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'''Thomas Paine''' (Thetford, England, 1737 - New York City, 1809) was primarily a [[political]] and [[religious]] writer born in Thetford, [[England]], who came to [[America]] in 1774. His 1776 pamphlet ''"[[Common Sense]]"'' was a major cause of the American decision to [[Declaration of Independence|declare independence]] on July 2nd4th. It explained [[republicanism]] and the evils [[evil]]s of having a king in very clear , everyday language. Selling an estimated In terms of percentage sales, ''Common Sense'' was second to only the [[Bible]]: ''Common Sense'' had sales of 500,000 copies in colonial America where the total population was only 2.5 million,<ref>http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2013/01/thomas-paine-the-original-publishing-viral-superstar/</ref> and was also read aloud in taverns and churches. Thomas Paine was a lifelong, staunch defender of [[freedom of religion]]. However, in his book ''Common SenseRights of Man'' reached most , he also criticized the concept of the attentive public [[Bill of Rights]], calling it a "bill of wrongs and insults" and has also expressed favor of a [[progressive tax]] system.<ref>http://www.imagining-other.net/pp11burkeandpaine.htm</ref> [[Phyllis Schlafly]], the leader of the [[grassroots]] movement that defeated the [[Equal Rights Amendment]] and made the [[Republican Party]] [[pro-life]], greatly admired Thomas Paine for his effectiveness in all 13 colonieseducating and mobilizing the people through his political writing.

Paine remained in France until 1802 when he returned to America on an invitation from [[Thomas Jefferson]]. Paine discovered that his contributions to the American Revolution had been all but eradicated due to his religious views. Paine was proven badly wrong in praising the French Revolution. Derided by the public and abandoned by his friends, he died on June 8, 1809 at the age of 72 in New York City.<ref>[http://www.ushistory.org/paine/ Thomas Paine.]</ref> Once a celebrated figure, his funeral was only attended by six people.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ybpbAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT58 Thomas Paine: Political Activist and Author]</ref> ==Views on Religion and Religious Liberty==Paine was the son of an [[Anglican]] and a [[Quaker]], and grew to become a devout [[Deist]]. Paine was skeptical about miracles in [[Christianity]], and became an opponent of the [[Bible]]. Thirty years after his successful ''Common Sense'' he published ''The Age of Reason'' (1807),<ref>The first part was written earlier, in 1794.</ref> in which he asserts that organized religions, including Christianity, are frauds.  Paine was the only [[Deist]] among the colonial leaders who formed the [[United States]], contrary to [[liberal bias]] falsely asserting that many of the [[Founders]] were Deists. But Thomas Paine vigorously defended freedom of religion:{{cquote|I do not mean by this declaration to condemn those who believe otherwise; they have the same right to their belief as I have to mine. But 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.<ref name="Age of Reason">The Age of Reason, Pt. 1, 1794 [http://god-and-country.info/TPaine.html]</ref>}}

==Views on Religion==Paine was a devout Deist, and slammed Christianity on many occasions. He authored a vulgar and blasphemous pamphlet "'s best-selling ''The Age of Reason" in which he goes on to describe Christianity '' caused a mere fraud and cult. This led to his public disownment, despite being one of the key founders brief revival of [[Deism]] in the [[United States of America]], but without lasting effect. He ultimately fell into disfavor due to his intemperate attacks on religion.

* "Tyranny, like [[hell]], is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value." from ''The Crisis'' (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 man and woman." from ''The American Crisis‎'', published in ''The Pennsylvania Journal'' (Dec. 19, 1776) . <ref>https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/175410-these-are-the-times-that-try-men-s-souls-the-summer</ref>

* "Those words, “temperate and moderate,” are words either of political cowardice, or of cunning, or seduction. 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 a species of vice."(1895)<ref>Paine, "Letter to the addressers on the late proclamation against seditious writings." in ''The Writings of Thomas Paine,'' ed. Moncure D. Conway, vol. 3, pp. 94–95</ref>(1895).

* ''[[The American Crisis]]'' (often shortened to "The Crisis") - a series of articles pamphlets published 1776-77 to 1783 during the American Revolution<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/paine/crisis/index.htm</ref>* ''[[The Rights of Man]]'' - published in 1792 1791 in support of the French Revolution<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/paine/rights/index.htm</ref>