Comments on: Why Jeffersonian Deism is necessary for American freedom http://www.amorian.org/2009/12/17/why-jeffersonian-deism-is-necessary-for-american-freedom/ Jeffersonian Deism Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:10:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: bane http://www.amorian.org/2009/12/17/why-jeffersonian-deism-is-necessary-for-american-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-1336 bane Sat, 26 Dec 2009 11:14:44 +0000 http://www.amorian.org/?p=2130#comment-1336 Great article, and well-timed for this time of year. I am a Deist, mostly as original as they come -- but I still embrace Christmas as best I can because those around me who I love and care about are mostly Christian... and celebrating this holiday with them is good for our souls and our relationships. At my in-laws I even participate in "The Gift for Jesus" -- where each of us dedicate to accomplishing some goal for the year that we dedicate to Jesus (in my heart, I just dedicate it to Providence -- but I play along with the group). And, this year, I played the part of Joseph in the traditional Christian nativity play that our neighbors do every year. One can have religious views -- even views often-times starkly different from others' around them -- without turning into a fire-breathing contentious jerk. One can have religious views radically different from the majority's without feeling the part of the victim or feeling the prevailing school of thought is always trying to drown you out. I believe that our Founders' Deism was much like that. Many of them are on record attending Christian services or making Christian-oriented statements; and yet, in their private lives there is little doubt that several were strong Deists. You can be a Deist and still play a part of the society around you without being contentious -- as long as that society embraces the concept of religious diversity and religious tolerance. Sadly, I agree with you, far too many atheists are far too contentious. I do, however, cringe a bit when I read (from others as well as you) the fairly common assertion that "Without God, there can be no virtue." For an entire society of people, I do believe that the tendency of a godless-people is towards a decline in virtue; but, on an individual-level, I believe it's entirely possible for an atheist to be every bit as virtuous as the believer. Just my $0.02; but history seems full of atheists and agnosts who seemed plenty virtuous to me. Nevertheless, to seek to create a society who purposely denies or ignores Providence does not seem a wise course to me; for the lazy and apathetic individuals among us, some God is indeed better than no God. Great article, and well-timed for this time of year.

I am a Deist, mostly as original as they come — but I still embrace Christmas as best I can because those around me who I love and care about are mostly Christian… and celebrating this holiday with them is good for our souls and our relationships.

At my in-laws I even participate in "The Gift for Jesus" — where each of us dedicate to accomplishing some goal for the year that we dedicate to Jesus (in my heart, I just dedicate it to Providence — but I play along with the group). And, this year, I played the part of Joseph in the traditional Christian nativity play that our neighbors do every year.

One can have religious views — even views often-times starkly different from others' around them — without turning into a fire-breathing contentious jerk. One can have religious views radically different from the majority's without feeling the part of the victim or feeling the prevailing school of thought is always trying to drown you out.

I believe that our Founders' Deism was much like that. Many of them are on record attending Christian services or making Christian-oriented statements; and yet, in their private lives there is little doubt that several were strong Deists.

You can be a Deist and still play a part of the society around you without being contentious — as long as that society embraces the concept of religious diversity and religious tolerance.

Sadly, I agree with you, far too many atheists are far too contentious.

I do, however, cringe a bit when I read (from others as well as you) the fairly common assertion that "Without God, there can be no virtue." For an entire society of people, I do believe that the tendency of a godless-people is towards a decline in virtue; but, on an individual-level, I believe it's entirely possible for an atheist to be every bit as virtuous as the believer. Just my $0.02; but history seems full of atheists and agnosts who seemed plenty virtuous to me.

Nevertheless, to seek to create a society who purposely denies or ignores Providence does not seem a wise course to me; for the lazy and apathetic individuals among us, some God is indeed better than no God.

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