On 8 Mar 2007 06:28:12 -0800, "Dapper Dandy"
aol.com>
wrote:
>Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those
>on this thread who took the time to respond to my various questions
>concerning Deism. Secondly, I am NOT a Christian and I am NOT here to
>"wind anyone yup". Thirdly, it amazes me how many people on Usenet
>Newsgroups are paranoid and automatically assume there is some sort of
>conspiracy and/or hidden agenda. My queries about Deism are strictly
>out of personal interest.
>
>If anyone here would like to answer some further questions for me with
>regard to Deism,
>I would be most grateful indeed...
>
>1} Could you please tell me what position, if any, Deism takes
>concerning the origin, authenticity, and accuracy of holy texts such
>as the Bible (Christianity), Koran (Islam), Bhagavad Gita (Hinduism),
>ect.? Specifically, could you please tell me if Deists believe that
>these holy texts were written by individuals who were inspired to do
>so by God or were these individuals simply mentally ill, delusional,
>and/or liars?.
The answer to the first question is basically "none". Thomas
Jefferson, in fashioning his own gospel (now known widely as the
Jefferson Bible) said of the project: "I have performed this operation
for my own use, by cutting verse by verse out of the printed book, and
arranging the matter which is evidently his, and which is as easily
distinguishable as diamonds in a dunghill."
The diamonds, obviously, are the true and sublime dicta of Jesus --
the dunghill is obviously the rest of the Bible.
Deism in general holds that "scriptures" are not the revelations of
God, and thus should not be of any particular importance. Therefore,
the answer to the second question is "no". I do not think Deists, in
general, believe that the writers of scriptures were necessarily ill
or liars; but they do believe that what was written was not divinely
inspired.
Deism holds that the true revelation from and of the Creator is the
creation itself.
>2} Could you please tell me how Deism typically views Freemasonry?.
Given that many historical figures who were Deists were also Masons, I
can only conclude that it was viewed fairly positively. Keep in mind
that Masonry is only really looked down upon by Roman Catholic
officialdom.
>3} Could you please tell me how Deism typically views capital
>punishment?
As has been said before, there is no Deist "church", so no doctrinal
statements can really be offered. I would think that Deists' opinions
would probably run along the lines of the opinions of society as a
whole.
I'm not an "orthodox" Deist, but don't hold with the death penalty. I
don't think it serves any useful purpose (and even when meted with
reckless abandon, served no really useful purpose other than prison
clearance) -- other Deists might differ.
>4} Could you please tell me how Deism views contemporary human efforts
>at
>environmental protectionism?. As you may be aware, there are many
>Evangelical Christian Fundamentalists who regard any sort of
>environmental protectionism on the part of Christians as being
>tantamount to "a green religion, goddess worship, globalism" which is
>apparently "blasphemy" as it implies that God cannot take care of his
>own creation.
Which is really quite strange indeed, since God commanded humans, via
Adam, to be stewards of the world and its resources.
I think it is sound and reasonable to sensibly marshal one's resources
and to be protective of the environment we have to live in. I think
that, since Deism is a reason based system of spiritual belief, most
Deists would concur with the above efforts.
>5} Could you please tell me if adherents to Deism typically regard
>racism, sexism, homophobia, bigotry, anti-Semitism as unacceptable?.
I would think so. It's not rational to respond with such hate towards
others.
>6} Could you please tell me if any organized Deist groups have issued
>any formal statements condemning the recent "Holocaust denial"
>conference in Iran?. I believe that the Roman Catholic Church has
>issued an a formal statement categorically condemning this particular
>event.
Just because CHristians beleive in divine inspiration and scriptural
revelation doesn't make them stupid or hateful. The Church is quite
right in condemning holocause denial.
>7} Could you please tell me if Deism believes in the existence of an
>evil Deity which would be on par with the Christian/Muslim/Jewish
>concept of the Devil/Satan?.
Deism doesn't seem to go in for supernaturalism of this sort. It
posits exactly one Creator; individual Deists may have believed in
more or less of the common Christian doctrine regarding Satan, devils
and angels.
>8} Could you please tell me how Deism typically views Suicide?.
A sad choice?
>9} Could you please tell me what view Deism take concerning the
>origins of the Universe itself?.
Now we get to the meat of Deism. From what I've been able to gather,
Deism posits that the universe and all its wonderful order and detail
can most sensibly have come about due to the actions of a Creator.
Creation didn't happen in the way the Bible says it does (that smacks
of non-rational mythology); but through methods and means known to the
Creator, the universe came into being.
>10} Could you please tell me if Deists engage in any interfaith
>dialogue with other religions in general such Christianity?.
Probably?
>11} Could you please tell me if Deists believe in the existence of an
>immortal spirit/soul which resides in all human beings, which departs
>the hum body upon death and goes to
>spiritual realms?.
>12} Could you please tell me if Deists believe that deceased human
>being will experience
>any sort of life, consciousness, self-awareness, ect.; at all beyond
>the grave?.
>
>13} Could you please tell me if Deists are found amongst all races,
>ethnicities, cultures, nationalities, spoken languages, ect.?. Please
>forgive my ignorance and generaliztions here, but from what I have
>read about Deism, it would appear at first glance that it is mostly
>White American Males who are of Northern European ethnicity who tend
>to be Deists, such as the Founding Fathers of the USA and other
>historical figures which are mentioned on certain Deists websites
>which I have seen.
There are probably Deists, in the modern world, among all ethnicities.
But I think you're right that in the heyday of the 18th century, it
was mostly English and Americans who were Deists.
Padraic
