I’m a Deist!

March 1st, 2007 | by jg3 |

I hadn’t realized it before because I hadn’t realized that such an organization of thought existed, but now that I know that there’s a name for it I’m comfortable (so far) calling myself a “Deist”. Here’s the quick summary:

Deist Principles:

  • You shall honor and worship the Creator in a fashion that suits you
  • You shall treat others with dignity and respect and you shall insist that others respect your dignity as well
  • You shall live life pragmatically and use Reason as the cornerstone for all you think, say and do
  • You shall be honest and not lie, cheat or steal
  • You shall not harm another unless it is in defense of yourself or loved ones
  • You shall treat others as you want to be treated
  • You shall take responsibility for your actions
  • You shall have faith in yourself
  • You shall honor and be faithful to your Father, your Mother and your Loved ones
  • You shall learn from the mistakes that you will make
  • You shall find awe, inspiration and beauty in the creation and the natural order of the universe
  • You shall search for truth and be willing to accept new ideas based on reason as you are exposed to them

Pretty simple. Perhaps not so simple to live always, but it is a lot easier to live according to a doctrine (can I call it that?) that you really believe than one that you really believe just exists to scare the Hell out of you.

I find it interesting that two of my historical heroes, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson were either self-proclaimed Deists or lived and published thoughts on living that are wholly compatible with these principles.


I would also point out that the first principle acknowledges a “Creator”. While every religion (that I know of) has some myth describing the creation, the specifics of how this all came to be has never really been a tough question for me. In short, I don’t care. Perhaps the very fact that there are so many different answers to the question is why I don’t care to delve into it further. To align with one is to align with an entire system of thought and reason for existence that does not sit well with me. This Deism, however, succinctly says what I’ve been thinking forever. I do, however, carry the question of why this existence exists and what I should do while I’m here.

The fact that there is no really significant organization behind this “Deist” label is also appealing to me. I’m frankly unable to participate in any organized religion because I get too distracted by the organization to really dive into the religion. That is, I might sit in the audience while spiritual things are being talked about and wonder about the rent and the gas in the minister’s car and wonder about who pays for it and why. I mean, have you ever noticed how many preachers drive Cadillacs?

And I feel like I must say explicitly that I’m all for someone coming to grips with creation, existence, and whatever happens next via whatever non-radical system they are most comfortable with. I once read a quote by Abraham Lincoln that was something to the effect of “Christians may or may not be right, but they make good citizens.” So if you find your best comfort and understanding within the Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim, or Atheist mindset good for you. As for myself, am a Deist. I am one person, one soul, having one experience of the world and the people in it. Enjoy.

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