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My sweetie and I discussed religious labels earlier today. He told me about deism, which is a concept that I haven't explicitly heard of before and is is relatively close my own beliefs (I guess I'd be a christian deist). It was in a way comforting to see that a faith this similar to mine is prevalent enough to have a recognized name.
My beliefs:
I believe that God created the universe, with its matter and laws of nature, and then basically stepped back to watch it evolve, with little nudges here and there. This is a point of view held by some Deists, but not most, who go for the pure 'watchmaker' God. I think of God as someone tending a wild plant: his work needs constant care without minute manipulation, is not fixed and would be boring if it progressed like a machine.
Like deists, I regard God as a non-human entity. Why should God, who encompasses the universe, have a physical body? However, if humans are made in God's image, like the bible says, I think that refers more to the mind and sentience than a physical image.
Like deists, I believe that morality can be achieved without religion.
Like deists, I don't like generic, public evangelizing (bible thumping annoys the hell out of me).
Unlike deists, I don't believe that organized religion, sacraments or rituals have NO meaning at all; I wholly believe it is meaningful for its practicioners, and lets them access God, in whatever form they believe. I do it myself every now and then, and it is very important to me.
Unlike deists, I won't deny the possibility of chosen people, or of miracles. Even if visions are 'just hallucinations', it isn't impossible for them to have meaning. And being a chosen people isn't as important as what you DO with your chosen status.
I believe in the holy Trinity. Maybe not as literally as others, but I believe in it as different aspects of God.
I believe that the Bible is a holy text, but not THE only holy text, and that it is riddled with mistranslations. I also believe that a lot of it is more metaphorical than popular belief dictates, and that it is heavily influenced by being based on the oral handdowns of nomads and caravan tribes before the first civilisations arose.
I pray, most oftenly the Lord's Prayer, but also to ask for strength/protection/help dealing with things, which deists wouldn't do.
On occasion, I wear crosses, and not for jewelry purposes.
When in church, no matter how rarely it is, I say the Apostle's Creed, and mean it. Along with the Lord's prayer, it is one of my most deeply rooted religious expressions, and one of the few I willingly adhere to.
My beliefs:
I believe that God created the universe, with its matter and laws of nature, and then basically stepped back to watch it evolve, with little nudges here and there. This is a point of view held by some Deists, but not most, who go for the pure 'watchmaker' God. I think of God as someone tending a wild plant: his work needs constant care without minute manipulation, is not fixed and would be boring if it progressed like a machine.
Like deists, I regard God as a non-human entity. Why should God, who encompasses the universe, have a physical body? However, if humans are made in God's image, like the bible says, I think that refers more to the mind and sentience than a physical image.
Like deists, I believe that morality can be achieved without religion.
Like deists, I don't like generic, public evangelizing (bible thumping annoys the hell out of me).
Unlike deists, I don't believe that organized religion, sacraments or rituals have NO meaning at all; I wholly believe it is meaningful for its practicioners, and lets them access God, in whatever form they believe. I do it myself every now and then, and it is very important to me.
Unlike deists, I won't deny the possibility of chosen people, or of miracles. Even if visions are 'just hallucinations', it isn't impossible for them to have meaning. And being a chosen people isn't as important as what you DO with your chosen status.
I believe in the holy Trinity. Maybe not as literally as others, but I believe in it as different aspects of God.
I believe that the Bible is a holy text, but not THE only holy text, and that it is riddled with mistranslations. I also believe that a lot of it is more metaphorical than popular belief dictates, and that it is heavily influenced by being based on the oral handdowns of nomads and caravan tribes before the first civilisations arose.
I pray, most oftenly the Lord's Prayer, but also to ask for strength/protection/help dealing with things, which deists wouldn't do.
On occasion, I wear crosses, and not for jewelry purposes.
When in church, no matter how rarely it is, I say the Apostle's Creed, and mean it. Along with the Lord's prayer, it is one of my most deeply rooted religious expressions, and one of the few I willingly adhere to.
