“I often wish (God) would manifest himself a bit more. He limits himself to once in a million years if we’re lucky.’

Peter Cook

*****

I’m not an atheist – I don’t disbelieve in God, but I’m not religious either. I was brought up in a devout Catholic home and went to religious schools, which all left scars, but many positive things too, for which I’m grateful. 

I would describe myself as a deist. Deism is the philosophical position and rationalistic theology that generally rejects religious revelation, but accepts the existence of a non-interventionist, Supreme being as the creator of the universe.

Deism has a long tradition, in Ancient Greece, in early Islamic schools, and in the Enlightenment – through philosophers such as John Locke, David Hume, and even the Founding Fathers. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington had Desist beliefs. Although deism declined in popularity over the years, it still influences modern society. 

In my experience, growing up in a devout Catholic home, I was never able to accept the supernatural claims that God had sent his son to earth to save us from our sins; it all seemed a bit ludicrous to me, even as a child. As I grew, and read about other religions, none moved me to belief. I agreed with their sentiments of love, peace, community, generosity, sacrifice and tolerance, but found the visions and miracles in Bibles, Torahs, Quran’s, and such like, to be difficult to swallow. When I read about deism I realised I was not alone in these thoughts and it seemed to echo beliefs I’d had swirling around in my subconscious. 

Deist beliefs are founded in empirical reasoning. So why is there even a need to involve a creator at all? The idea that the whole universe created itself is absurd to me. Just consider these:

• Stephen Hawking: If the rate of the universe’s expansion one second after the Big Bang had been smaller by even one part in 1015 the universe would have re-collapsed.
• P.C.W. Davies: The odds against the initial conditions being suitable for star formation is 10 to the power of 1021. If they were any higher than what they were the universe expands too fast so no stars or planets are formed and if they are any less then the universe collapses in on itself.
• Roger Penrose: Odds of the Big Bang’s low entropy condition existing by chance are on the order of one out of 10 to the power of 1230. 

Now, I’m sure there are many people with a greater mind than mine that could contend these facts, but nevertheless, the sheer magnitude of the universe, from its jaw dropping enormity, down to its microcosmic, logic-defying, minisculity (made up word), leaves me convinced that it did not create itself. Whenever I hear atheists proclaiming their own brand of fanaticism, I’m left with the same sense of incredulity as when I’m listening to an over-zealous preacher. Just as some preachers launch themselves into religious diatribe, so some scientific atheists launch themselves into impenetrable, unfathomable rants. It’s the same effect. My ADHD brain can’t cope and I start thinking about what I’m having for lunch. All that aside, do I believe the universe was created for the purpose of saving human beings’ souls? No.

I don’t see any evidence of a supernatural force guiding and shaping life and intervening in crisis moments. But, a non-interventionist creator makes sense to me. I am a highly creative person, and the creative act requires me to make, mould, form and fashion my art, my songs and my writings, and then launch them into the world. Once there, they become their own independent entities, like siblings who leave the nest to go their own way, they take on their own identity, and their own persona. Creation then, mirrors the everyday creativity we experience in the world. 

I still haven’t answered a very important question though – for what purpose do I believe this deist God made the world? I haven’t got an answer to that, yet. After all, I’m the equivalent of an atom resting on the surface of a bacteria, living in the Amazon Rainforest, how would I know? If I’m right, it’s beyond my scope to even know the answer, but as a creative person, I’d answer that She made it just because it was a beautiful thing to do, and it made Her feel good. That seems as good a purpose as any, and a great motto to live your life by.