I was pleased with the article.  I really expected we'd be demonized but the coverage was balanced.

The only thing that surprised me was that it was a front page article.

John, did you mention that you are a Deist, not an Atheist or Agnostic?

See, something about this annoys me. The word Deism is seemingly feared, mentioned less, and marginalized more than even Atheism these days{and of course deism/deists has it's detractors both from the theist and atheist side}. Instead, ATHEISM gets emphasized, Agnosticism a brief honorary mention, and anyone else is just called "non-religious"{deists included of course}- ALLMOST EVERY SINGLE TIME! The whole culture war is dominated by Revealed religionists and Atheists, everyone else gets marginzlized- ESPECIALLY DEISM/DEISTS{I mean, christ, even neopagan religions get mentioned in this article and in other contexts}. What the hell?

I'm not even a full-blown Deist, I'm an Agnostic-Deist/ApaDeist AND an Anti-theist, but I am so sick of seeing Deism ignored and Deists marginalized. The only rational belief regarding a God, and both the faithists and soc-alled rational atheists are making sure it barely gets a mention, so that either people remain faith-based liberal theists or become full blown strong atheists. It just seems so incredibly hypocritical.

In Reason:

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...but I'm sure it got ommitted from the story for being to fine a difference for most people to understand at this point.  There's going to need to be a lot more exposure before deism becomes a distinction that the press will regard as worth mentioning.  I've just accepted that.

Christians tend to lump atheism in with agnosticism, deism and pantheism anyway.  In fairness, I can understand because from the non-believer's point of view, the different flavors of Christianity all look the same to us.  If you're a Christian, distinctions like Methodist or Baptist might mean a great deal.  Protestant vs. Catholic vs. Mormon are such a powerful distinction that some Christians don't regard one or another as fellow Christians.  Yet, to me, they all look the same.  I think the fine distinctions are only noticable on your own side of the fence.

Hey John.

You make some valid points there. But what of the fact that some of the strong Atheists don't make the distinction between theism and deism{Dawkinites}?

Also, I'm vehemently anti-christian and anti-islam/muslim and I still make the dictinctions between sects/types. I DO look at their scriptures from a literalist persepctive, but I also do see and make the distinctions to some degree between types/secst. For example I make heavy distinctions between Liberal christians, Evangelicals{the Jesus "rock" types}, conservative fundamentalists{usually of a baptist flavouring, Catholics and protestants; and between say Fundamentalist Muslims, Moderate Muslims and even distinguish liberal muslims from moderate ones. Etc.

Therefore, " I think the fine distinctions are only noticable on your own side of the fence." for me this is not true. However, for me this does mean a need to differentiate followers from the religion itself. Look at Ayaan Hirsi Ali she makes a dictinction between Islam and Muslims{in that she recognizes there are different sects of Muslims in Islanm, some truer to Islam than others, but the dictinctions still made}.

Fundamentalist Christians tend to lump deists in with atheists and pantheists,etc. But the rest of the Christian world when told of the distinction- excepts the distinction{that or worser, they try and say deists are like them; I've even gotten messages from muslims whom are against christianity whom have said that we deists are alot like muslims because we believe in but one god, blah,blah, LoL! Idiots, LoL!}

meh.

Whatever, I live a godless life anyways. I believe it probably exists but it's existence is irrelevent. I suppose alot of Atheists would say this makes me a de-facto Atheist{makes US such}. If so, I guess I am perfectly fine throwing my lot in with the Atheists. Though I'd still like to see Deism become more recognized once again as a a rationalist position.

It's interesting though because during the entire history of Deism, various theists have called it a form of atheism whilst other theists have tried and claim it for their own as a form of theism; and amongst atheists it has'bt been any different- various Atheists have called it a form of watered down theism whilst other atheists have tried to claim deism as one of their own as a de-fact atheism. LoL!!! Both theists and atheisst have a love/hate relationship with the deists/deism, LoL!

Meh. What can ya do eh?

You know what though, I would;nt have so much issue with that article for not mentioning you're deism if it were'nt for the fact that they actually mentioned that there are unitarian universalists and wiccans in the group. Why would they mention that, but not your deism?

~confuse dlook on face~

In Reason:

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It seems strange that supposed rational thinking people are all arguing over their unfounded beliefs in whatever god they imagine as if they were a bunch of christians and muslims. Wheres the proof, not overwhelming proof, any proof or even evidence? The fact is that there is more proof of a secret alien infiltration on earth than there is of any god whatever your belief/affliction. Careful next time you call yourself rational and thinking please, it makes the rational thinking people look bad.