Deism facts for kids
Deism is a way of thinking about God and the world. People who follow deism are called deists. They believe that a powerful being, like a creator, made the universe. But deists think this creator doesn't get involved in daily life or perform miracles. Instead, they believe the creator set up natural laws that the universe follows, like the laws of science.
Deists also believe that we can understand this creator by using our own logic and by observing nature. They don't usually rely on holy books, prophets, or religious traditions to learn about God. They think that reason and nature are the main ways to discover truth.
What is Deism?
Deism is a belief system that suggests a "Higher Power" created the universe. This Higher Power is often thought of as a great architect or clockmaker. Deists believe this creator set up the rules for how the world works, like natural laws, and then let the universe run on its own. They don't believe the creator steps in to change things or perform special events called miracles.
Deists also think that we can learn about this creator by using our minds and by looking at the world around us. They believe that nature itself shows us how amazing the creator is.
What Deists Believe
Deists believe that the universe was created by a Higher Power. They do not think the universe just appeared by chance. They usually do not believe in supernatural events, like miracles, because they think the creator set up natural laws that control everything.
These natural laws explain how the universe works and how people should act. Deists believe the creator does not interfere with these laws. Most deists also see holy books, like the Bible or the Quran, as writings made by people, not directly by the creator. They prefer to use their own reason to understand the world.
Famous Deists
Many important people in history have been deists or were thought to be deists. They often lived during times when new ideas about science and reason were becoming popular.
Some famous deists include:
- Benjamin Franklin: An American political leader, writer, and inventor.
- Napoleon Bonaparte: A famous French military and political leader.
- Voltaire: A well-known French writer and philosopher.
- Thomas Paine: A British writer and revolutionary who wrote The Age of Reason.
- Maximilien de Robespierre: A leader during the French Revolution.
- Neil Armstrong: The first person to walk on the Moon, who called himself a deist on an application in the 1950s.
Many historians also believe that Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father and president, was a deist, even though he did not openly say so.
Images for kids
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Lord Herbert of Cherbury, portrayed by Isaac Oliver (1560–1617)
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Voltaire at age 24, portrayed by Nicolas de Largillière
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On positive German God-belief (1939)
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Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, serving as its first president from 1923 until his death in 1938. He undertook sweeping progressive reforms, which modernized Turkey into a secular, industrializing nation.
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See also
In Spanish: Deísmo para niños
