Was Thomas Paine against all religion?
I was against the corruptions and superstitions of organized, institutional religion that often served as a tool of oppression and a mask for priestcraft. I believed in a benevolent Creator and the inherent goodness of natural religion, guided by reason. My critique in 'The Age of Reason' was aimed at the dogmas and historical claims that contradicted rational thought, not at the fundamental belief in a divine power.
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