What is Deism?

[tumbleweed41]

Would you say the deistic image of God is anything but immanent?

As in God watching over and/or judging humanity?

 

[Willamena]

As in God watching over and/or judging humanity?

A bit more intimate than that. Some images of God, like "Force" above, or "light," liken it to substance or substrate that permeates every bit of creation. Is the Deistic image, which I've heard described as "uninvolved," entirely lacking any such intimacy between God and creation? Or is there something more to it?

 

[tumbleweed41]

A bit more intimate than that. Some images of God, like "Force" above, or "light," liken it to substance or substrate that permeates every bit of creation. Is the Deistic image, which I've heard described as "uninvolved," entirely lacking any such intimacy between God and creation? Or is there something more to it?

Again, not to paint all Deists with the same broad brush, but, typically, the Deist view on God is entirely separate from the Universe. Unable or perhaps unwilling, to interact.

 

[Willamena]

Again, not to paint all Deists with the same broad brush, but, typically, the Deist view on God is entirely separate from the Universe. Unable or perhaps unwilling, to interact.

How does Deism effectively differ from Atheism then?

 

[tumbleweed41]

How does Deism effectively differ from Atheism then?

Faith that the Prime Mover exists.

 

[mac10]

It's a belief in the existence of a god on the evidence of reason and nature only, and rejects supernatural revelation. It holds that god is indifferent towards the world and does not intervene or interact with it.

if deists do not believe in divine intervention and there is no way to prove it,why do you believe that god exists?

 

[tumbleweed41]

if deists do not believe in divine intervention and there is no way to prove it,why do you believe that god exists?

Does a god need to intervene and be "proven" in order to be believed in?

I have yet to see any "god" intervene or be proven.

 

[droque]

What is Deism?

Deism is a Religion based on Reason. Faith based Religions will end in the destruction of mankind as nuclear warfare becomes the tool of fanatical religiouss terrorists.

 

[ThePainefulTruth]

It's a belief in the existence of a god on the evidence of reason and nature only, and rejects supernatural revelation. It holds that god is indifferent towards the world and does not intervene or interact with it.

I agree with the first, but why would God create the universe, and then be indifferent to it? Couldn't an omnipotent God create anything instantly other than self-aware creatures with free will, which took 13 billion years, from our perspective. God's indifference was a quality attributed to deism by Christian apologists, though some deists incorporate it into their thinking....without thinking.

Wikipedia is your friend: Deism

Notice they don't use the terms laissez-faire or non-interventionist. That Wiki entry is the product of a hyphenated-deist.

surely Deism is a supernatural concept though?

Under an agnostic umbrella, yes, as the only other reasonable position on God, atheism, should be.

I believe there to be an immanent power, God or Force in the Universe - this is what causes things to happen and comes from a Deistic Eternal Source.

Our religions have a way of tapping into this Force.

The only thing a deistic God would have caused, is the Big Bang. Any intervention afterwards would make God non-deistic.

It's god with no personality.

God with an unknown personality, yes. Any personality attributed to God in this universe would have to be completely manufactured, using ourselves as the template.

Deism is not a religion or denomination. It is a way of thinking; a philosophical belief. At its core, deism agrees that there is a god (higher power) but that God does not interfere with the universe. He made it, put everything in motion, and has moved on to other things.

Why would any deist assume God has left the building, so-to-speak? Evolving sentient creatures with free will is almost certainly the only reason God would have created the universe. Why else, and then why, inexplicably, move on to other things. Of course theists have many reasons they'd like for us to believe that.

The laws of nature were made by God, which would include the Big Bang theory, evolution and creationism. It does not matter which you prefer to believe in, God started it all. Ironically, that is where it ends with Him. He could care less what happens to His "science project" that we know as the universe. Free will governs everyone's actions.

Why would God "care less"? Why did It create the universe in the first place? Free will. The absent watchmaker model makes no sense. The scientist doesn't contaminate the petri dish, but that doesn't mean he isn't watching and intently interested in what happens.