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Pantheists

The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
Is God personal or impersonal?

is God unconscious or conscious (I understand those are meaty words, any suggestions for better words I’d love to hear it)
 

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
Nothing exists outside of God/Brahman/label it how you wish. Including personal/impersonal, conscious/unconscious. So therefor, it would have to be all of those things.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
Theologically, I'm a polytheist (there are many gods) who holds to pantheism (nature/universe and gods are not distinct from one another) and animism (all things are persons/agents or have a spirit/soul/nature).

From this vantage point, I find asking questions about the gods being (im)personal or (un)conscious confusing. As in, I straight up have trouble understanding the question and what's being asked to the point I'm pretty sure the questions just don't apply to how I view the gods. I think in terms of relationships and experiences. So what I believe about the gods is irrelevant compared to the relationships I build, the experiences I have, and the stuff I do.

Does the fact I work personally and directly with the world around me (aka, the gods) mean the gods are "personal" or something? I don't know, I don't really understand what that means. Or why it would matter.
Does the fact I interact with the world around me (aka, the gods) in the here and now mean the gods are "conscious" or something? Also, I don't know, don't really understand what that means, or why it would matter. The gods are, I experience them, I relate to them, I honor them. Sometimes, I think humans make some of this stuff more complicated than it needs to be. Just experience stuff and do stuff.
 

Exaltist Ethan

Bridging the Gap Between Believers and Skeptics
What is Omega Point?

A term coined by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. The point of maximum complexity and expansion of the human condition, a point which The Omniverse reaches ultimate nature status, and humans reach ultimate humanity status. A point in which nature becomes human and human becomes nature. If you want to know more, and get a more thorough explanation, click here.
 

Hermit Philosopher

Selflessly here for you
Is God personal or impersonal? is God unconscious or conscious (I understand those are meaty words, any suggestions for better words I’d love to hear it)

I’d say that faith and one’s relation to God is personal, but that God Itself is not.

I’d say that God is conscious through Man.

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Humbly,
Hermit
 

George-ananda

Advaita Vedanta, Theosophy, Spiritualism
Premium Member
Is God personal or impersonal?

is God unconscious or conscious (I understand those are meaty words, any suggestions for better words I’d love to hear it)
You are right in that the wording of the question is challenging.

As a nondualist (God/Brahman and creation are not-two) I would say the question implies a duality (God and others to be personal or impersonal with).

If there is only One Brahman/Source can we call that personal or impersonal?
 

George-ananda

Advaita Vedanta, Theosophy, Spiritualism
Premium Member
Brahman is playing with Himself (itself), but is he getting pleasure and does he know what he is doing? :p
My understanding is that in His creative aspect He creates a play/drama where in Act I He separates Himself from Himself and in Act II He returns Himself to Himself.

Why? Why do humans create art/plays/dramas for no practical reason: TO EXPERIENCE.
 

The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
My understanding is that in His creative aspect He creates a play/drama where in Act I He separates Himself from Himself and in Act II He returns Himself to Himself.

Why? Why do humans create art/plays/dramas for no practical reason: TO EXPERIENCE.
So there was intent initially. And you believe this play has meaning?
 

The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
Nothing exists outside of God/Brahman/label it how you wish. Including personal/impersonal, conscious/unconscious. So therefor, it would have to be all of those things.
What is your opinion of praying to Brahman and trying to form a relationship with it/him?
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
Is God personal or impersonal?
I tend to lean towards the latter, as why would God make Planet Earth and not create life on it for around 2 billion years?

Thus, I tend to drift more into the pantheistic/panentheistic camps, but then what do I know? :shrug:
 

The Sum of Awe

Brought to you by the moment that spacetime began.
I tend to lean towards the latter, as why would God make Planet Earth and not create life on it for around 2 billion years?

Thus, I tend to drift more into the pantheistic/panentheistic camps, but then what do I know? :shrug:
Fair question. But is it necessary for humans to be at the center of the universe for God to be personal?
 
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