This article is about Deism as a way of life as expressed by the title of this article. I suddenly upon rising this morning realised how much JOY Deism had brought to my life. Maybe it seeped in without me knowing it. Maybe it sort of crept in through my various conversations with people about Deism and how I interpret it. But there it was, the elephant in the room that everyone else could see but not me. Everyone had been commenting to me over the past few weeks how happy and contented I seemed. And I thought about it and realised that the source of my peace and joy was Deism.
As people who have read my previous articles know I originally came to Deism because I was a survivor, (I do not say "victim" now), of the 7/7 bombings in London which killed my husband and crippled me for life and I needed to make sense of what had happened to me. After investigating most of the world's religions nothing made any sense to me. But then I came across Deism and everything fell into place.
I will never walk again, (I can hobble a bit), but through Science and Nature and modern medicine I am now out of pain - most of the time anyhow. And because of Deism I can appreciate this and still satisfy my intelligent belief that there is a God. No, not belief only, rational knowing also. And know that the loving God who created me also made me so wonderful that there are still many things I can do and enjoy.
I still have the gift of eyesight and hearing and can enjoy this beautiful world. And Deism has also brought me the possibility that this may be the only life I have so I am committed to enjoying every minute of it and trying to live up to my fullest potential.
Deism has given me the courage to get rid of things and people in my life who hold me back. Of course, done in a rational and gentle manner. Deism had given me the strength to concentrate on what I can do and not grieve over that which I cannot do. After all, in the course of time we will all get older and lose some of our faculties. It has just come earlier to me. This is a rational and logical approach to my problems which has been facilitated through knowing Deism.
My wonderful Creator has endowed me with the capacity to bring solutions to most of my problems through rational thinking and if I cannot solve them then I can go to other intelligent people who He also created who can help me.
With Deism I am not lost in the fog of superstition or at the mercy of antiquarian books written in a more vicious age than ours. Or in some where I am, as a woman, only worth half the value of a man.
With Deism I can live in the age of Science and still have the comfort of trusting in something greater than human beings with all their fallibility - my Creator.
It is said that Deists only have one prayer and that is one of Gratitude. Since I do not like that word because of past psychological experiences I will us the word Appreciation. I do truly Appreciate my Creator and the contemplation of Him and this wonderful world fills me with Joy.
Being able to live a full life with no contradiction with my interest in Science and my Joyful Appreciation of God fills me with pleasure and happiness. Every time I watch a Science program I feel as if I am getting to know God more. It is a harmonious and wonderful experience.
I treat every day a treasure. Something that was given to me to enjoy and love.
Of course I have my ups and downs but to realise that I have access to a philosophy and way of life in Deism in which Reason and Science and God can all come together is an incredible gift to me. In short it makes me get up in the mornings, gives me a reason for living and when the chips are down, keeps me sane. With Deism everything can, after a bit of thought, make sense. That gives me a great sense of Peace.
I don't pray but I do talk to God through my intellect trying to work out how He would see things and this makes sense to me and brings me answers. I use the Reason He endowed me with to arrive at intelligent decisions which has always served me well.
I live in a town in the UK which is meant to be a centre of "Spirituality" and "Healing" but when I see the mess that "faith" a.k.a superstition gets people into I am so glad I have the solid foundation of Deism and my own God given intelligence to fall back on. In Deism I am not only allowed to think for myself - I am encouraged to think for myself.
It calms me to know that because of the lack of dogmatism in Deism it could never be used for political purposes like so many faith based religions. That is not to say that individual Deists do not hold political beliefs of course, but Deism as a philosophy could never be used to justify, for example, oppressive political purposes based on the writings of an ancient book.
Unlike religions based on antiquarian books the "Truth" of Deism is more like the "Truth "of Science than the "Truth" of "revealed" religions. The "Truth" of "revealed" religions looks backwards and is set in stone. (Literally in some cases!) But the "Truth" of Science and Deism is progressive and looks forward. The "Truth" of Science and Deism says this is the truth as we know it up to now based on the facts presented to us. When we are presented with different or newer facts we will revise, with intelligence, what we consider to be the truth and this will continue indefinitely. With Science and Deism the truth is continually being investigated and being explored. To me this makes life interesting and exciting. Deism is not a dry dusty abstract and dull "Truth" bound up by petty rules. It takes its cue from life itself in all its wonderful and, at times, weird diversity of being which is constantly evolving and changing as is Deism itself. However we still have the underpinnings of security in Deism. We are not alone in this Universe. Life is not an accident and we are not an accident. We were created by a Loving and Benevolent Creator. We were produced with Love and with the capacity to love. We have been given the gifts of Reason and Life itself. Let us live and make use of both to the full through Deism and in service to God.
And I know I can only do this because of the existence of Deism.com without which I would not have the wonderful life I now enjoy. So at this point I would like to say a personal thank you to all the people who contribute to Deism.com through writing and financial contributions etc. I think I really can say that you have literally saved my life. And also a big thank you to Bob Johnson for founding the World Union of Deists and Deism.com and who, although he may not now it, I now regard as a dear friend and mentor.
Many Happy Deist days to come!