Relevance of Thomas Paine (1737 - 1809) in 21st century

Born in England, Paine emigrated to America by the advice of Benjamin Franklin, who was visiting England. In America, he vigorously espoused the cause of American Independence by writing the fiery pamphlet, "Common Sense". John Adams (2nd US President) said "Without the pen of  Paine, the sword of Washington would have been wielded in vain."

Then Paine went to France & supported the French Revolution by writing his incendiary "Rights of Man" in which he attacked monarchy & termed hereditary succession as a worse evil. However, the French Revolution degenerated into the Reign of Terror & Paine, just because he was born in England, was thrown into prison & was about to be guillotined. However, luckily he escaped to America. 

But his "Age of Reason", in which he attacked the Bible & Christianity, (though he believed in God), turned even John Adams & others into bitter enemies. His tirade was against all organised religions.

When this iconoclast died, only six people attended his funeral.

Now for his present relevance: His opposition to monarchy & hereditary succession has ominous immediacy in the dynastic politics of avowedly democratic systems. Also even in democratic countries, people fawning over descendants of erstwhile royals is sad.

Now most of organised religions are just an extension of obtaining the worldly goals of life like health, wealth & status through worship. They have little to do with God & cause endless strife with other religions. Whereas true spirituality is the real quest for God. To give two examples, firstly when Christian fanatics were persecuting the heretics during the Spanish Inquisition, St. Teresa of Avila was quietly entering her "Interior Castle" with seven spiritual (symbolic) mansions with her sister nuns. Secondly when even Basavanna's (religious) Vachanas contain snide remarks about Vedas & Brahmins, Akka Mahadevi's (spiritual) Vachanas contain only her obsessive love for her "Chenna Mallikarjuna." So while spirituality is the rightful & unifying goal of human life, organised religion, (as remarked by Thomas Paine) may be a divisive influence.