[allmendream]

What? I’m a liberal because when someone says “I am a Deist” I might actually think words have meaning and that Franklin considered himself a Deist?

I do not need to define the term in order to say that Franklin considered himself a Deist, said he was a Deist, and, according to himself, held a Deist philosophy. I am not free to Define what “Old Ben” meant by Deist, only that according to HIS definition, he was one.

Franklin said he was a thorough Deist. You may disagree with him about his own beliefs if you want, but you don't need me for that particular conversation, try a Ouija Board.

[YHAOS]

Slick Willie doesn’t have a thing on you. You’re very skilful at the practice of the artful dodge. Substance is a different matter. It’s really more that you’re a Liberal because you claim words have meaning, while desperately evading the meaning of those very words for which you claim significance. Combine that with aggressive, but empty, assertiveness and you have classic Liberal behavior. I had hopes for a substantive conversation, but not so, I guess. We’re done here.

[xzins]

Franklin attended the sermons of George Whitefield, a Methodist evangelist whenever he found opportunity.

The “deism” practiced in Revolution era America was a “Judeo-Christian deism” as evidenced by Jefferson’s own translation of the bible.

In short, the deity in question was the Judeo-Christian Deity. It was not Molech of the MidEast, the Sun God of the Aztecs, or the sprites in trees of the animists.