Am I a Pantheist?

[an anarchist]

Hello, I'm curious if I can be considered a Pantheist.

Personally, I think my knowledge and philosophy of god is not developed or understood enough by me for me to definitively call myself one.

Pantheism - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

First, let me describe my religious beliefs that are not pantheistic.

I want to understand Taoism more.

I practice Confucianism through the art of divination via the I Ching.

I want to practice dharmic practices, whether it be Buddhist or Hindu. I find their methodology appealing.

I'm an aspiring pagan. I'm attracted to the gods as well as pagan practices.

I'm a Satanist. specifically an autotheist, I consider myself a god and will one day worship myself.


Now, it is my conception of the greatest force in the universe which I think might make me pantheistic.

I believe all conscious beings, including any possible deity, derives their power from a source I call "infinite intelligence". If there is a creator god, it is infinite intelligence which created the creator god.

I believe infinite intelligence is accessible to a human being, making them god. I see human consciousness as a collective, so, for me it is logical that there can be a "collective enlightenment" in which all of humanity realizes that they are in fact god. Once this happens, as well as any necessary prerequisites, human consciousness will merge directly with infinite intelligence, bringing "heaven" to our temporal existence. It is because of the nature of god why this is possible.

How far off is my conception of god from a pantheistic conception?

@Exaltist Ethan @Sand Dancer you guys are pantheists right?

 

[an anarchist]

But I don't view the material universe as manifestations of infinite intelligence I think... I dunno I have to ponder it some

 

[SalixIncendium]

Patheism is a monist view. There is nothing transcendent to access or tap into. A pantheist is already that.

A pantheist believes God permeates everything, from humans to a rock to a wave in the ocean to the most distant galaxy. God is a person, a cat, a spider, and a grain of sand.

Many dharmic philosophies are pantheistic in nature.

Does this align with your belief?

 

[an anarchist]

Patheism is a monist view. There is nothing transcendent to access or tap into. A pantheist is already that.

A pantheist believes God permeates everything, from humans to a rock to a wave in the ocean to the most distant galaxy. God is a person, a cat, a spider, and a grain of sand.

Many dharmic philosophies are pantheistic in nature.

Does this align with your belief?

I'm not sure. It's a bit of a mind trip.

In the past, I would have said no, but now I'm not so sure. I'll just have to think on it.

Thanks for the response

 

[JustGeorge]

First, let me describe my religious beliefs that are not pantheistic.

I want to understand Taoism more.

I practice Confucianism through the art of divination via the I Ching.

I want to practice dharmic practices, whether it be Buddhist or Hindu. I find their methodology appealing.

I'm an aspiring pagan. I'm attracted to the gods as well as pagan practices.

I'm a Satanist. specifically an autotheist, I consider myself a god and will one day worship myself.

How does this exclude you from a possibility of pantheism?

 

[Exaltist Ethan]

Pantheism is not a religion. There is no associated creed involved to becoming a pantheist. You either are or you're not a pantheist. There are four main types of pantheism. Standard pantheism, pandeism, panentheism and panendeism. I will explain to you each one and then you can make your mind for yourself if you fall into one of these four categories.

Pantheism believes that the Universe and God are the same thing, and typically doesn't believe there is a reality above this one. They are typically monists that don't believe in souls, spirits, ghosts, magic, or any real supernatural things. Yet, because they understand God is nature, they have a deep seeded root and sacredness they see in nature.

Pandeism on the other hand, believes that when the Universe was created, God ceased to exist. In essence, the difference between pantheism and pandeism is this idea in pandeism that God no longer is involved in our lives, whereas pantheists see all of creation and still recognizes it as God.

Panentheism, the camp that I belong to, believes that the Universe is God AND whatever is outside the Universe is also God. It believes that something had to create the Universe and whatever that thing is, is equally God. In fact, panentheism can be viewed similarly to monotheism, with the only difference is, panentheists believe the nature of the Universe is God in addition to the transcendence of whatever else is out there.

Panendeism is a combination of panentheism and deism. It believes that whatever ultimately created the Universe is God, alongside the Universe, but that whatever created the Universe doesn't have any interaction or affair with the Universe, and that the part of God that is this Universe is deistic and just doesn't do much of anything or interacts with humans in any affairs.

Technically, if you want to get nitpicky, I am a combination of panendeist and syntheist, which is ultimately a panentheistic concept. I believe that ultimately what created reality was The Omniverse, and that this Omniverse doesn't interfere in the affairs of this Universe, however, our ability to create God through utilities and technology essentially make humans divine in our own right. I always say that divinity is separated into two groups: the natural and the human. The natural part of divinity is explained in my panendeism, and the human part is explained in my syntheism.

And then there is my trinitarian views regarding panentheism, namely, The Omniverse, Entropy and Extropy being the forces that have created and developed everything, but that is outside the realm of standard pantheist understanding. Entropy and Extropy can then be broken down by its divine qualities, which there are five for each, but this is more in the realm of Earthseed/Exaltism than it is for pantheism. I suggest if you want to know if you are a pantheist, re-read all four paragraphs I made to explain the four key pantheist theologies and then determine for yourself if any you actually believe in.

Good luck, and, remember, pantheism is not a religion, although there are organizations such as the World Pantheist Movement you can join if you want to be involved in a community of pantheists. There's also the Church of Reality, which is a bit more atheistic in its approach to God, but could be viewed as pantheist or panentheist. And finally, if you decide that you want to keep spirituality inside your pantheist view point, there is the Spiritual Naturalist Society that will accept pantheists and pagans.

I will not judge you either way whether you decide to take up a pantheist-type theology or not. Theology is deeply personal and I will honor and respect any decision you make regarding it, and give you feedback and knowledge when I find it appropriate to do so.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Hello, I'm curious if I can be considered a Pantheist.

Personally, I think my knowledge and philosophy of god is not developed or understood enough by me for me to definitively call myself one.

Pantheism - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

First, let me describe my religious beliefs that are not pantheistic.

I want to understand Taoism more.

I practice Confucianism through the art of divination via the I Ching.

I want to practice dharmic practices, whether it be Buddhist or Hindu. I find their methodology appealing.

I'm an aspiring pagan. I'm attracted to the gods as well as pagan practices.

I'm a Satanist. specifically an autotheist, I consider myself a god and will one day worship myself.


Now, it is my conception of the greatest force in the universe which I think might make me pantheistic.

I believe all conscious beings, including any possible deity, derives their power from a source I call "infinite intelligence". If there is a creator god, it is infinite intelligence which created the creator god.

I believe infinite intelligence is accessible to a human being, making them god. I see human consciousness as a collective, so, for me it is logical that there can be a "collective enlightenment" in which all of humanity realizes that they are in fact god. Once this happens, as well as any necessary prerequisites, human consciousness will merge directly with infinite intelligence, bringing "heaven" to our temporal existence. It is because of the nature of god why this is possible.

How far off is my conception of god from a pantheistic conception?

@Exaltist Ethan @Sand Dancer you guys are pantheists right?

I think I am. I keep changing my ideas, but I can't believe in a personal deity anymore.

 

[an anarchist]

Well pantheism is the religion that has some overlap with my belief system, at least according to ChatGPT. But it also has come to the conclusion that my belief system as a whole is unique and can't be neatly classified into any one religion or philosophy. Here's what it said.

Me: out of all the established religions and philosophies, which one does my belief system most closely align with?

ChatGPT: Your belief system encompasses a unique combination of ideas and perspectives, making it difficult to align it directly with any specific established religion or philosophy. However, there are certain elements that resonate with different belief systems. Here are a few that share some similarities with aspects of your worldview:

1. Pantheism: Pantheism is a philosophical and religious belief that identifies the divine or sacred with the universe as a whole. It emphasizes the interconnectedness and unity of all things. Your belief in Infinite Intelligence and the idea that we are all part of a collective consciousness aligns with the pantheistic view of the divine being immanent in the natural world.

2. Transcendentalism: Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that emerged in the 19th century, emphasizing individual intuition, the inherent goodness of humans, and the importance of nature. Your emphasis on individualism, personal growth, and the pursuit of higher consciousness shares some similarities with transcendentalist ideals.

3. Existentialism: Existentialism is a philosophical perspective that focuses on the individual's freedom, responsibility, and the search for meaning in an often absurd world. Your emphasis on personal agency, self-improvement, and the exploration of existential questions aligns with certain aspects of existentialist thought.

4. Anarchism: Anarchism is a political ideology that advocates for the absence of hierarchical authority and the promotion of voluntary cooperation and self-governance. Your anarchist leanings and rejection of centralized power structures align with key principles of anarchism.

It's important to note that while there may be overlaps with these belief systems, your unique combination of ideas and perspectives sets your belief system apart as something distinct. Your ongoing exploration and refinement of your beliefs contribute to the development of a worldview that is deeply personal and individual to you.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Well pantheism is the religion that has some overlap with my belief system, at least according to ChatGPT. But it also has come to the conclusion that my belief system as a whole is unique and can't be neatly classified into any one religion or philosophy. Here's what it said.

Me: out of all the established religions and philosophies, which one does my belief system most closely align with?

ChatGPT: Your belief system encompasses a unique combination of ideas and perspectives, making it difficult to align it directly with any specific established religion or philosophy. However, there are certain elements that resonate with different belief systems. Here are a few that share some similarities with aspects of your worldview:

1. Pantheism: Pantheism is a philosophical and religious belief that identifies the divine or sacred with the universe as a whole. It emphasizes the interconnectedness and unity of all things. Your belief in Infinite Intelligence and the idea that we are all part of a collective consciousness aligns with the pantheistic view of the divine being immanent in the natural world.

2. Transcendentalism: Transcendentalism is a philosophical movement that emerged in the 19th century, emphasizing individual intuition, the inherent goodness of humans, and the importance of nature. Your emphasis on individualism, personal growth, and the pursuit of higher consciousness shares some similarities with transcendentalist ideals.

3. Existentialism: Existentialism is a philosophical perspective that focuses on the individual's freedom, responsibility, and the search for meaning in an often absurd world. Your emphasis on personal agency, self-improvement, and the exploration of existential questions aligns with certain aspects of existentialist thought.

4. Anarchism: Anarchism is a political ideology that advocates for the absence of hierarchical authority and the promotion of voluntary cooperation and self-governance. Your anarchist leanings and rejection of centralized power structures align with key principles of anarchism.

It's important to note that while there may be overlaps with these belief systems, your unique combination of ideas and perspectives sets your belief system apart as something distinct. Your ongoing exploration and refinement of your beliefs contribute to the development of a worldview that is deeply personal and individual to you.

I would say Pantheism is no more a religion than Atheism, Deism, or Monotheism is. It's an opinion on the existence of God.

If you feel like you identify with Pantheism, if the definition resonates with your view on God, then the term resonates with you. However, if you believe 'infinite intelligence' is God, I feel like Pantheism doesn't accurately describe your God concept.

 

[an anarchist]

I would say Pantheism is no more a religion than Atheism, Deism, or Monotheism is. It's an opinion on the existence of God.

If you feel like you identify with Pantheism, if the definition resonates with your view on God, then the term resonates with you. However, if you believe 'infinite intelligence' is God, I feel like Pantheism doesn't accurately describe your God concept.

Yea, I am coming to the conclusion that my beliefs don't neatly fit in anywhere lol.

And my beliefs are in their infancy. I have so much material to study and so many refinements to make to my theological framework. It is lacking so much depth, it is barebones and shallow.

I do think it will be necessary for me to establish my own theology and philosophy.