I know that we have used Deism in class a lot, but for some reason my brain can not think as to what that really means. I know that it has to do with God, but I do not know the full definition. Here is the definition of Deism, Deism is the knowledge of God based on the application of our reason on the designs/laws found throughout nature. Deism is therefore a natural religion and is not a "revealed religion." Deism also explains God through facts and evidence. I find this interesting because it is true that people believe that they believe in God just because they think he is always there."This library afforded me the means of improvement by constant study, for which I set apart an hour or two each day and thus repaired in some degree the loss of the learned education my father once intended for me" (Franklin 143). This shows that Franklin, where the library he worked at, gave him so much intellectual thought and he said that "it repaired in some degree the loss of the learned education my father once intended for me" (Franklin 143). This is big because Franklin said that his father was the one that made him want to learn. He said that his father pushed him to learn new things. Here is another quote as to when he was a Presbyterian, "...appeared to me unintelligible, others doubtful, and I early absented myself from the public assemblies of the sect..." (Franklin 144). This just shows that Benjamin really was a part of God, but then it was just to much for him and he decided to leave and study God in his own way. Another way that his writing was different to Pilgrim writing and similar to Deism was that he took Sunday to honor the Lord and still set to study about him and try to learn more about him. He wanted more facts about God. (Franklin 144-145). Deism shows in this part of the story because it shows that he wanted to learn about God and what he did. He did not want to not learn about the Lord especially on a Sunday. One of these quotes that Benjamin had said during this story would go against any Puritan writing because he basically said he would not attend worship (Franklin 145). During this time and age you did not have to go to church to say you were a believer of God. Just like Franklin you could just research stuff about God and still be a believer in him. People were all about the right and wrongs at this time and Benjamin really did not care at all as to what people thought about him which is how he got so far in his life because he did every invention in a unique way. Anyway, the thirteen virtues that Benjamin Franklin wrote up was a big part in striving towards excellence and learning about God. Deism is a great example as to why Benjamin made these up. It helped him along with everyone else with learning about God. It was a good way to strive towards excellence. Also these virtues took Benjamin a long time to think about. Just think that you were trying to start something up like Benjamin did back during his time. He was the first to try this and it took him a long time to try and come up with at least thirteen virtues. Bibliography
Franklin, Benjamin, and Leonard Woods Labaree. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. New Haven: Yale UP, 1964. Print.
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