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ASKARI NAQVI In response to Farzana Hassan's response to Iffat Zehra: |
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Farzana Hassan
said, "Deists theoretically
shun any form of organized religion, although this notion to me
appears to be somewhat oxymoronic, as they espouse a recognized set
of beliefs, principles and practices. Deists also do not believe in
revelation but hold the position that God "reveals" Himself through
nature. Isaac Newton was one such well-known Deist"
1. Deism defines God to be the "First
Cause". It developed in response to Newtonian physics, by which
matter is shown to behave in a manner mathematically predictable by
natural laws. It was popular among thinkers of the Enlightenment
such as Voltaire and the Founding Fathers of the United States and
the upper intelligentsias in Europe . Perhaps deistic thinkers were
impressed by Newton's apparent demonstration that reason could
finally settle problems that formerly were thought to be permanently
controversial, and thus hoped to also settle religious questions
permanently and scientifically by reason alone, without revelation.
As we all know that the term "Deism" originally referred to a
belief in one deity, as contrasted with the belief in no God
(Atheism) and belief in many Gods (Polytheism). During the later
17th century, the meaning of "Deism" began to change.
It referred to forms of radical Christianity - belief systems that
rejected miracles, revelation, and the inerrancy of the Bible.
Currently, Deism is generally no longer associated with Christianity
or any other established religion. There is no Deistic network of
places of worship, a priesthood or hierarchy of authority --
hence has no "recognized organization" of
thoughts/beliefs/principle/practices.
On a side note, organized religions give
a sense of community with the help of sacred text, sacred prophets,
supernatural connections, authority, hierarchy, moral framework,
ceremonies, customs, traditions etc. In order to achieve their
agenda, they rely on innate "dynastic" nature in most of us and draw
maximum strength from it as I am yet to see an organized religion
that does not rely on "blood line" recruitment. Hence we should not
confuse organized religions with philophical movements as they have
above and other dissimilarities.
2.) Sir Isaac Newton passed away in 1723
even before this term was shaped into its non-Christian meanings. So
he may have been a Sabian or a philosophical Deist, but not a
"well-known" Deist :-).
Regards,
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Send questions or comments to Pervaiz Salahuddin |
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