Religion
In reply to the discussion: Deism. What it is, and what it is not. [View all]PatrickforO
(14,570 posts)but that God does not intervene.
The theist believes that God does intervene. My own belief is that the transcendent God, the I-AM, created all things, either itself, or through various agents.
God also set forth spiritual and physical laws, and there are definite consequences in this life and subsequent ones for both obedience and disobedience to the laws. Thus, the laws themselves are a form of intervention, albeit passive.
Then, of course, we have the agents of God - and we ourselves are included in this group. These agents are co-creators, again operating according to the spiritual and physical laws.
As to this plane of existence, the analogy I use is that it is like a buoy in a boat race. We must round it before we can turn for home, which is oneness with the Divine. By this, of course, I mean master life on this plane without allowing the two great illusions - wealth and power - to seduce us away from the true will of the Divine for us.
I also believe salvation is collective, and that the will of the Divine for us is that we love and help one another. The positive fruits of any powers or wisdom we happen to gain in life must be shared, then, or perhaps 'bestowed' upon others as a gift so that all can advance along the path.
Many times this is just a smile or an encouraging word - acknowledging someone's humanity in a dehumanizing world, or perhaps lending a helping hand. No sermons necessary.