What is the Difference Between Theism and Deism?

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   Rhonda D Johnsonposted 11 years ago

   What is the Difference Between Theism and Deism?
   
   If there is a difference, could some people actually be adeists?

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   MickSposted 11 years ago

   I'm sure that a good dictionary will give you the answer that you seek.

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   TNThinkerposted 11 years ago

   Deism is a particular type of belief about god.  Specifically, it is that god started the ball rolling with creation, but after that, it was hands-off and the natural world runs on its own.  Deism was a widely held belief during the enlightenment, and by many of our founding fathers, because they lacked a scientific theory about how the universe was created, but they were far enough along on understanding the natural world that they rejected any supernatural intrusion once the creation occurred.
   
   Theism, on the other hand, is just a broad belief that one or more gods exist.  It is an umbrella that covers all types of gods, all types of theologies, and includes deism.  Theism is just the opposite of atheism, and does not remark about the nature of the gods.
   
   Can you be an a-deist?  I think that would make you an atheist.  That is, you do not believe there was a first mover.

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      Rhonda D Johnsonposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks TNThinker
      
      Then you could be an atheists and a deist, believing in the initial deity but not in personal involvement of the Creator.

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      M. T. Dremerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Rhonda, I'm not sure if it is possible to be an atheist and a deist. The belief of atheists is that there has never been any gods in the history of the universe, which means they wouldn't believe in an initial creator either.

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   ceciladkinsposted 11 years ago

   A discussion of the differences between theism and deism.  Both are beliefs in God or gods, but both have very different implications.  They both disagree with atheism, which is disbelief in God or gods. read more

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