Forums » Comparative Religions

• Minister Don Rothschild

  

  • 11 posts
   

  June 10, 2025 12:02 PM PDT

  A number of people have asked me how did I become a Deist and what exactly is Deism. What motivated me to seek out something that was vastly different than what I was taught to believe. I decided to start this thread to explain, in my own way, what put me on this path and help others who are starting to rethink what we were taught. This is not to convert people. It is to answer some basic questions that I have received. If it helps you to find a path or you’re just curious I hope I can answer your questions.
  
  I’ll be posting more throughout this thread to give you insight in what it means to be a Deist and how it helped me progress on life’s journey.
  This post was edited by Minister Don Rothschild at June 10, 2025 12:17 PM PDT

  
• Minister Don Rothschild

  

  • 11 posts
   

  June 10, 2025 12:03 PM PDT

  A little about myself. I was raised Roman Catholic with my mother, who was Catholic and my father who was protestant. Back then the non-Catholic spouse had to promise to the Roman Catholic Church that any children born from the wedding would be raised in the Roman Catholic faith. I was baptized in the Roman Catholic faith, had a confirmation in the Roman Catholic faith, and even my first marriage was done in a Roman Catholic Church.
  
  Over the years I had become disillusioned with the rhetoric and outright lies that the Roman Catholic Church was preaching. The abuse that became evident over the years and the moving around of priests to different parishes to hide the pedifile priests was just too much to bear. I started to look at other belief systems.
  
  I looked at different denominations of Christianity, Judaism, eastern systems and even paganism. My search proved fruitless as they all had texts and so-called holy books for a place to fit. But they all had one thing in common, MAN. They were written by man in order to control the people. Revealed religions all taught of a fear of God. “Do what we tell you or you will be damned forever. God needs to be worshiped”. For a God that was supposed to be all caring, all loving and benevolent he/she was very vengeful. Something was just wrong. My belief was that a God that you had to fear just didn’t seem right.
  
  I believe that a Supreme Being/Creator could not possibly be such a being. Throughout my readings one thing stood out. My belief was not unique. There were others like me; belief in a higher being who created everything and then let nature run its course. I found DEISM. The belief that a Creator God set everything in motion and just let it happen. That’s where I am today.
  
• Minister Don Rothschild

  

  • 11 posts
   

  June 13, 2025 5:26 PM PDT

  A Quick Definition of Deism.
  
  This is a definition of Deism.
  
  Deism is a philosophical and religious perspective that emphasizes belief in a supreme being or creator of the universe based on reason and natural observation, rather than on revealed religious texts or organized religious doctrines. Deists hold that the Creator/God, often referred to as the "Divine Watchmaker," created the universe and established natural laws that govern the world, but does not intervene in human affairs or communicate directly with humanity through prophets, scriptures, or miracles.
  
  Key tenets of Deism include:
  
  1. "Belief in a Supreme Being": Deists believe in the existence of a transcendent, all-powerful Creator/God who created the universe and established the laws of nature. This belief is based on rational reflection on the order and complexity of the natural world.
  
  2. "Natural Religion": Deism emphasizes the idea of "natural religion," which holds that knowledge of the Creator/God and moral truths can be derived from observation of the natural world and the exercise of reason, rather than through divine revelation or religious authority.
  
  3. "Rejecting Supernaturalism": Deists reject supernatural elements such as miracles, prophecies, and divine interventions in human affairs, viewing them as inconsistent with the rational and orderly nature of the universe.
  
  4. "Emphasis on Ethics and Morality": Deism often places a strong emphasis on ethical principles, moral values, and the importance of living a virtuous and responsible life based on reason, conscience, and compassion.
  
  Historically, Deism emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries as a response to the religious and political turmoil of the time, drawing on ideas from Enlightenment philosophy, scientific discoveries, and skepticism towards traditional religious dogmas. Prominent Deist thinkers include figures such as Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Voltaire, who advocated for a rational and naturalistic understanding of the Creator and the universe.
  
  While Deism is not a formally organized religion with specific creeds or rituals (such as the three large Abrahamic religions), it represents a broad philosophical stance that seeks to reconcile faith with reason, spirituality with science, and individual conscience with a belief in a higher power that transcends human understanding.