DRMIZER
11-18-2003, 10:49 AM
Deists don't necessarily believe Jesus was the son of God. We're not even CERTAIN of his existence as a mere mortal. However, if he did exist as a person, was he a Deist?
Thomas Jefferson seemed to think so. In a letter to Joseph Priestly of April 9, 1803 he wrote: " . . . I should then take a view of the Deism and ethics of the Jews, and show in what a degraded state they were, and the necessity they presented of a reformation. I should proceed to a view of the life, character, and doctrines of Jesus, who sensible of incorrectness of their ideas of the Deity, and of morality, endeavored to bring them to the principles of a pure Deism, and juster notions of the attributes of God, to reform their moral doctrines to the standard of reason, justice and philanthropy, and to inculcate the belief of a future state. This view would purposely omit the question of his divinity, and even his inspiration."
In a letter dated April 21, 1802 to Benjamin Rush Jefferson wrote, "I am a Christian, in the only sense in which he (Jesus) wished anyone to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines, in preference to all others; ascribing to himself every human excellence; and believing he never claimed any other." So based on this statement, Jefferson was not a Christian as being a Christian is defined today (that is believing Jesus to be of divine origin, etc..). And in Jefferson's mind Jesus did not claim to be so.
Later in the same letter to Dr. Rush, Thomas Jefferson wrote the religious system of the Jews was Deism, "that is the belief in one only God." He then goes on and writes, "He (Jesus) corrected the Deism of the Jews, confirming them in their belief of one only God, and giving them juster notions of his attributes and government." If Jesus was correcting the "Deism of the Jews," it stands to reason that Jesus was a Deist himself. If he wasn't a Deist, he wouldn't be correcting the Deism of the Jews, but, instead, would be trying to overthrow it.
Thomas Jefferson seemed to think so. In a letter to Joseph Priestly of April 9, 1803 he wrote: " . . . I should then take a view of the Deism and ethics of the Jews, and show in what a degraded state they were, and the necessity they presented of a reformation. I should proceed to a view of the life, character, and doctrines of Jesus, who sensible of incorrectness of their ideas of the Deity, and of morality, endeavored to bring them to the principles of a pure Deism, and juster notions of the attributes of God, to reform their moral doctrines to the standard of reason, justice and philanthropy, and to inculcate the belief of a future state. This view would purposely omit the question of his divinity, and even his inspiration."
In a letter dated April 21, 1802 to Benjamin Rush Jefferson wrote, "I am a Christian, in the only sense in which he (Jesus) wished anyone to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines, in preference to all others; ascribing to himself every human excellence; and believing he never claimed any other." So based on this statement, Jefferson was not a Christian as being a Christian is defined today (that is believing Jesus to be of divine origin, etc..). And in Jefferson's mind Jesus did not claim to be so.
Later in the same letter to Dr. Rush, Thomas Jefferson wrote the religious system of the Jews was Deism, "that is the belief in one only God." He then goes on and writes, "He (Jesus) corrected the Deism of the Jews, confirming them in their belief of one only God, and giving them juster notions of his attributes and government." If Jesus was correcting the "Deism of the Jews," it stands to reason that Jesus was a Deist himself. If he wasn't a Deist, he wouldn't be correcting the Deism of the Jews, but, instead, would be trying to overthrow it.