed principle of action—that the end will sanction any means.

He that buyeth Magistracy, must sell justice.

No one may do evil that good may come.

…unjust and ethically unacceptable.

There is little difference between the immorality of the man who visited prostitutes and the woman who aborted.