Evidence

[The Sum of Awe]

Can Pantheism ever be proven? As in, can it be proven that the universe is God or vice versa? Certainly we can prove the universe exists (in some way or another), but can we prove the divinity found in it?

As a pantheist, I feel that it's not possible to prove pantheism, for the simple fact that the title "god" has no workable definition, the word itself is useless; it can match anything and at the same time it matches nothing.

What does the word 'god' mean to you? Why do you apply it to the universe?

 

[Quintessence]

Here's an informal logical argument for you that I don't think I've ever really thrown out on the forums much because I don't care about debating such things:

Premise
Grant that "god(s)" is a word used to describe that which a person or culture deems worthy of worship.

Argument
In this sense, the word "god(s)" can be understood as an adjective that refers to a quality of something.

In experiencing the territory that is reality, humans can and will use adjectives to describe it that are in keeping with those experiences.

If a person experiences something in the territory that they feel is worthy of worship, that thing, for that person, may be appropriately called god(s).

-*-*-*-

For me, it really is that simple. Asking for "proof" of god(s) is absurd. You do not "prove" definitions, you either agree with them or you don't, and then you either agree with their application to something or you don't.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

For me, it really is that simple. Asking for "proof" of god(s) is absurd. You do not "prove" definitions, you either agree with them or you don't, and then you either agree with their application to something or you don't.

Amen to that!

 

[Treks]

If I've understood correctly then, you're saying "God(s)" is an adjective. I think I like that idea.

 

[Quintessence]

If I've understood correctly then, you're saying "God(s)" is an adjective. I think I like that idea.

That's how I've come to understand it in an attempt to have a culturally-neutral understanding of the term "god(s)."

I appreciate that this understanding will not work for everybody, however. There seems to be a tendency to want to understand god(s) as a noun, rather than an adjective. All of this gets complicated too depending on how a person conceptualizes reality.

 

[Treks]

Although I get what you're saying on an intuitive level, the intellectual part wants to know what the adjective "god(s)" is describing?

An adjective is used to describe a thing, the thing usually has a name and the name is the noun.

I think this is the same thought process that most people would get stuck on.

 

[idav]

Can Pantheism ever be proven? As in, can it be proven that the universe is God or vice versa? Certainly we can prove the universe exists (in some way or another), but can we prove the divinity found in it?

As a pantheist, I feel that it's not possible to prove pantheism, for the simple fact that the title "god" has no workable definition, the word itself is useless; it can match anything and at the same time it matches nothing.

What does the word 'god' mean to you? Why do you apply it to the universe?

The God, has to be the source of all of existence, whether the universe is a creation or an emergence of life and energy, either works. I am sure we don't have to prove there is a source for everything, just how to label such a thing, many names, 'God' works for me.

Now proving that whatever started everything is the universe, I think is pretty much a known. We are simply the energy that began all this. Probably why pantheists and panentheists agree with at least that much. An outside creator entity is what can't be proven.