I Am Not A Deist

I've read a book that has brought a subject I like, mainly, how and why people think the way they do, into a clearer view.  Of course, reading this thought provoking book caused me to ping thoughts into the vast realm of questions, answers and corrections and catechize to this solitary blog, for whom I write for myself, my family, my friends and any web travelers that somehow find themselves here.

Synopsis of Nature's God

So, I'll get to it. The book is called, Nature's God, The Heretical Origins of the American Republic, by Matthew Stewart.  Mr. Stewart pens a well written account of the revolutionary ideas that birthed our government. He begins with the reason for his inspiration, finding a copy of Ethan Allen's, Oracle of Reason, 1784, a lesser known, possibly plagiarized work of one of our Founding Revolutionaries.

Mr. Stewart gives a crash course in the stem tree branches of the philosophers our Founders gleaned their ideas from and no doubt framed their life around which lead to a formed government. The Modern Age is experiencing the repercussions and ever-evolving outcomes of the brainchild they set about in the Eighteenth Century.

He makes the point that five, free-thinking, in your face and ready for change, young men lit the revolutionary fires which layed the foundation for the more refined, palatable Founding Fathers to define and execute into the public realm.  It takes agitators to implement change otherwise status quo will reign.

These five men were Dr. Thomas Young, Ethan Allen, Thomas Paine, Timothy Matlack and James Cannon. A sixth would have been added except he separated ways with the above radicals later in life due to a change in heart regarding the principles they stood for, his name was Benjamin Rush.

Let me stop here, do you remember these names from your History classes? I could only remember two, Ethan Allen and Thomas Paine. What I was taught about them was a flash paragraph or two in a story formatted way, written in a manner of fictitious heroes. Most do not know Dr. Young was the organizer for one of the most famous events in American History, the Boston Tea Party (Samuel Adams is the one we know who lead the men to accomplish it). Why weren't these men given more of the stage? I do believe because they were the purest form of the Enlightened belief system they carried close to their hearts. These were the radicals living out their very ideas in the open. Ideas that when introduced to the mainstream, wore rough.  Ideas that needed the direction of brilliant artisans of wordplay in order to be kept alive. Enter, the eloquent, refined, educated Founding Fathers, to serve up these ideals in a palatable, rhetorical method. 

There is a propaganda machine the writers of history love to use. It involves mixed truths, revisionism, hyperbole. This master machine sways political, religious and moral thought. Debates abound over the facts of history. The debate over the Founding Fathers faith is a big one. Were they Christians, were they Deists, were they Atheists? The only way to know is by first source or contemporary source information. 

Why does it matter as to what they believed? It matters because a mis-informed mind or dumbed-down community can be controlled right into slavery. (Spiritual and physical slavery.) 

Mr. Stewart goes into great detail as to what these five paradigm changing radicals believed and what the Founding Fathers created and launched into the world. He begins with who influenced their minds and backs it up with context, first hand and contemporary quotes. It begins with master thought play artisans, most commonly labeled as philosophers.  These people are theoreticians who study human behavior, the origins of the universe and frame it with knowledge under a scope of experiences; they attempt to define life. They explain the How and Why. 

Edward Herbert, 1st Baron of Cherbury: Deist
Portrait by : Isaac Oliver (1560- 1617)

Philosophy: The Ideas Behind the American Revolution

The Enlightened crowd of the Eighteenth Century borrowed from the following thinkers in some way or another:

Philosopher                                                                             Highlight

1. Epicurus - 342 B.C.                                                            Atomist/Determinist- Swerve Theory

2. Machiavelli - 1469                                                              The Prince- Founder of Political Science

3. Thomas Hobbes - 1588                                                       Political Philosophy

4. Baruch Spinoza - 1632                                                        Father of Enlightened Science

5. John Locke - 1632                                                               Father of Liberalism

5. Anthony Ashley Cooper - Earl of Shaftesbury  - 1671       Moralist

6. Henry St. John Bolingbroke -  1678                                    Deism

7. David Hume  - 1711                                                            Skepticism/Naturalism

The main idea and philosophy derived from these men and believed by Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin  and the radical five in a very small nutshell consists of:

1. God is reduced to Nature and 'God' is functionally interchangeable with 'Nature'.  

2. The world can be defined through scientific means

3. Reason defines truth

Humanism/Reason/Science: Deist Trinity

The above tenets describe a faith in oneself or fellow man, a support of Humanism. Religion outside of theirs is just a moral pendulum good for keeping a sound society. God and religion are just useful tools to keep the strings of society healthy just as a good story told to a toddler at bedtime placates them to sleep easier than just telling them to go to bed. Some of them upheld the Christian religion as a wonderful moral maxim for living but they admit to rejecting the 'revealed' aspects of God's word. The common thread throughout these men of influence is their progressive decent from the God of the Bible.

In reality, Deism is Atheism just trying to be nice so it can get along with others. It is a form of manipulation to the benefit of the self. It is a liberation from God through free will, therefore, the individual man becomes a god unto himself.  Deism is the precursor to Modern Liberalism. Deism just throws God a bone in giving credit to the creation of the universe, but it ends there and pretty much slaps Him in the face by essentially saying, 'stay out of everything else, I know more than you through my empirical senses, although I still can't explain how I'm made and truly work through those senses (Science). Oh, I have a lot of good facts that describe the physical make up of man even though I have an incomplete picture, there is brilliance in it even, yet YOU weren't involved in any way. '

A Few Random Thoughts 

If I could draw Deism, I'd draw a box with man inside where the limitation that are already set upon him only grow smaller because a deist can't deal with the miraculous wonder of a God that participates in His Creation.  Where as following the God of the Bible puts God inside and outside the box, the box has doors and windows that are opened only when a reality is understood that beyond the self is an omnipotent God that guides us as we live in that box.  

The title of this blog is a statement. Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to a friend, William Scot stating, "I too am an Epicurean," and proceeded to talk about how his doctrines where misrepresented. There is an irony in this letter as the Founding Fathers misrepresented the doctrines of God by reducing him to Nature and throwing out the parts of the Bible they felt were unreasonable. 

What the Founding Fathers failed to realize or did realize and rejected is the Bible is a philosophical wonder that explains more of life to an extent that science has proven it true (watch out revisionism and oppression of truth).  Even Richard Feynman, famous physicist has stepped down the ladder of Atheism and admits a being had to design the universe.  Keep Going Richard, He wants you to know Him. 

Now, I have railed against religion on this blog , some may try to equate that with a deistic principle. If you take the time to really understand what religion is through the teaching of Christ, you will realize the philosophy of His word. Following God is extremely different than following a set of rules and traditions, it is so much more.  Yes, it involves Him revealing Himself to you.

Although I am not a Deist, I am grateful for the work of the Founding Fathers. They have given a form of human government that can't be matched when compared with other forms over time. Yet, I think it is very important to know the truth of the matter,  Our Nation had heretical beginnings and it will always be tainted when God is eliminated.

Inspired Scriptures

Don't mess with God's Word: Duet. 4:2, Duet. 12:32, Psalms 119:160, Revelations 22:18-19

God's Philosophy: I Corinthians 1:19-21, I Corinthians 2: 6-8, Acts 17:18, Romans 1:20-2, John 14:6

Science in the Bible: Read this Article, Proverbs 2:6

It's ALL or Nothing with God: Revelation 3:16, Matthew 7:13, Matthew 7:21-23, Isaiah 35:8, John 14:23-24

He is Active: John 14:26, I Corinthians 2:10, I Thess. 4:8, Nehemiah 9:20