What are your thoughts on deism?

Answer 1

Not much to think about. Deism recognizes, albeit vaguely a supreme being. One step from agnostics. By the way, contrary to popular belief, our country was founded on deistic tenants, and not Christianity.

Answer 2

It makes a lot more sense than Christianity. If you'd like to read a great book by a famous deist pick up, "The Age of Reason" by Thomas Paine. In the book he critques the Bible and it's teachings but he is still a firm believer in God. It's really a great book.

Answer 3

Anyone who believes that God is not actively involved in all the affairs of his people lacks faith, misunderstands the loving nature of God, and has no regard for the power and absolute necessity of God's grace. For more information or to post additional questions go to www.askmeaboutgod.org and receive a prompt, free, complete answer via email. Cheers! Doug

Answer 4

i have one "Major" problem with it:

God has revealed himself. Therefor, if we accept deism it's like calling God a liar.

God is no liar.

deism is like another word for being Agnostic & Pagan all at the same time!

(believing in something, and not knowing 'what'...) and also Pagan, because it places alot of emphasis on NATURE (so in actual fact, a person is worshipping what God created, and NOT God.) = "Idolatry."

(or at least that's my understanding.)

Answer 5

DEISM DEFINED

Deism is defined in Webster's Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1941, as: "[From Latin Deus, God.Deity] The doctrine or creed of a Deist." And Deist is defined in the same dictionary as: "One who believes in the existence of a God or supreme being but denies revealed religion, basing his belief on the light of nature and reason."

This common sense approach to God and a spiritual philosophy can not only bring a lasting profound sense of peace and happiness to the individual, but it also has the potential to go light years in eradicating religious fear, superstition and violence.

For comparing Deism to revealed religion and atheism please click on Deism vs. Christianity & Atheism, at the bottom of this page.

If this definition of Deism makes sense to you, please click here for a membership application from the World Union of Deists.


Frequently Asked Questions about Deism

What is the basis of Deism? Reason and nature. We see the design found throughout the known universe and this realization brings us to a sound belief in a Designer or God.

Is Deism a form of atheism? No. Atheism teaches that there is no God. Deism teaches there is a God. Deism rejects the "revelations" of the "revealed" religions but does not reject God.

If Deism teaches a belief in God, then what is the difference between Deism and the other religions like Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, etc.? Deism is, as stated above, based on nature and reason, not "revelation." All the other religions (with the possible exception of Taoism, although superstition does play a role in both Buddhism and Taoism) make claim to special divine revelation or they have requisite "holy" books. Deism has neither. In Deism there is no need for a preacher, priest or rabbi. All one needs in Deism is their own common sense and the creation to contemplate.

Do Deists believe that God created the creation and the world and then just stepped back from it? Some Deists do and some believe God may intervene in human affairs. For example, when George Washington was faced with either a very risky evacuation of the American troops from Long Island or surrendering them, he chose the more risky evacuation. When questioned about the possibility of having them annihilated he said it was the best he could do and the rest was up to Providence.

Do Deists pray? Only prayers of thanks and appreciation. We don't dictate to God.

How do Deists view God? We view God as an eternal entity whose power is equal to his/her will. The following quote from Albert Einstein also offers a good Deistic description of God: "My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God."

Is Deism a cult? It's impossible for Deism to be a cult because Deism teaches self-reliance and encourages people to constantly use their reason. Deism teaches to "question authority" no matter what the cost.

Unlike the revealed religions, Deism makes no unreasonable claims. The revealed religions encourage people to give up, or at least to suspend, their God-given reason. They like to call it faith. For example, how logical is it to believe that Moses parted the Red Sea, or that Jesus walked on water, or that Mohammed received the Koran from an angel? Suspending your reason enough to believe these tales only sets a precedent that leads to believing a Jim Jones or David Koresh.

What's Deism's answer to all the evil in the world? Much of the evil in the world could be overcome or removed if humanity had embraced our God-given reason from our earliest evolutionary stages. After all, all the laws of nature that we've discovered and learned to use to our advantage that make everything from computers to medicine to space travel realities, have existed eternally. But we've decided we'd rather live in superstition and fear instead of learning and gaining knowledge. It's much more soothing to believe we're not responsible for our own actions than to actually do the hard work required for success.

Deism doesn't claim to have all the answers to everything, we just claim to be on the right path to those answers.

Answer 6

A god who set everything in motion and now just sits back and watches, never involving himself?

Well... if we're created in God's image and we desire and need relationships, then that must reflect the same desire in God. A cold, distant, vaguely benevolent god is so far removed from human nature and desires. Why would He create, only to step back and never desire to know us? What parent doesn't desire to know their child? What husband would be uninvolved in the life of his spouse? If atheism implies we're orphans, then deism implies we have a dead-beat father. Have you seen our world? Is this some sort of cruel, sick joke?

What is love without justice? Deism attempts to patronize God while keeping Him at a safe, uninvolved distance. There's no consequences, no expectations, no desires on His part... Convenient, yes. But that's not love.

Deism not only denies God as He really is, it denies human nature (our desire to know, to figure out, to love and be loved in return), and robs us of the height of the glory of our existence: to know God, to love Him, and to be loved by Him. Here's a great, lengthy quote for you:

"On one hand, we have hunger. We are driven, we desire, and we want. Beyond the basic needs of sustenance and shelter, this hunger is the undeniably real part of us that makes us human. For some reason, we don't just settle--we want the finer things in life. In the same way that any old antelope would feed a cheetah, soybean burgers and water will fill our stomachs. But steak and lobster would be much better. I've never run across a disgruntled ant that has had enough with foraging and carrying stuff. Any job will pay the bills, but wouldn't that other position be much better?... It has little to do with snobbery, greed, or gluttony, but with the eternal hunger God has put within us. Every once in a while we certainly get a bit off track with how we allow this hunger to materialize in our lives, but that doesn't mean it is either evil or non-existent. It is just misguided and in need of an adjustment."

Or, put it this way: We hunger, so there must be such a thing as food. We thirst, so there must be such a thing as drink. Now, we could drink water, or gasoline. But just because someone dies from drinking gasoline doesn't mean that drinking is wrong or non-existent, it just needs to be fulfilled the right way in order to be life-giving.

We also desire the transcendent. It's a universal human desire. It's unnatural to be an atheist. You have to train yourself, convince yourself. This is probably why deism is appealing as a good middle-ground. It acknowledges God, but leaves you free to not have to involve yourself with Him... but I bet you want to.

See, we still have the strongest desire of all raging in the heart of every person: to love and be loved in return. Our desire for love far outweighs the capacity of any human ever to fully satisfy. Everyone will let you down at some point in your life. The divorce rate screams disillusionment. That person didn't quite fill that gap. They didn't quite love you the way you wanted them to. They didn't understand you, etc.

I think, therefore, that our desire for the transcendent and our desire for love are connected. Only God could love us like that. So, like I said, to say He is distant, denies human nature and robs us of the only true fulfillment of our greatest desires. What sort of cruel god would put in us a universal, insatiable desire that can never be fulfilled? We were made to drink in order to live. I think we were also made to know God in order to truly live.

That's some of my thoughts.

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings."
(Proverbs 25:2)

Answer 7

I think it has the advantage of recognizing that the details of divinity may be beyond our grasp. However, if not combined with some sort of philosophy, it may not offer much practical guidance for day to day life.

Answer 8

It makes too much sense. The one thing I am sure of from my personal experiences with God is if something make sense it is of the world's creation. If something defys logic and reason and exists/happens anyway it is of God.

Answer 9

it makes sense. God created this world and then left us to our own devices to figure it out for ourselves. I like that idea. It shows that the christians are not right 100% and that is why it is attacked by them.

Answer 10

There is one God, He is the Creator of Heaven and earth. He created us. He loves us and died for us. We are to woship nothing or no one but God.