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[[User:Prometheus6289|Prometheus6289]], it depends on what definition of ''deism'' you use. It turns out to be more complicated than I thought. Until a few weeks ago I would have said Franklin was a deist, period, end of story. But one dictionary definition says

[[User:Prometheus6289|Prometheus6289]], it depends on what definition of ''deism'' you use. It turns out to be more complicated than I thought. Until a few weeks ago I would have said Franklin was a deist, period, end of story. But one dictionary definition says

:The belief, based solely on reason, in a God who created the universe and then abandoned it, assuming no control over life, exerting no influence on natural phenomena, and giving no supernatural revelation.[http://www.bartleby.com/61/44/D0104400.html]

:The belief, based solely on reason, in a God who created the universe and then abandoned it, assuming no control over life, exerting no influence on natural phenomena, and giving no supernatural revelation.[http://www.bartleby.com/61/44/D0104400.html]

Now, one may argue that that's not the right definition of deism, but it's certainly ''a'' definition, and by that definition Franklin was not a deist in his adult years.  If you read [[Benjamin Franklin#Franklin's "Creed"|Franklin's "Creed"]], he certainly believes in a God who intervenes in the affairs of men ("governs [the Universe] by Providence"). His views sound to me more like those of a modern Unitarian than that particular dictionary definition of deism. [[User:Dpbsmith|Dpbsmith]] 20:43, 21 February 2007 (EST)

Now, one may argue that that's not the right definition of deism, but it's certainly ''a'' definition, and by that definition Franklin was not a deist in his adult years.  If you read [[Benjamin Franklin#Franklin's "Creed"|Franklin's "Creed"]], he certainly believes in a God who intervenes in the affairs of men ("governs [the Universe] by Providence"). Franklin ''clearly'' advocated what might be called "generic religion." Nonsectarian public prayer to open official meetings and that sort of thing. His views sound to me more like those of a modern Unitarian than that particular dictionary definition of deism. [[User:Dpbsmith|Dpbsmith]] 20:43, 21 February 2007 (EST)