Grumpy

Can government-endorsed religious invocations really be allowed under the First Amendment as merely examples of "Ceremonial Deism"? Certainly not activities that imply an interventionist God, which runs exactly opposite to the strict definition of "Deism."

Ten Commandments displays are out-of-bounds, even under Ceremonial Deism, for no Deistic God ever dictated commandments to anyone.

Other instances -- "In God We Trust" and "one nation under God" -- might pass muster. That is, if God is equated with Providence (which George Washington called "she," according to Deism.com.

But the idea that a Deist God would require ceremonies at all -- that doesn't make any sense. There is no purpose in gratifying the ego of an entity who has no need to intervene in the universe. If such a God is not properly worshipped, what would it do? Punish the ingrates by altering the cosmos which it had already crafted with perfect precision? Deists would say no, which I take to mean that Deists have no ceremonies.

Which means "Ceremonial Deism" is a hollow construct.

Jewel

I've wondered about that too. Why, for instance, would you 'trust' in a god that has nothing to do with the course of your life and how could we, as a country be a nation under a diestic god who, does not watch 'over' us? Seems pointless.

But then again, it is proven time and again that those sayings are not deistic (to most people at least -- and I don't think they were put in as deistic either) or people would not make such a fuss at those of us who feel those sayings don't belong on our money or in our pledge.

[Edited because appearantly I cannot spell...]

Oresta

Jewel:
But then again, it is proven time and again that those sayings are not deistic (to most people at least -- and I don't think they were put in as diestic either) or people would not make such a fuss at those of us who feel those sayings don't belong on our money or in our pledge.

Excellent point. "In God we trust" on U.S. coins was recommended by a Protestant Minister during the Civil War. We can thank the Catholic Knights of Columbus for the unconstitutional phrase "Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

joedad

Ceremonial Deism doesn't make sense to me either. This stuff is actually Theistic Ceremonialism.