Was Thomas Paine apart of the Free Masons?

"In Deism our reason and our belief are happily united"  

                                                                                                          - Thomas Paine
   
   
     Thomas Paine in his era was known as many things, but one thing I begin to question is his connection to the Freemasons. Paine wrote about George Washington (who would eventually become the first president of the United States) in his writing The Crisis, Number 1. George Washington was well known for his connection to the Freemasons, so I researched to see if Thomas Paine was connected to Washington and the Freemasons.
     I Google searched specifically, "Was Thomas Paine a Freemason" and clicked the first link World Union of Deists. Thomas Paine's Thomas Paine on Free Masonry, Part I was available for me to read. Its interesting how Thomas Paine actually has pages written about the origin of Free masonry. He begins to compare Free Mason principles to Christian principles, but its understood that Paine doesn't believe in religion, he believes in only one God so he calls the christian faith a "parody on the worship of the sun".

What intrigues me the most is the fact that Paine knows in detail about the inner workings of the Freemasons. My father is a Freemason and told me their sworn to secrecy and cannot reveal what goes on within the organization. This organization houses people from all walks of life, different cultures, different languages, but they all have common knowledge. Men known worldwide have been associated with Freemasonry, Da Vinci,   George Washington, Benjamin Franklin. Even presidents like The Bush's are associated with the secret society. So how does Thomas Paine know so much if he is not a Freemason?

     This YouTube video documents the hidden faith of the Founding Father's. It can answer a few questions about Thomas Paine. The thing that get me is the fact Thomas Paine in his writings, never said he was a Freemason, so it is all still speculation. The one fact I know for sure is that no man can discuss meanings and inner workings of the Freemasons and for Paine to know so much detail about the secret society has to mean more than meets the eye.
     Another reason I believe you consider Thomas Paine connected to the Freemasons is because a lot of the early members were prominent figures in their society with great influence. Many of them were astrologists, philosophers, artist, mathematicians, scientist, and had many other influential careers. Paine fits the mold completely, being known as an author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, and revolutionary. With his influential writings and talks during his era, Paine had to be a target for a society of their influence and intellect.

"An eye for an eye will leave the whole world blind" - Mahatma Gandhi