The Deist Bible

What is a Deist Bible? The Christian Bible is static, and so are almost all other sacred texts. Deistic beliefs are dynamic. They grow as we accumulate more knowledge. A Bible claims to be the sacred word of God. The Deists I know consider nature to be the word of God. It is the only Bible we need or hold in reverence. There is virtually nothing upon which all Deists agree, so how could there be a single book that all Deists would recognize as their Bible? I think that a Deist Bible must be an individual work or compilation, although it would be helpful to many to have a form or structure to help the owner organize her or his thoughts. But a Deist Bible must be dynamic, ever-changing, always growing.

A Deist Bible must be acknowledged as the work of man, just as most Deists I know believe all other sacred texts to be the work of man. To me, and to many Deists, it is important to recognize and respect the older religions from which our beliefs evolved. The fact that we no longer believe what those religions claim does not negate the fact that those religions sustained our forebears and are strongly interwoven into the fabric of the societies of which we are a part. Those are the religious beliefs of our friends and relatives. To disrespect their beliefs is to disrespect those believers. We must, of course, ask for the same respect in return, but we can have no expectation of receiving respect that we are not willing to offer. That is only reasonable.

A Wiccan maintains a Book of Shadows, which is a very personal journal, an assembly of collected and self-authored works that support that person's religious beliefs and practices. Perhaps such a journal is as close as a Deist might ever come to having a Bible.

Books of the first edition of the Deist Bible

The books listed below are fluid, dynamic and, like all Deist beliefs, subject to change. They are beginnings, not ends. These are some of my own musings, but mostly they are the collaborative efforts of the Positive Deism discussion board that went into the 2009 Deist Calendar.

The Deist Bible grows with its owner. The Deist who owns this Bible can and should freely add to and delete from its contents. The Bible should be a reflection of an individual Deist's thoughts. Its contents can be public or very private as the Deist deems fit. The Deist Bible contains as many books as the Deist desires. Or if the idea of a Deist Bible does not work for you, reject it altogether.

Genesis

In the beginning, there were other beliefs. And it was good (or mostly good). We believed what we were raised to believe. We were taught to love our neighbors, but outside of church, it seemed that the love was often lacking. We discovered other differences between what we were told to believe and what we observed. We wondered, we prayed, but we didn't find answers, so we figured we needed more faith. Then, as we grew, we looked at our Bible, examined our faith, and we discovered that what we had been led to believe no longer made sense to us.

Exodus

And so we left the faith of our fathers behind us. We escaped what had begun to feel like bondage, and we wandered in the wilderness. Friends and family implored us to reconsider, but we needed to find a home. We had come to a realization that we were living a lie, and we needed to find the truth. After spending a long time searching, we came to the realization that the journey was at least as important as the destination, and so we became Deists, believing in God, striving to find our purpose in life. And as we have journeyed we have found that there are many true things. We must each decide what is truest for us.

Reason

The Book of Reason is probably the most important book in any Deist's Bible. Deists place their faith in reason. The passion for reason in all things is a distinguishing characteristic of essentially all Deists. We must do our own critical thinking. Dogma is anathema to us. Reason shapes our views of creation, Creator and life, but each of us reasons in a slightly different way, which provides a rich and wonderful diversity of views for us to share. Reason shapes our morality. What is reasonable is right, and what is unreasonable is wrong. To throw reason away and accept on blind faith is a sinful waste of our greatest gift.

Nature

We know her by several names: Nature, the Creation, the Universe. Deists have no dogma, no requirement to worship, but if we hold anything in reverence, it would be Nature. And if we give thanks, it is for God's providence through Nature, because it is from Nature we come, and it is to Nature that we will return. No creation of man will long endure, but Nature will endure until time is no more.

Experience

No teaching is the same as having done it. No directions are a substitute for having been there. To grow, we must act. To act, we must take risks. When we take risks, we sometimes fail. But whether we fail or succeed, when we try, we gain experience. Trying is a gain, not a loss.

Doubt

We keep our eyes on the future. We look to reason, to nature and to experience. We reject dogma. Dogma is authority, settled belief that may not be disputed or doubted. The shortest sentence in the Christian Bible is "Jesus wept." The shortest sentence in the Deist's Bible would probably be "Deists doubt."

Respect

When we show respect to others we recognize the value of their personal qualities or abilities. We recognize that the world is a better place with them in it. Our beliefs are not all dogmatic black and white. Deism provides us with a rich tapestry of personalities and ideas, most of which may be esteemed and worthy, and all of which deserve respect.

Purpose

Being a Deist is not necessarily easy. Becoming a Deist very often involves turning away from a faith to which friends and family still hold fast. It takes a strong sense of purpose to resist the pressure of loved ones who mean well when they urge you to cling to old, but now uncomfortable, beliefs. But if you are ever to fulfill your purpose to find your true self, turn away you must.

Knowledge

Deists do not claim to know all the truth. They look for it everywhere: in nature, in many written works, in the words of a friend. Knowledge beckons, and reason steers our course. Deism is a journey, not a destination.

Curiosity

Being a Deist means nothing is settled. Everything requires investigation until we are personally satisfied that we have the answer that works best for each of us. An intellect that is ever thirsty and curious never grows stiff and dull from disuse. Curiosity keeps our minds young, whatever the ravages of time may do to our frames.

Freedom

Deists are freethinkers. Control, dogma and blind obedience are enemies of free thought. Deists share some general ideas about nature and creation, but we tend to believe that very little is absolute or settled. To be bound by unquestioning faith to a dogmatic set of religious beliefs is to be stifled and smothered, and our minds must breathe free.

Open-mindedness

Open minds are receptive to fresh ideas and possibilities. Closed minds are stale, stagnant and unreasonable. Deist minds must be open minds that are capable of growth, adaptation and the acceptance of new truths. The organism that cannot adapt will eventually become extinct.

Humanity

We should all strive to be better persons, not because we are born sinners, but because we are born ignorant. And as we learn to become better persons, humanity as a whole is improved. To become humane, we must lose our ignorance and learn kindness and benevolence. Failure to cast ignorance aside and think critically diminishes our humanity.

Harmony

Harmony is much more than the orderly adding of two or more things. Harmony is a beautiful and pleasing blending of elements which results in the whole being much more than the sum of its parts. Harmony is accordance and peace, essential qualities of the wisdom to which we all aspire.

Wonder

Life will forever be a mystery, even as we live it. One lifetime could never be enough to see everything and solve everything. And so our lives are a never-ending process of discovery. There is a new wonder around every corner, and when there are no more wonders to behold, we will know we have reached life’s end.

Tindal

I have actually heard Tindal's Christianity as Old as the Creation called the Deist's Bible. Tindal's work is extremely important, of course, but it is far from biblical in its influence. Tindal's Christian Deist Bible was very influential. And if you are new to Deism (or even old to Deism), it is a seminal work. Even if you do not agree with every word, you will understand and agree with much of what Tindal had to say if you are a Deist. I guess you could consider his work the Book of Tindal. If, upon reading his work, you should find passages worth collecting and remembering, paste them here.

Paine

Ethan Allen's work came earlier, but Thomas Paine's Age of Reason must be credited as one of the best representations of the Deism of the 18th century, especially in North America. Whether you agree with Paine's conclusions or not, whether you think Paine is too negative or not, you must agree that Paine is probably the world's most recognized Deist. Many of Paine's arguments against revealed religion are harshly critical. Perhaps those arguments were needed in Paine's day. There are many passages in Age of Reason that are worth revisiting. You might want to paste them here.

New Testament

The Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible are as different as night and day. Similarly, today's Deism is different from the Deism of Tindal, Herbert, Paine and Palmer. Contemporary Deism recognizes its foundation on Classical Deism, but today's Deism does much more than reject and criticize Christianity and revealed religion. Through an appropriate application of reason and respect we can arrive at the conclusion that it is not necessary that we tear down other religions in order to build up Deism.

The Internet and its ability to spread information broadly and inexpensively has caused a resurgence of Deism. It cannot be considered a popular religion, but it certainly is much more well-known than it was 10-15 years ago. A couple of different approaches to Deism attract a broad variety of people seeking a name for what they believe.

Compared to the history of Deism, this Testament is still in its infancy, but Deism continues to grow and mature as a religion, as a system of belief, as a philosophy and as a worldview. Consider the Deist Alliance. Consider many approaches to Deism. There are many out there, waiting to be discovered. Become an explorer.

Revelations

And so this first edition of the Deist Bible ends here. It is up to all of us to suggest additions or deletions. All of us edit our own version. Where our Bible goes from here is an individual choice. A Deist would not have it any other way. The revelations we add will be revelations to us alone, but sharing is an option to consider. The quotes and ideas we collect may be of benefit to many other Deists in the coming years. Or our Bible may become too personal and private to share. The choice must always be ours.

Only you can choose.

(A Word document is available here so that you can begin your own edition of The Deist Bible.)