Believe in God but don't follow religion? You're probably a Deist - Deism Explained

When speaking about religion, attention is often brought to the five major world religions: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. These traditions dominate public religious life and for that reason, they grab a lot of attention in the world. During the early 17th century, which is commonly known as the Age of Enlightenment, a philosophical movement developed where intellectuals, philosophers and theologians saw moral and social problems with organised religions. Biblical stories were in contradiction with new scientific discoveries and as a result, these thinkers began to use ‘reason’ to attempt to understand knowledge of the divine and absolute truth. It can be understood as the ‘religion of nature’, meaning that one could understand God through reason, rationality and an objective inquiry into natural phenomena. This movement was called Deism and in this video, we will be looking to understand this philosophy, including its historical origins, its rationality and also its criticisms in the 21st century. I hope you enjoy this video and without further adieu, You’re watching All Things Humanities.

Sources:

Piland, Tiffany (2011). "The Influence and Legacy of Deism in Eighteenth Century America". Master of Liberal Studies Theses.

Natural Religion and the Nature of Religion.The Legacy of Deism, Peter Byrne 2013.

Basil Willey, The Seventeenth Century Background: Studies in the Thought of the Age in Relation to Poetry and Religion, 1934, p.59ff.

Sarfati, Yusuf (15 April 2019). "State Monopolization of Religion and Declining Piety in Turkey". Berkley Forum. Washington, D.C.: Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs (Georgetown University). Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2022.

Hume, David (1779). The Natural History of Religion. “The primary religion of mankind arises chiefly from an anxious fear of future events; and what ideas will naturally be entertained of invisible, unknown powers, while men lie under dismal apprehensions of any kind, may easily be conceived. Every image of vengeance, severity, cruelty, and malice must occur, and must augment the ghastliness and horror which oppresses the amazed religionist. .. And no idea of perverse wickedness can be framed, which those terrified devotees do not readily, without scruple, apply to their deity.” (Section XIII)

[flowersinawasteland]

The Creator is so beyond our own understanding as humans that it seems silly to dictate what it wants or doesn’t want from us.

[idolminos]

I dont even want to call myself a deist. I have no label. Just a human being who believes in a Creator

[redpanda]

I lost my religion, but I kept my faith. That's what I always say whenever someone asks my religion.

[martinrutley-wkds]

Don't let religion stop you believing in God.

[rickc-___]

When you raise questions with the wrong people they call you all kinds of nasty names.

[XenonSlams]

Believe in God but not religion
Best decision for me

[lionelsanders]

I became a deist years ago! I now feel so much better about myself because i have learn to take responsibility for my actions in life. Im not concerned about anyone else becoming a deist because life is a individual path we walk alone. Save yourself from yourself! But most importantly save other people fom yourself!!!!

Accept your human nature as being absolutely what you are!! Its not something you can pray away and keep asking GOD a MILLION times to forgive you! Use your reason and common sense in life!! After all God created us to have this individual understanding when he gave us a conscience!

[enquirer]

Seneca the younger said: “Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful” and I say no one knows the answer to “who what when where why or how mankind came about” but one thing for sure is that we are here so make the best out of it and show humility ✌🏿

[Kittiesdawn]

No…I don’t label myself…I just love God and that is enough.

[oracle]

I didn't know about Deism before this but I strongly can align myself to this more than any other religion.

[paulbaysa]

God has no religion "truth is higher than any religion" sectarianism & religion breeds discrimination tribalism hatreds see for yourselves i am speaking from experience & observation.

[Angry_American_Scottsman]

Embarking on a journey from Christianity to deism was a profound shift for me. Recognizing a creator while embracing the uncertainty of life's mysteries without the constraints of organized religion has been liberating. It's an acknowledgment that some questions might remain unanswered, and that's okay — a departure from the need for absolute certainty that religion often demands.

[BV]

Just do what makes you happy don't cause harm to anyone and help everyone you can

[mieliav]

never trust anyone who tells you what god wants.

[dennisahlarson]

I am a Deist. Now I have a name for my faith.😊

[xplosiv]

I'm so glad to finally have a word for my beliefs. This explained everything I believe

[andrewortiz]

I couldn't find God thru religion and I used to be very religious and did the whole street preaching thing and evangelizing but I still felt empty inside and dry so I looked for God in the wrong thing's such as alcohol and drugs and I became lost. I also looked into other religions such as Islam and read The Quran (a linguistic wonder beautiful book) but I still felt empty. It wasn't until I came to the end of myself and the end of my seeking and Surrendered to The Higher Will, only then did I find God and had a direct Mystical Experience of God. It was so powerful that my Life instantly changed!! God is beyond all human reasoning and greater than all understanding. The theologians know nothing! Instead of the Term God I use in place The Word 'Life' or I AM That I AM, or The Higher Will. Everything is God and all physically Reality and every atom and particle exists in God. We are all One!! I don't like the words Deist or Pantheist because these are just human terms and label's and man likes to label things and put things in groups.

[palpaladin]

You don't "follow" religion, you are "guided" by it to be educated about spirituality. - YOU have to find God, no one can just give that to you..

[toowingless]

finally found a name for this instead of just telling people "yeah so i believe in a greater being, a god, but I don't believe he impacts the world we live in, but maybe can somewhat have an impact on our hearts, like a spiritual awakening and that I view the bible as metaphor and a book of guidance rather than a book of factual history"

[davidlewis]

the quest for putting people and even God into a box never ceases to amaze me...