What is your view of Pantheism?

Question

Do you think it's logical? Do you think it's completely ridiculous?

And if you're a Pantheist, what is the extent of your belief? Is it simply that God is the Universe itself, and/or God is not a conscious being, and/or that we should Worship nature?

Answer 1

I think that there are unknown forces in nature that all work as part of something larger (what I call God). I'm not sure whether it is concious or not, or does anything deliberately- I'm pretty open-minded about that. But either way, the power of nature (natural order of the universe, etc) is amazing.

I don't think whatever it is needs us to worship it either way. I think it's a matter of finding our place as part of it.

Answer 2

I fall into the "All Gods are One God" category, which may be considered Pantheist.

I believe there is a Higher Power that is beyond our comprehension, beyond gender and consciousness as we know it, and which is both immanent and transcendent (a part of the Universe and beyond it).

I believe that the various Gods of the world's mythologies and religions are Man's attempts to understand and relate to this Higher Power - the forms that the Gods take are less an indication of the true nature of the Divine, and more a reflection of the social and environmental surroundings of the culture that worshipped them.

As for the common misconception that I might "worship the Creation and not the Creator" - wrong. I believe that the energy of the Divine is found in all things (transcendent AND immanent, remember?), so while I honor the Divine Energy found in the trees and grass and animals, that does not mean that I believe that the trees and grass and animals are Gods. I honor the presence of the Divine in my co-workers, but I sure don't think that they're Gods, either.

Answer 3

I am a pantheist and an atheist. It is called scientific pantheism. Here's a link...

http://www.pantheism.net/paul/

My view is that the universe is an amazing and wonderous place. I am filled with awe and amazement. But I do not believe in a creator god, or even the universe as a "god." It is a reverence for what lives... not a worship of anything.

Answer 4

I'm a naturalistic pantheist which means that "I believe in God/dess but spell it N-A-T-U-R-E." It is sort of like a nontheistic and rational "pagan". It's paganism for the 21st century and is even more earth-centered than "mainstream" paganism which focuses on magic. It is very eco-centered and Green in focus. And, yes, I am an atheist as well. Atheist describes what I do not believe in, while pantheist describes what I do believe in.

Knowing of the interdependence of nature (food cycle, etc.) as well as the interdependence of actions (ancestors' past actions affect my current circumstances and my actions will affect the circumstances of my descendents) fills me with a sense of gratefulness which I demonstrate both through my actions as well as concrete actions of respect and honor.

We celebrate the solstices and equinoxes. Some of us even do rituals - for myself I have developed offeratory rituals to honor Nature and the ancestors, Sacred Meal ritual, and chanting and meditation practices. These are available in the files section of the public pantheist groups here on Yahoo and on Beliefnet. These rituals are to revere (show honor and respect), not to "worship".

Check the links below for more information on pantheism:

Answer 5

I have no problem with pantheism... I used to be somewhat pantheistic in my beliefs, however I realized that the only reason I was pantheistic was because I was too lazy to learn about individual gods and goddesses. So now I'm a happy polytheist.

Answer 6

The belief that the universe and god are one and the same: god has no existence independent of the universe, and therefore cannot be its creator. The universe was created by a process just as God (assuming there is one) was created by sentient beings withing said universe to answer the unanswered questions that science and philosophy haven't adequately answered. PEACE & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Answer 7

I'm pantheist. I look at the universe rather like a living organism. Each atom, each molecule, each rock, plant, animal, planet and star make up the All. We are a part of It and are It, just as our cells are a part of us, and *are* us. But just as what makes us a conscious individual is not entirely dependent upon our cells (after all, most injuries don't alter *us* unless they are brain injuries), neither is the All entirely dependent upon us.

I do not believe we should worship anything. Revere yes, but worship no.

Answer 8

If God is everywhere & everything, then isn't that the same thing as saying God is nowhere and nothing? If there is nothing that is not God, then we know of no ungodly events, objects or spaces.

If the universe is conscious, then it's not very wise. And if it is wise, then it is not very good. And if it is good, then it is not very powerful. And if it is not very powerful, why are we talking about worshiping it?

Answer 9

I think it's a cop-out that some atheists use to avoid the stigma of the word "atheist." Typically someone who says god is everywhere and in everything is judges less harshly by Christians than someone who says god simply does not exist.

It can also be a transition state between thesim and atheism. Religion teaches that professing that there is no god is punishable by an eternity of torture in hell, so you can imagine that it is difficult for a recovering believer to admit to being an atheist.

Answer 10

I don't think it's any more ridiculous than many other kinds of explanations. It seems to makes sense to a degree.