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The definition of theism

Is that the definition of theism?


  • Total voters
    13
  • Poll closed .

dianaiad

Well-Known Member
'Any belief in the existence of a g-d, a deity.'

Is this the definition
Of theism?

A little too brief. I like the Oxford dictionary version: Belief in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe.

This lets the deists off the hook. I might also leave the Buddhists out, but it DOES allow non-theist beliefs to be 'religions,' or 'churches.'

Which allows the idea of atheism (well, certain forms of it, anyway) to be classed as a religion or a church.

Yes. I like that one. ;)
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
A little too brief. I like the Oxford dictionary version: Belief in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe.

This lets the deists off the hook. I might also leave the Buddhists out, but it DOES allow non-theist beliefs to be 'religions,' or 'churches.'

Which allows the idea of atheism (well, certain forms of it, anyway) to be classed as a religion or a church.

Yes. I like that one. ;)

Sounds better and in the right direction.
 

dfnj

Well-Known Member
God is a word that represents all our greatest qualities and aspirations. We are all drawn to the greatness of God. We feel the most alive when we express the greatness of God. God is not person, object, or being. God is a type of experience. And when we die we all get to experience God's infinite beauty.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
A little too brief. I like the Oxford dictionary version: Belief in the existence of a god or gods, specifically of a creator who intervenes in the universe.

This lets the deists off the hook. I might also leave the Buddhists out, but it DOES allow non-theist beliefs to be 'religions,' or 'churches.'

Which allows the idea of atheism (well, certain forms of it, anyway) to be classed as a religion or a church.

Yes. I like that one. ;)
I disagree with the "specifically..." bit of that definition. Polytheists and other believers in gods that aren't creator-gods are still theists.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
To me, "deity" is a straight synonym for "god." It seems like you're drawing some sort of difference between the terms; what do you use as the dividing line?

Deity implies sentient form. There are those theists whose concept of god is formless and without qualities or attributes.
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
To me, "deity" is a straight synonym for "god." It seems like you're drawing some sort of difference between the terms; what do you use as the dividing line?

Yes, deity would refer to God or Gods plural. The differentiation is Theists believe in an omnipotent deity, Revelation, personal involvement, scripture, and or manifestations of God such as Jesus Christ. Deists believe in a God(s) that Creates, but is not personally involved in Creation.

There are other views of deities in cultures that would not be considered theism. In ancient Chinese cultures there are a pantheon of deities that are very human, and not personally involved in Revelation, and not remotely omnipotent.
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Deity implies sentient form.
It doesn't imply that to me at all.

The common understanding, as far as I can tell, is that a deity is a god and a god is a deity.

English has plenty of cases where we ended up with two words for the same thing, one from a Germanic root and one from a Latin root (by way of French). This is just one of those cases.

In most of these cases, the distinction is about context, not definition. The Latin-derived term is seen as "fancier" speech and the Germanic one is seen as more "common."
 

9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Yes, deity would refer to God or Gods plural. The differentiation is Theists believe in an omnipotent deity, Revelation, personal involvement, scripture, and or manifestations of God such as Jesus Christ. Deists believe in a God(s) that Creates, but is not personally involved in Creation.

There are other views of deities in cultures that would not be considered theism. In ancient Chinese cultures there are a pantheon of deities that are very human, and not personally involved in Revelation, and not remotely omnipotent.
Like I said to @SalixIncendium , I see the two terms as equivalent: a god is a deity and a deity is a god.

But I do think it's interesting that while the two of you agree that the terms have different meanings, you've decided that the line should be drawn in opposite ways. :D
 

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
Like I said to @SalixIncendium , I see the two terms as equivalent: a god is a deity and a deity is a god.

But I do think it's interesting that while the two of you agree that the terms have different meanings, you've decided that the line should be drawn in opposite ways. :D

Actually no real disagreement until clarification, @SalixIncendium, approaches the difference a little differently we actually agree. Yes, some theists believe There are those theists whose concept of god is formless and without qualities or attributes, but nonetheless the central concept of theism is the existence of a omnipotent sentient being (?).

The Baha'i Faith believes in the existence of an existence of a theist omnipotent sentient being, but formless, and not anthropomorphic as the Biblical God is described in scripture. God does have attributes reflected in the nature of our physical Creation. The God from the Baha'i perspective in the apophatic God and undefinable from the human perspective, as many Christians describe God as a Trinitarian God.

What I described is more specific and closer to the generally accepted definitions.
 
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