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Belief in God + God-Given Reason = Deism
How Do You Imagine God?
God in America and USA WEEKEND Magazine are partnering to explore Americans' images of God.
How do you imagine God?
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God is somewhat unimaginable to me.
My Beliefs
I believe ...
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that there is a creator. I believe this through God-given reason because I can clearly see intelligent design in creation. I believe that organized religions - revealed religions - are created by human beings. God created this world for a purpose that is unknowable to me. There is no evidence, as far as I can see, that God intervenes in my life or favors certain people over others. I also see no evidence that God requires blind faith or worship. I believe that revealed religions are responsible for much evil and suffering in this world.
The biggest misconception about my faith/belief system is ...
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I don't know what the biggest misconception about my belief system is. I think most people don't even know about Deism.
My spiritual role model is ...
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Thomas Paine.
The tenet/practice/teaching I appreciate most about my faith is ...
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reason. Because Deism is based on God-given reason, I do not have to try to believe the unbelievable. I do not have to have "faith." There are no outrageous stories that I must tell my child. There is no book that was written by imperfect human beings that I am supposed to believe is the word of God. There is no group of people favored by God - all are equal. I do not have to live my life thinking that others are going to suffer eternal damnation for not thinking the way that I think.
My Faith History
As a child I believed ...
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that no one knew if there was a god or not.
My spiritual journey has been ...
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just that - a journey. After growing up a "free thinker," as an adult I went on a quest for answers, trying to learn as much as possible about different religions. After the birth of my daughter, I was afraid of not having the answers and so I became a Christian. After 3 years of involvement in a church and after reading the entire Bible and asking many questions, it was eventually apparent to me that Christianity was created by human beings - same as every other organized religion. I felt somewhat lost after accepting this unfortunate truth. The idea of salvation and spending eternity in Heaven with my loved ones was so comforting. Eventually I realized that I don't need organized religion to be fulfilled spiritually. After reading about Deism, I realized that that was exactly what I was and I now feel so free and thankful. I finally trust God. I'm no longer paranoid or superstitious. I no longer feel like a puppet.
I was raised as ...
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an agnostic. I was exposed to Christianity as a child through grandparents and many people in my community, but my mother wanted me to be a free thinker. She explained to me why she thought that Christianity was false, as she was raised Lutheran, and she believed that people did not have the answers. She did not know if there was a creator.
If you have children, did becoming a parent change your relationship to faith? If so, how?
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Definitely! The birth of my child drove me into the arms of Christianity because I needed answers and I needed to believe in something comforting. I wanted to be able to tell my child that I had all the answers. It is also far easier to be Christian in a society that is predominantly Christian because many Christians are not accepting of non-believers. I am afraid to share my true beliefs with most people I know for fear of being judged and shunned. I often wish I could just go through the motions and pretend to be a Christian because it would be so much easier.
How I Practice My Faith
Where and when do you practice your faith?
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Wherever and whenever. When I take a walk through the woods on a sunny day and I'm just in awe at the beauty and complexity of nature. When I look into my child's eyes and realize how amazing life is. When I see someone perform a compassionate or selfless act. To me, practicing Deism means appreciating life and being thankful to God.
Does your family practice more than one religion or faith? If so, how do you blend the traditions?
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No
How easy or difficult is it to live your faith? Why?
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It can be both easy and difficult. It is easy because Deism only requires God-given reason. There is no dogma involved and there are no rituals that I feel I must perform. Morality seems obvious to me and I feel responsible for my thoughts and actions. Maybe it would be easier if I could just do wrong and feel like the slate was wiped clean and I was forgiven. It is difficult at times, though, because I feel like an outsider and shunned by a society in which the majority claim they are Christian.
In my house, the thing that most represents my faith is ...
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??? I don't believe that objects can represent God. When I am surrounded by nature, I feel I am closest to God.
The song/book/film that most represents my faith is ...
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??? Man-made things do not represent my beliefs about God.
Religion & the Public Square
What should be the role of religion in politics?
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Complete and absolute separation of "church and state!" Haven't we learned from history that politics, government, and religion do not mix?!
Should courses about religion be taught in public schools? Why or why not?
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It might be a good idea in a perfect world where all major belief systems could be carefully taught in a completely objective way just so that people would be well informed about the world they live in and perhaps become a little more tolerant of others. However, I do not trust that this could ever happen because people are not generally capable of total objectivity when it comes to religion.
Do you feel comfortable discussing your faith with others? Why/why not?
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Not at all. I feel judged and shunned by the Christians in my community. Many Christians I encounter seem to believe that Christianity equals morality and that you are immoral if you do not believe in God in the same way that they do.
Do you feel that you have a duty, because of your faith, to put your beliefs into action? What are some of those actions?
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I don't know if "duty" is the right word. I feel that all human beings should do what is right not because of a certain faith but because it is in the best interest of everyone on this planet for each of us to act morally.
Has 9/11 had any impact on your thoughts about religion? Are you more/less interested in learning about other religions? Do you feel more/less comfortable expressing your religious beliefs?
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I have become much more interested in learning about religious extremism since 9/11. It is disturbing to realize that the atrocities committed by extremists who follow revealed religions (such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) still continue in this day and age. I see these religions as dividing, rather than bringing people together. I probably feel less comfortable expressing my religious beliefs because it seems to me that Christians are becoming more extremist in their own views and so I feel even more shunned. It seems as if many people I know see not being Christian as not being patriotic. There seems to be an even greater divide in this country now.
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