I've often thought that deists are just atheists who are afraid to admit that they are indeed atheists and just hang onto the god belief because of societal pressures. I mean really, what's the difference between a god which never answers prayers and never interferes with the workings of the universe, and a god which doesn't exist? Not much in my opinion.
Christian apologetics is the art of rolling a dog turd in sugar and selling it as a donut.