Panendeism.org For the Promotion of Reason Based Spirituality...     Panendeism.org :: Deism  United Deist Church     Author Message Aaron Admin Age : 37 Joined : 24 Jan 2007 Posts : 1096 Location: : Connecticut Subject: United Deist Church   Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:13 am Does anyone remember this logo? Do you think the idea of a "United Deist Church" was a bad one? Could it ever work out? _________________ "Enjoy every sandwich" ~ Warren Zevon   The Paineful Truth Joined : 19 Sep 2007 Posts : 356 Location: : Arizona Subject: Re: United Deist Church   Mon Oct 15, 2007 10:19 am I think just calling it a church is a bad idea; too many negative connotations. Ditto the lame word "fellowship". Home, hall, table or some such symbol of gathering would, I think, be better. I'm not averse to the idea of regular meetings of deists, but there just aren't enough of us, and the ones there are are more independent, so that the success of such enterprises is often disappointing. Once again, however, the biggest obstacle to such a communal endeavor is defining what a deist is in the first place. _________________   Helium Joined : 14 Sep 2007 Posts : 422 Location: : Toronto Subject: Re: United Deist Church   Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:23 pm Yeah, I think it could. But because of low numbers, as Paine correctly points out, and because of the uniqueness of our understanding of the sacred it would have to have a creative format, probably starting out as an internet church. I t hink DAvidium at the beginning had the right idea with much more than a discussion forum, including sermons, etc. Hell if quacks like Benny Hinn can become superstars for Jesus, there must be a demand out there for our vision. I suggest starting as an internet-based group (call it what you will). There could be so much more than just the forums, such as sermons etc. From that point two things could happen. Small cluster could get together regularly. Plus larger meetings could be organized involving conferences, retreats etc. Could be done, yep. First place to start would be an internet org. simply because it's such a unique modern gateway. Build it and they will come.   Paul Anthony Age : 61 Joined : 07 Oct 2007 Posts : 153 Location: : Arizona Subject: Re: United Deist Church   Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:37 pm When someone finds a forum like this, the usual response is "I'm so glad I found you!" There are probably many more Deists out there, but most don't know it. The advantages of being an independent thinker are too numerous to list, but one of the disadvantages is that you are often very much alone. I think the Internet provides a better chance of reaching people than a brick-and-mortar building does, but there has to be a better term than "church". That has a connotation that would scare off a lot of free-thinkers! That's why some UU congregations don't call themselves churches (except when communicating with the IRS, of course). A funny story regarding labels: My brother is a Calvary Chapel pastor. (Obviously, we don't agree on much but we are still brothers). Calvary Chapel started on the west coast and is pretty well-known there, but he went to New Hampshire to open a new church. After advertising his Calvary Chapel and after no one showed up for Sunday services, he decided to change the name because most of the calls he received were from people wanting to rent the chapel for their weddings! That's what "chapel" meant to people in New Hampshire. You can't change people's perceptions with the same old language. Free-thinkers don't go to "churches".   Gnomon Joined : 30 Sep 2007 Posts : 221 Location: : Birmingham, Alabama Subject: Re: United Deist Church   Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:31 pm Quote: Do you think the idea of a "United Deist Church" was a bad one? Could it ever work out? I once thought it might work, but now I'm not sure the world is ready for a formal Deist religion. If you are really set on starting an "internet church", I suggest you first study the brief history of Universism. For those who never heard of it, Universism grew out of a Deist website. It then broadened its focus to include self-labeled freethinkers in general: Atheists, Agnostics, Deists, Theists, Buddhists, Wiccans, etc. The only common denominator was an aversion to blind faith and dogmatic doctrine. Some yearned for a secular spirituality, while others gagged at the very idea of spirituality. The Universist movement grew rapidly to over 8000 online members, and local fellowship groups in several major cities. The leader aggressively promoted the Universism philosophy online and in traditional media. He staged some publicity events and got write-ups in LA and New York papers. He even got a visit from a CNN news crew. Sadly, at the point where it seemed that Universism might actually become a real church with a real mission, everything fell apart. The split seemed to fall along the line between politics and religion---or between anti-fundamentalism and pro-spirituality. Some members wanted local meetings, social ministries, and charities. Other members were repelled by the very idea of a formalized religion. Some were willing to follow a dynamic leader, but others accused him of megalomania. In a short time the movement sputtered and died, in a fog of bitter accusations and muttered recriminations. A common lament at the time was, "organizing Freethinkers is like herding cats". . . . After that experience, I decided that those who need close fellowship, social services and specific ministries (i.e those with small children) might as well attend a Unitarian church (if you don't mind their Christian roots, liberal politics and New Agey beliefs). Otherwise, a website such as this can serve as a virtual community, with prospects for distant fellowship, and it might even help to keep the flame of freethought alive, until the world catches-up with us. Don't let me be a buzz-killer. But, as for me, Deism is my personal philosophical worldview, period.   Helium Joined : 14 Sep 2007 Posts : 422 Location: : Toronto Subject: Re: United Deist Church   Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:06 pm Quote: Don't let me be a buzz-killer. Nah, that was an interesting observation. So was PA's.   Aaron Admin Age : 37 Joined : 24 Jan 2007 Posts : 1096 Location: : Connecticut Subject: Re: United Deist Church   Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:26 am Actually the logo (which is no longer visible for some reason) was from the initial incarnation of the UDC that Ford helped to start. I think for any organization to work there needs to be some sort of head organizing committee. The UDC could have worked IMO however the committee turned out to be a committee of one and that one acted too erratically for the organization to ever take root. _________________ "Enjoy every sandwich" ~ Warren Zevon   Schizophretard Age : 26 Joined : 22 Oct 2007 Posts : 338 Location: : In the core of Uranus. Subject: Re: United Deist Church   Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:19 am I like the idea but instead of it being a place of worship it should be a place of reasoning together like we are now. I think also instead of trying to evangilize the world we should just educate them on deism and help them think more freely. I think calling it a church makes it sound like we will be teaching dogma. So, I prefer the word school because it would be a place of freethinking, learning, education, and reasoning together. Maybe call it," The United Deist School of Reason." Schizophretard _________________ "I am just a figment of God's imagination." Schizophretard "I fully comprehended the power of the human mind at the exact moment I came to the realization that I'm totally insane and have no idea what I'm talking about." Schizophretard "I'm sorry Mrs. Pubicsmurf but aliens ate my homework assignment." Schizophretard "I love myself so much that I quote myself." Schizophretard(:   kiwimac Age : 47 Joined : 25 May 2007 Posts : 19 Location: : Tamriel Subject: Re: United Deist Church   Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:55 pm The UDC could be kind of like a brach of the Theosophical Society (without the Santana Dharma beliefs), it could be arranged around topics of mutual interest for its members, have regular discussions about those topics and keep a local library.   United Deist Church     Page 1 of 1 Permissions of this forum: You cannot reply to topics in this forum Panendeism.org :: Deism Panendeism.org :: Deism Free forum | © phpbb | Free forum support | Report an abuse | Create your own blog