What is Pantheism?

[Daviso452]

I've researched pantheism, but still do not quite understand it. I was hoping to have a pantheist describe what it is they believe.

From what I've seen, pantheism believes that nature and God are the same. Does that mean that God is synonomus with nature and thus abides by the rules of reality? Or that the universe itself is conscious and does as it pleases?

Also I see a lot of the use of the world "unity." I keep seing that "all things are united" or something like that. United how? Spiritually? What does that mean? What is the difference from everything being united and not?

Thanks

 

[Quintessence]

The answers will vary depending on the pantheist, honestly.

I tend to use "deity" more like an adjective. It's an adjective that describes the quality of something being awe-inspiring, beautiful, magical, sacred, and/or worthy of honor, respect, worship... that sort of thing. I find few things that qualify for this adjective more than the universe itself.

For the strictly naturalistic/scientific pantheist, deity would indeed be synonymous with nature and abide by all of its observed laws. Some may also view the universe/deity as having a sort of "consciousness" in a loose sense of the term. The talk of "unity" is possibly related to how the universe as we know it operates as a whole whose sum is greater than its parts. It's a gestalt that can't be considered from a purely reductionistic standpoint without missing something. This understanding doesn't have to be "spiritual" (whatever that word means... often it's meaning is nebulous).

 

[A-ManESL]

Also I see a lot of the use of the world "unity." I keep seing that "all things are united" or something like that. United how? Spiritually? What does that mean? What is the difference from everything being united and not?

All things have devolved from the same cosmic divinity in essence. They appear different to us because the degree of various attributes they have imbibed from the All-Reality differs in proportion from one thing to another. For example all numbers are made up of sums of one, and their different properties (6 is a perfect number, 7 is a prime number etc) are because they contain 1 in different amounts (6 contains six ones, 7 contains seven ones). In truth, these attributes don't matter as they are only reflections of the divine One. What matters is the One Unity of everything in existence. (wahdat-e-wujood).

Moreover all things have a natural tendency to evolve back to their Source i.e. reach the same divine plane from which they descended in the first place. This urge is hidden inside man's nature and man has the ability to translate this urge in action if he so wishes. By subordinating/killing his superficial desires (which are also part of the divine plane but by way of contrast) he can achieve this Godliness.

Rumi says,

I died as a mineral and became a plant,
I died as plant and rose to animal,
I died as animal and I was Man.
Why should I fear? When was I less by dying?
Yet once more I shall die as Man, to soar
With angels blest; but even from angelhood
I must pass on: all except God doth perish.
When I have sacrificed my angel-soul,
I shall become what no mind e'er conceived.
Oh, let me not exist! for Non-existence
Proclaims in organ tones, 'To Him we shall return.'

Here each degree of dying actually represents a stage in a person coming closer to the "Unity in actual" as opposed to the "Unity while having attributes".

Regards

 

[idav]

I've researched pantheism, but still do not quite understand it. I was hoping to have a pantheist describe what it is they believe.

From what I've seen, pantheism believes that nature and God are the same. Does that mean that God is synonomus with nature and thus abides by the rules of reality? Or that the universe itself is conscious and does as it pleases?

Also I see a lot of the use of the world "unity." I keep seing that "all things are united" or something like that. United how? Spiritually? What does that mean? What is the difference from everything being united and not?

Thanks

Pantheism is 'all' is god but there are various ways of describing nature. There are various forms of pantheism and they deal with the issue of physical and spiritual in different ways from being just physical, spiritual or both. All things come from the same source so there is a unity in some way, a connection.

 

[bigbadgirl]

Pantheism is the belief that the Universe, Nature, and God are one and the same. Not hard to understand.

 

[Daviso452]

but then what makes it different from naturalism? If God and nature are the same, is the god part even relevant?

 

[Willamena]

but then what makes it different from naturalism? If God and nature are the same, is the god part even relevant?

"Unity" makes it different. Naturalism says that only things that can be explored by science exist. Pantheism says, "Here's a rock. I am this rock." Not much use for investigation there.

 

[Daviso452]

"Unity" makes it different. Naturalism says that only things that can be explored by science exist. Pantheism says, "Here's a rock. I am this rock." Not much use for investigation there.

I don't see how they are exclusive. You may be connected to the rock, but it is still material nontheless.

 

[Quintessence]

but then what makes it different from naturalism? If God and nature are the same, is the god part even relevant?

Because using the word "god/goddess/deity" denotes a degree of sacredness, honor, and reverence that is not present in simple naturalism. Put another way, the universe to a pantheist holds the same status as deity in other religious paths. This is not necessarily the case for a simple naturalist.

 

[St Giordano Bruno]

Just atheism for nature lovers and I am happy to wear that label. I don't believe in God as a sentient conscious entity but just the laws and principles which created the universe and if it turns out the universe created itself without any conscious intent or plan (which I subscribe to) then so be it.

 

[Quintessence]

Not all pantheists consider them atheists. I for one refuse to allow the supernaturalists to shackle the concept of "deity" to such narrow confines.