I found this website about Deism, and I found a lot infrormation-

[texanwitch]

would be useful.


www.deism.org


www.deism.org/foundingfathers.htm



Deism Defined

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use."
- Galileo Galilei

Deism (n): Belief in God as revealed by nature and reason combined with a disbelief in scripture, prophets, superstition and church authority.

Deism is a free-thought philosophy, much like Agnosticism, Atheism or Pantheism in that it rejects the dogmas and superstitions of religion in favor of individual reason and empirical observation of the universe. Deism differs from these other free-thought philosophies in that it sees an order and architecture to the universe that indicates a Creator. The word "God" is used to describe this creator, not to be confused with the "Biblegod."

Deism notes that we as humans are endowed with the power of reason and an indomitable spirit. It follows that we are intended to exercise them. Therefore, skepticism and doubt are not "sins" but rather natural expressions of God's gift of reason.

Because skepticism and doubt are not sins, Deists view with extreme suspicion any efforts by other humans to claim divine authority, such as claiming to be a "prophet" or citing "sacred scripture" said to be written by alleged prophets (as in the Bible, the Quran, the Book of Mormon, etc.). Placing faith in scriptures, prophets, priests, churches, "holy" figures, or traditions is surrendering your personal reason to another source. Usually, this other source has far less interest in "the state of your soul" as the accumulation of wealth and political power.

With scripture and revelation removed, all that remains to know God is personal reason and observation of the universe. Essentially, this is getting to know the artist by studying the artwork. The only "Word of God" is the universe itself.

Deism has had many famous advocates throughout history, particularly during the Age of Enlightenment. Some of the most famous American examples were many of the Founding Fathers of America. Contrary to the assertions of Christian Fundamentalists today, America was not founded on Christian ideals. "Nature's God", as invoked by the Declaration of Independence, is a reference to Deism.

Other Free-Thought Philosophies

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom...

http://www.conservativeusa.org/vareligiousfreedom.htm

note that this is on a conservative site, although it's listed in many other places. It's pretty much a necessary read, and was the precursor to the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment.

Anyway, Jefferson, who was not really religious at all, but did have to make some mention of God back in those days, wrote the statute, and Madison got it passed thorugh the Virginia legislature.

The Founders, at least the important ones, were personally familiar with the religious wars on Europe, and knew what would happen if established religion was instituted here.

It's pretty much what is happening with those who want to establish it-- a huge, artificial divide is being set up, and they would be perfectly happy if it lead to war.