Pantheism (ritual, mysticism, tradition, blood, choices)

[Green Gaia]

Pantheism, simply stated, means "God is All" and "All is God". It is the view that everything is of an all encompassing God. More detailed definitions tend to emphasize the idea that natural law, existence and/or the universe (the sum total of all that is was and shall be) is personified in the theological principle of 'God.'

One way to describe certain interpretations of pantheism is to say "you are to God, as an individual blood cell in your vein is to you." While a cell may be aware of its own environs, and even has some choices (freewill) between right and wrong (killing a bacteria, becoming malignant, or perhaps just doing nothing, among countless others) it likely has little conception of the greater being of which it is a part. Another way to understand this relationship is the Hindu concept of atman. It is important to note that not all interpretations of pantheism would find this analogy meaningful; for that matter, not even all pantheists believe in free will. This is indicative of the wide diversity of pantheist belief.

Pantheistic religions

Hinduism
Within Hinduism (also called Sanatana Dharma) a variety of lesser gods are seen as aspects of the one God, Brahman (not Brahma). Brahman is the ultimate, both transcendent and immanent the absolute infinite existence, the sum total of all that ever is, was, or ever shall be. Vedanta is a branch of Hindu philosophy which gives this matter a greater focus. Yoga is the primary focus in many ways of a Hindu's religious activities, being somewhere between meditation, prayer and healthful exercise. Some of the Hindu gods include Brahma, Devi, Vishnu, and Siva. Most of its adherents are monists, seeing multiple manifestations of the one God or source of being, which is often confused by non-Hindus as being polytheism. It is seen as one unity, with the lesser gods aspects of the one, like many colors of the same prism, and seen by some as valid to worship. Many even believe they may be able to bring worshippers closer to Moksha, end of the cycle of rebirth. Some sects of Hinduism believe in a monotheistic ideal of Krishna, or Vishnu or Shiva, but Brahman is more often seen as the one God, with all other gods emanating therefrom. With all Hindus, there is a strong belief in all paths/true religions leading to One God.

Kabbalah
The Kabbalah, in Jewish mysticism, paints a pantheistic/panentheistic view of God; which has wide acceptance in Hasidic Judaism, particularly from their founder Baal Shem Tov.

Other religions
It is also the view of the Liberal Catholic Church, Theosophy, Cosmotheism, some Buddhists, Taoism, Process theology and a Christian movement known as Creation Spirituality, along with many varying denomantions and individuals within denominations.

Ideas of pantheism
Pantheism is often considered to be tautology by atheists, since it appears to many of them to do little more than re-define the word "God" to mean "world" or "universe." However, there is no significant agreement that making "God" synonymous with "universe" must necessarily make either term any less meaningful. Pantheists maintain that such an arrangement serves to create both a new and a potentially far more insightful conception of both of these terms. One method of explaining this is called the "Absolute Infinite."

Perhaps the most significant debate within the pantheistic community is as to the nature of God. Classical pantheism believes in a personal, conscious, and omniscient deity, and see this deity as uniting all true religions. Others, such as Naturalistic Pantheism, believe in an unconscious, non-sentient universe, which, while being holy and beautiful, is seen as being a God in a non-traditional and impersonal sense. Finally, some in the United States (see Cosmotheism) have bought the ideas of a hierarchical religious community and worldview, as well as some other more controversial political views (white separatism) of Dr. William Pierce.

The viewpoints encompassed within the pantheistic community are necessarily diverse, but the central ideas of the universe being an all-encompassing unity, a common purpose, and the sanctity of both nature and its natural laws are found throughout. One interesting area is the distinction with Panentheism. While technically the two are separate, based on a subtlety wherein Pantheism finds God synonymous with nature, and Panentheism finds God to be greater than nature alone, many find this distinction unhelpful, and most of the major faiths described as Pantheistic could also be described as Panentheistic.

Quotations
A religion old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the universe as revealed by modern science, might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths. Sooner or later, such a religion will emerge. —Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot (1994)

To me, nature is sacred. Trees are my temples and forests are my cathedrals. — Mikhail Gorbachev

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org

[Jayhawker Soule]

I prefer Pantheism.

[Rex]

Would this more or less be God is Almighty yet not All powerful?

[lilithu]

Hinduism
Within Hinduism (also called Sanatana Dharma) a variety of lesser gods are seen as aspects of the one God, Brahman (not Brahma). Brahman is the ultimate, both transcendent and immanent the absolute infinite existence, the sum total of all that ever is, was, or ever shall be. Vedanta is a branch of Hindu philosophy which gives this matter a greater focus. Yoga is the primary focus in many ways of a Hindu's religious activities, being somewhere between meditation, prayer and healthful exercise. Some of the Hindu gods include Brahma, Devi, Vishnu, and Siva. Most of its adherents are monists, seeing multiple manifestations of the one God or source of being, which is often confused by non-Hindus as being polytheism. It is seen as one unity, with the lesser gods aspects of the one, like many colors of the same prism, and seen by some as valid to worship. Many even believe they may be able to bring worshippers closer to Moksha, end of the cycle of rebirth. Some sects of Hinduism believe in a monotheistic ideal of Krishna, or Vishnu or Shiva, but Brahman is more often seen as the one God, with all other gods emanating therefrom. With all Hindus, there is a strong belief in all paths/true religions leading to One God.

From what I understand of Hinduism, the many lesser gods (devas) are not all aspects of the One God. The Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are aspects of the One God, and they in turn have their female counterparts who are the power principle (shakti) of each aspect/god. But there are all sorts of other devas running around, like Agni the god of fire, who are not aspects of God any more or less than we are. They exist as beings, just as we do, but they happen to have abilities that we don't. Since Hinduism is monist, one could indeed argue that all these devas are just emanations from the One God, but then that is true for us as well - devas, humans, animals...

Krishna is an avatar of Vishnu, not a separate god. And I don't believe that either Shivites or Vishnuites believe that their god is the one God. They do not deny the existence of the other gods. Their god is the god that they choose to follow. Brahman, or Param-Atman, is the One God.

I've heard Hinduism described as polytheistic, monotheistic, and henotheistic. It seems to defy categorization.

Kabbalah
The Kabbalah, in Jewish mysticism, paints a pantheistic/panentheistic view of God; which has wide acceptance in Hasidic Judaism, particularly from their founder Baal Shem Tov.

I don't know that much about Kabbalah, but I know that it is panentheistic, not pantheistic. And the two terms cannot be used interchangeably. And actually, I would argue that Hinduism is panentheistic too.

[ayani]

i have a question- is there a name for the belief that God is with or present in everything, including actions (like cooking, singing) and social constructs (ceremonies, etc.) as well as the natural world? or would this also be called panentheism?

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by gracie

i have a question- is there a name for the belief that God is with or present in everything, including actions (like cooking, singing) and social constructs (ceremonies, etc.) as well as the natural world? or would this also be called panentheism?

I think that could be either pantheism or panentheism (tho I favor the latter). Either way, you're emphasizing the immanence of God.

[ayani]

thank you, lilith!

[anami]

Originally Posted by Maize

Pantheism, simply stated, means "God is All" and "All is God". It is the view that everything is of an all encompassing God. More detailed definitions tend to emphasize the idea that natural law, existence and/or the universe (the sum total of all that is was and shall be) is personified in the theological principle of 'God.'

Pan - As in to pan all, cover and include all.
Theism - Faith or faiths.

This is a belief that all religions hold equal footing and are all acurate languages by which to speak to the divine, which is not God but the thing that is personified into all of the God variations created by religions by which to understand it.

The divine is a reference to the collection of all of the quantum particles in all of existence, existing in a wave against the backdrop of absouloutly nothing, as everything is in the wave. As we are a small facet of this in our collection of particles, as are all of our particles are the same thing as everything else in the collective whole.

Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org

i have noticed a striking amount of bad information on wikipedia. Too bad, it's a cute name.

If you want information about pantheism, ask a pantheist.
That article was so far off it would be easier to start from scratch than try to deconstruct that into actual patheological views.

Maize, did you want to know about panthiesm?

[lilithu]

Originally Posted by anami

Pan - As in to pan all, cover and include all.
Theism - Faith or faiths.

This is a belief that all religions hold equal footing and are all acurate languages by which to speak to the divine, which is not God but the thing that is personified into all of the God variations created by religions by which to understand it.

'pan' is "all."
'theism' is "belief in god(s)," not faith or faiths.

'the' as in theos, or god.
'ism' can refer to many things but in this case refers to doctrine or belief.

Pantheism can either mean a belief that god is all, or a belief in all gods. I have never heard the definition that you give. Tho I suppose it can be related to the second meaning. Interesting, but not the standard meaning of the word.