Theism and Deism

What do you think the main difference is between Theism and Deism?

Technically, deism is a form of theism that holds there is no divine intervention in the natural universe, while theism's main tenet is that God is a personal God. But convention has deism as something separate from theism--probably so the other theists can deride it for making sense.

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Technically, deism is a form of theism that holds there is no divine intervention in the natural universe

That's what I would think but I don't know all the greek origins of the words.

But I would say my view of deism is closely rated to theism in that I posit a God, just one that doesn't abrogate the natural laws of the universe.

Theist: One who has blind faith in revealed religion.

Deist: One who has a reasonable faith in natural religion.

The Paineful Truth wrote:

Technically, deism is a form of theism that holds there is no divine intervention in the natural universe, while theism's main tenet is that God is a personal God. But convention has deism as something separate from theism--probably so the other theists can deride it for making sense.

I have to disagree. I think Deism is different from Theism just as Christianity is different from Judaism. One came from the other but has evolved to the point it can no longer be thought of as a form of the other.

Theism is a belief in God based on revelation. Deism is a belief in God based on reason. In other words Theists believe in God because someone else told them to and Deists believe in God because they figured it out for themselves. However, some Deists may come to the conclusion that some traditional religion is true and so consider themselves Christian or Buddhist or whatever. They are adherents to a religion but not because they were told it was true they just examined the evidence available to them and became convinced it was right. As a hardcore evolutionist I hate to admit it but many IDer's could be considered Deists for that reason.

So Deism can be Theistic, or like Theism, in some cases because many Deists believe God purposely created the world and so hold that God can intervene in the world but chooses not to. But it can also be A-theistic, or like Atheism, in that some (including me) think that while the universe is contingent on God it was not purposely created by God. Atheistic Deists believe the cosmos is instead an epiphenomenon, or unintentional byproduct of a God that has no powers of intervention.

It is a fine distinction but being like something in some respects is not the same as being that thing.

P.S. I have posted what I mean by the world being an epiphenomenon of God here: https://panendeism.forumotion.com/deism-f4/the-non-creator-god-t273.htm#2529