Final answer:
Thomas Paine felt disillusioned by Christianity at a young age due to a sermon he deemed cruel, impacting his views on freedom and human rights and leading him to challenge religious justifications for cruelty and oppression.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomas Paine, who is known for his influential pamphlets like 'Common Sense' that helped inspire the American Revolution, once said that a "sermon he heard at the age of eight convinced him of the cruelty inherent in Christianity and made him a rebel forever." This statement reflects Paine's critical view of Christianity and the impact that religious teachings can have on one's worldview from a young age. The historical documents provided emphasize the use of religion to justify actions such as enslavement, war, and oppression, mirroring the anecdote about Paine's disillusionment with Christianity.
Paine's experiences and observations led him to become an advocate for freedom and human rights, opposing the misinterpretations of Scripture and religious persecution. His rejection of the cruelty he witnessed and associated with religious institutions underscored his push for societal reformation and personal liberty.