Deism is a philosophical doctrine that rejects revelation and supernatural events, basing religious belief on reason and observation of the natural world. This word is pronounced as /ˈdiːɪzəm/ where the stressed syllable is "de" pronounced as /di:/ and the second unstressed syllable is "ism" pronounced as /ɪzəm/. The letter "e" in "deism" represents the schwa sound /ə/, while the "s" is pronounced as /z/. With this understanding, one can easily spell and pronounce this word with ease.
Deism is a philosophical and religious belief system that emerged during the Enlightenment in the 17th and 18th centuries. It centers around the idea that a supreme being, often referred to as the "clockmaker" or "divine watchmaker," created the universe but does not interact with it or intervene in its affairs. Deists believe that this deity set the natural laws in motion and the universe operates based on these laws without any further divine intervention.
The term "deism" comes from the Latin word "Deus," meaning God, and it emphasizes the presence of a higher power. However, deists tend to reject organized religion, religious doctrines, and scriptures that claim to have divine revelations or commandments. They emphasize reason, observation, and the natural world as the sources of knowledge and understanding.
Deism promotes rational inquiry and rejects supernatural intervention or miracles, instead focusing on the idea of a god who created the world and then left it to function independently. It suggests that humans should use their reason and observations to understand the world and live moral lives. The deistic concept of God is often seen as impersonal and detached, more like a cosmic force or intelligence rather than a personal deity.
Overall, deism represents a belief in God's existence based on reason and natural law, while advocating for individual freedom of thought and skepticism towards religious dogmas or rituals.
The belief of those who admit the existence of one God, but deny revelation; the belief in natural religion only.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "deism" is derived from the Latin term "deus", meaning "god". It was first coined in the early 17th century and is derived from the Latin word "deus" with the suffix "-ism" attached. Deism refers to a philosophical belief system or religious worldview that asserts the existence of a supreme being or deity, often associated with the framework of natural religion and rationality.