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Short Introduction to Deism:[]

Antti_Martikainen_-_Faraway_Uplifting,_Fantasy_Music — Antti Martikainen - Faraway Uplifting, Fantasy Music

Deism is the natural religion of belief in a Creator that is responsible for the universe. Deism appears in many forms throughout history and has entered a vogue in modern times.

If you feel out of place in more traditional religions but can't really describe yourself as an atheist or agnostic, then you're probably a Deist already. People who believe in God but feel aloof from 'official' religious authorities have, historically, made up the bulk of the Deist community.

What Type Of Deist Am I?:[]

There are several different sub-divisions within Deism, each of them with its own different take on the basic Deist principles. Deism doesn't have an 'official' priesthood, magisterium, holy scripture, prophets, or anything of the sort. It's not possible to be a 'heretical' Deist since all Deists are simply people who have come to their own conclusion about there being a Supreme-Being naturally.

Because of this, Deism doesn't suffer from the backbiting that more established religions often exhibit. Deists from different schools might disagree, but they don't disassociate from each other theologically.

What Do I Have To Do To Be A Deist?:[]

In terms of practice, nothing.

Deism is a religion of the mind. There is no need to attend church meetings, read certain holy books, or advocate for very specific social causes. As long as you genuinely believe in a Cosmic-Creator, than you are already a full Deist.

So I'm A Deist, Now What?:[]

Okay, so you're a Deist. Now what?

If you want to put your beliefs into practice, there are a variety of ways to 'practice' Deism. Below are some of the more common examples of Deism in action or places where Deists can congregate together.

Activist Groups:[]

From Habitat for Humanity to your local women's shelter, Deism's implication of a sovereign Creator entails ethics and implies there is justice in the world. Justice demands a stance against injustice and Deism is perfectly suitable as a foundation for taking part in an activist group.

Blogosphere:[]

Deism already has a strong presence in the Blogosphere, but the nature of the Blogosphere is that the more, the merrier. Deist blogs don't have to be top-notch sites with professional photography, editing and web design (although none of these things hurt). But even if you're just writing the occasional op-ed while in your morning slippers at the breakfast table, it all helps to add to the online presence of Deism. And the great thing is that blogs are opinion pieces, they don't require a P.hd in journalism to put an article together.

Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts:[]

The Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts organization is a place where people of different beliefs can come together to do constructive projects and train in various skills. Boy/Girl Scouts tradition involves a belief in a Higher Power but is not specific in terms of religion. If you're young, you can join as a bear cub, or if you're older than you can sponsor as a den master.

Deist Articles:[]

Sign up for Ezine Articles or just send in the occasional post to Deism.Com or some other online Freethinker news site. You don't have to really commit to this, but it does help. This will especially be the case if you want to work up a real following.

Freethinker Sites:[]

If you have the spare time (or you're just a creep who likes to lurk on the web) there are plenty of sites dedicated to freethinking and inquiry. From Parabreakdown to Rational Wiki, there are plenty of places online to express your Deist inspired philosophy.

Freemasonry:[]

Freemasonry is a terrific organization for Deists. Not only is Freemasonry open to Deists, the entire legacy of the Freemason tradition is Deistic in practice. Freemasonry membership relies on belief in a Supreme Being or Higher Power, but religion is not argued within the group and members are expected to be open to other beliefs. For more information on joining the Freemasons, see Here.

Media:[]

Youtube has a decent Deist presence on it, but there's always room for more. You can create your own channel, or you can just be a regular viewer and commenter to established channels that deal with Deism.

Philosophy / Debate Clubs:[]

Deism counts as a philosophy (well, meta-philosophy) and so a Deist can find all sorts of chances to discuss their beliefs within a philosophy or debate club. Debating has become something of a lost art in modern times, but if you brush up on your logic and debate often, don't be surprised when people around you notice how clear-headed you really are. Facebook.Com and Debate.Org are great places to get a start.

Politics:[]

In case no one told you, the first Deists in America were somewhat 'politically active'... And there's no reason modern Deists can't be as well. Even a simple search online will yield scores of political sites and groups to work with, so finding like-minded people shouldn't be too hard.

Science:[]

The Xtrian Fundamentalists hijacked the intelligent-design position and turned it into a creepy sort of science-denial movement. Deists have been helping to take it back, ala Antony Flew and Francis Collins (Collins is technically an old order Protestant, but he behaves like a Deist). Online science boards or science philosophy groups are places where you can find Deists.

Skeptic's Organizations:[]

Places like 'Atheist churches' and Inquiry groups are open to different types of alternative beliefs. Deists can often find a home working within such groups.

Watchdog Groups:[]

Journal for Skeptical Inquiry, Theocrat Watch, or any number of groups keeping a close eye on creeping Shariah law - Deists are exactly the kind of people to work with such groups. Deists often have the same foundation as members of revealed religion (ie, belief in a higher power) so they can be sympathetic, but they don't have the need to be loyal to an external authority source (allowing them to be more open-minded and level-headed).