Thomas Paine

So I was reviewing the Thomas Paine reading for class tomorrow, and I was a little confused.

In the introduction it says that Paine was against Christianity and accepted deism. In The American Crisis, however, he often uses religious imagery. He refers to heaven and hell, and he even wrote, "I am as confident, as I am that God governs the world, that America will never be happy till she gets clear of foreign dominion." Doesn't that contradict the deist philosophy?

Later he mentioned Joan of Arc. I know that Joan of Arc is hailed as a hero in France for her victories in war and her patriotism, but isn't odd that some one so opposed to Chrisitianity would use a girl who claimed to have visions from saints as an arguement?

I wouldn't doubt that he would through aside his religious beliefs to gain support. Is that what he's doing?