What is a deist ?

Question

I have heard of all kinds of different religions but I have never heard of a deist. What exactly is that and what makes it any different than the other religions? I am not a theologian but it seems to me that all of the major relilgions have the same basic tenants: trust and worship god, dont kill, dont steal, dont tell lies... Basicaly treat others like you want to be treated. I would welcome an explanation of each that is represented by the members of this on line community. I claim no religion, I do believe in a power greater than myself and have a personal relationship with that power. I'm not looking to be converted am just trying to understand.

Answer 1

A dentist who cannot spell

Answer 2

Deism is a religious philosophy that grew out of the 18th Century and is rooted in Enlightenment perspectives.

The core tenet is the "clockmaker thesis"--that God or the Deity is a kind of universal clockmaker who has designed and wound up the world, but that since that creation moment the world has run like a clock, without divine intervention.

Deism believes in a God, but not in the need to worship that God. Ceremonies, religious observances, etc., are viewed as unnecessary, even provincial. The ethical system is based on humanistic values, and the cosmology is based on the scientific, empirical worldview.

While many Christian evangelicals will announce today that the USA was founded as a Christian state, in fact Deism was the predominant religion of many of the Founding Fathers, including Jefferson, Franklin, and Washington.

Answer 3

Deists believe in the laws of nature and impassivity of God. They think God created the universe and let it run without any intervention. Kind of like building a TV, turning it on, and walking away forever. The laws of nature are also a big deal in Deism.

Answer 4

I think Abraham Lincoln was a Deist. People believe in a God-spirit, in a universal spirit, they are reverential and respectful, but they do not believe that attending churches (any churches) furthers the goal of worshiping the universal God spirit.

Answer 5

Definitionally it is one who believes in a deity. Thusly christians are all deists. So are most religions. It implies that there is a "personallity" of sort to the deity(though who could really comprehend it...).

Agnostics, by contrast, believe in a creator OR a creating force and often place no determination on this factor. Thusly no personallity is ascribed.

Answer 6

The adherent of a movement or system of thought advocating natural religion, emphasizing morality, and in the 18th century denying the interference of the Creator with the laws of the universe

Answer 7

A deist is a person that believe there is a supreme being but doesn't necessarily believe in the deity of a specific religion.

Answer 8

Main Entery: deist
Pronunciation: 'dE-"izm, 'dA-
Function: noun
Usage: often capitalized
: a movement or system of thought advocating natural religion, emphasizing morality, and in the 18th century denying the interference of the Creator with the laws of the universe.

Answer 9

A deist is someone who believes god exists and created the univerise and set it in motion, but he does not interact with it at all now.

The classic explaniation is the watch maker. He created the watch(universe) and wound it up and walked away. Don't ask for his help because he is gone.

Answer 10

A deist is a person who believes in God because of reason and logic, rather than revelation.

Answer 11

A deist believes that God is in everything and is a part of everything.