To the best of my knowledge, there are no established Deist ceremonies. That is not to say that some Deists have never made up their own ceremonies, and conducted them accordingly. But as there is no established authority in Deism, there are no established ceremonies. I would like to make it clear from the start that any and all of the ceremonies discussed are merely suggestions on how Deists who want to have ceremonies, might go about having them.

  It seems the first thing that I should address, is why Deists should have any ceremonies at all? My answer is, that because we live in societies, we want to be able to mark milestone events the same as others do in society. Marriage ceremonies, for instance, are not necessary for two people to live together and have a family. The ceremony is to show society the couple's commitment to each other to do so. Memorial services are not for those who have died, but for those who are grieving the lost.

  So what makes a Deist ceremony any different than any other ceremony? Well first off, Deists don't need a special ordained person to conduct any ceremony. With the exception of marriage, where the states and counties have requirements that the marriage is not official, unless a recognized person conducts a ceremony, there are no lawful reasons that a Deist cannot conduct a memorial service, or conduct a house warming (house blessing in some religions) or have a welcoming ceremony for a newborn. And as far as marriage is concerned, a Deist can get an ordination from the Universal Life Church over the internet and be legal to preside over a marriage ceremony in most states and counties.

(One quick note, double check with the local county officials before using an ordination from the Universal Life Church or any other such organization, to ensure that it is legal those credentials in that county before performing a wedding ceremony. Each county in America has different laws about who can and cannot conduct marriage ceremonies. It might be that you simply have to register before hand. Or in a few cases the Universal Life Church ordination is not recognized. I don't think it is recognized anywhere in Canada. So, check before hand.)

  Another difference with Deist ceremonies, as opposed to those of the revealed religions, is that Deists are not going to be pleading for special favors from God. Any prayers given will be of appreciation and thankfulness for what we already have. Deists don't have to bow their heads or kneel or any of the other token shows of subservience that the other religions seem to take great pride in. We can stand, sit or dance jigs if we want.  There are no wrong ways to conduct Deist ceremonies. As long as we are not asking for special favor from God there is nothing wrong with praying, at least in my opinion.

  The reason we should not ask for special favors, is that it puts us in the mindset that the Big Daddy in the sky is going to do what we ourselves ought to be doing. As best summed up by Ben Franklin, "God helps those that help themselves." We need to recognize that we need to change the things that we can and accept those things that we can't. And hopefully, using our own reasoning skills, know the difference.

  Giving thanks and speeches of appreciation to God, isn't for God. It is for us. As such prayers are offered we can learn to be more content with what we have. This helps us to relieve stress which in turns helps us to think and feel better. It may very well help us to live longer lives. Lives that are more fulfilling and productive. I am all for giving prayers of thanks. But, we as Deists should recognize that not all Deists feel they are necessary and may actually be counterproductive to our emotional well-being. That is fine. However a Deist ceremony is conducted, with or without prayer, those in attendance should just accept that either way is fine. When they are conducting a ceremony, they can do it their way, but they should show reasonable respect and tolerance to other Deists conducting ceremonies in a different way then they would.

  For most Deists, learning is a desirable thing. As such, if you can work some teaching in during a ceremony, many in attendance will appreciate it. It would not necessarily be part of every Deist ceremony, but when it can be worked in, it is my opinion that it should be. For instance, during a memorial service, an explanation of the grieving process might be part of the ceremony. Maybe a little history lesson can be thrown in during other ceremonies. This might take more then just some creativity on the part of the person conducting the ceremony, and the make up of the audience should be considered, but I think it would make for a nice Deist touch.

  It is my hope that the following suggested services and ceremonies helps to bring about a more united and functional Deist community. To bring about that end, again I must stress that these ceremonies are mere suggestions. And that those that have other ideas, please let me know what they are, so that I can include them here.