“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defense of custom. But the tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason.”
More from Thomas Paine
“An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.”
“...taxes are not raised to carry on wars, but that wars are raised to carry on taxes.”
“All the tales of miracles, with which the Old and New Testament are filled, are fit only…”
“From the errors of other nations, let us learn wisdom.”