Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Deism. What it is, and what it is not. [View all]
The term was used recently here, and the claim was that deism is merely a placeholder for atheism. So what is deism?
Deism is the belief in a supreme being, who remains unknowable and untouchable. God is viewed as merely the first cause and underlying principle of rationality in the universe. Deists believe in a god of nature -- a noninterventionist creator -- who permits the universe to run itself according to natural laws. Like a clockmaker god initiating the cosmic process, the universe moves forward, without needing Gods supervision.
https://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/deism.htm
Note that I bolded a few terms that refer to a god and a creator, both terms that are familiar.
I could have cited more definitions, but the others that I read are consistent with this one. So given that a deist by definition accepts the existence of a creator deity, I cannot understand how anyone could imagine that deists were or are anything but another type of theist.
Thoughts?
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
236 replies, 43239 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (7)
ReplyReply to this post
236 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
'The term is used chiefly of an intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries
elleng
May 2018
#1
Actually the term "atheist" was used by Greeks and Romans to refer to early Christians.
malchickiwick
May 2018
#52
The term was also used differently in the 17th and 18th centuries by freethinkers
Major Nikon
May 2018
#53
I agree with the American Friends that each person has a fragment of the divine.
guillaumeb
May 2018
#66
Sorry I didn't mention it before, but thanks for utterly disproving your argument
Major Nikon
May 2018
#124
I'm sure at this point he would love nothing more than to see this thread fall off the first page.
trotsky
May 2018
#228
Funny how you pretend to want to engage in dialog after injecting yet more strawman into it
Major Nikon
May 2018
#150
That's why I'm an atheist, it's much less complicated than the religious contortions.
procon
May 2018
#60
Funny how you always say that when you've been busted contradicting yourself
Major Nikon
May 2018
#126
Now, here we have the crux of the matter. Both recognize a supreme being but
PatrickforO
May 2018
#105
So in your view, what does a deist believe that's different from your belief?
Major Nikon
May 2018
#180
According to the definitions provided here, the deist believes there is a God,
PatrickforO
May 2018
#199
You yourself bolded "a noninterventionist creator". Are you saying that's an oxymoron
muriel_volestrangler
May 2018
#200
So pointing out that your source contradicts your thesis is a violation of your rules?
Voltaire2
May 2018
#222
So you go to a conservative christian site for absolute definition on religious matters
Lordquinton
May 2018
#97