Deism offers an “alternative to revealed religion” (161), it insists that “people should be free to seek religious truth guided only by reason and the dictates of the consciences” (161-162). Old Learning had been focused around the Bible as absolute truth, but New Learning, which inspired Deism, taught to doubt and scrutinize all authority (165). Deism grew during this period due to its reflection of Enlightenment principles that focus on logic and reason. Deism rejects most of Christianity’s treasured beliefs that do not conform to reason and natural law (167, 174). Deists chose to view God as a “Natural God” who created the universe, but remains impersonal (172). They do not believe that God “saves” people (173) and that “man is responsible for and capable of finding his true happiness” (172).
As a Deist, Thomas Jefferson believed much of the Bible to be corruptions of Christianity. Jefferson proceeded to “edit” the Bible to rid it of all it’s corruptions. His first act was to take out the entire Old Testament because it “mocked the laws of nature, and…the god it revealed was an angry, spiteful, vengeful deity” (174). Since Jefferson denied the divinity of Jesus “ascribing to [him] every human excellence” based on the idea that Jesus never insisted any different (174), Jefferson’s second act was to “[strip] the New Testament of all accounts of miracles and supernatural tales” (174). Jefferson cut up the four Gospels and included in his Bible only the passages in these that reflect the moral teachings attributed to Jesus (174). The birth story mentions nothing of a virgin or miraculous birth. The baptism story is also quite brief, barely mentioning that Jesus met John to be baptized and leaving it at that. Finally, the death story is more complete, however there is nothing mentioned about a resurrection; it ends with Jesus in the tomb. As a Deist, Jefferson completely disregards anything that goes against logic and reason and appears supernatural.
As a Deist, Thomas Jefferson believed much of the Bible to be corruptions of Christianity. Jefferson proceeded to “edit” the Bible to rid it of all it’s corruptions. His first act was to take out the entire Old Testament because it “mocked the laws of nature, and…the god it revealed was an angry, spiteful, vengeful deity” (174). Since Jefferson denied the divinity of Jesus “ascribing to [him] every human excellence” based on the idea that Jesus never insisted any different (174), Jefferson’s second act was to “[strip] the New Testament of all accounts of miracles and supernatural tales” (174). Jefferson cut up the four Gospels and included in his Bible only the passages in these that reflect the moral teachings attributed to Jesus (174). The birth story mentions nothing of a virgin or miraculous birth. The baptism story is also quite brief, barely mentioning that Jesus met John to be baptized and leaving it at that. Finally, the death story is more complete, however there is nothing mentioned about a resurrection; it ends with Jesus in the tomb. As a Deist, Jefferson completely disregards anything that goes against logic and reason and appears supernatural.
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