How many gods do panentheists believe in?

[St Giordano Bruno]

To put is simply from how I read it, Pantheism says God is the universe, Panentheism says God is the universe and a little bit more.

 

[atanu]

To put is simply from how I read it, Pantheism says God is the universe, Panentheism says God is the universe and a little bit more.

If God is the sum of parts called the universe, then the parts must have existed before the whole.

 

[Sylvan]

So what do I call the brand of pantheism described in my post? Where gods are slightly less than the universe but still exist and are a part of it?

 

[IsmailaGodHasHeard]

God pervades and transcends all. We see with our limited consciousness. For example, even the worst of the worst... Adolph Hitler, Pol Pot, Joseph Stalin, Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, Satan (I dont think any dharmic religion believes in Satan)...

Outwardly their actions and physical forms do great evil, yet their jiva, living being, soul, is pervaded by God. It's hard to grasp, but even your worst enemy, a person you hate with a passion has the spirit of God within them.

To say namaste, pranam, vanakkam is to say "I bow to you (because the spirit of God is within you)". I wrestle with this myself because I have a sister-in-law I hate with a passion. She has been nothing but trouble since the day she was born. But I have to keep in mind it's only her physical form and her actions in this world that are "evil". She is still pervaded by God, and is part of the Absolute.

Oh, okay. I will try to keep that in mind.

 

[Jainarayan]

So what do I call the brand of pantheism described in my post? Where gods are slightly less than the universe but still exist and are a part of it?

Probably polytheism.

 

[Storm]

Probably polytheism.

Or pantheistic heonotheism. Phentheism!

 

[Jainarayan]

Yeah, it gets crazy. You should see the subtleties involved in the "differing" vedantic schools. That's why labels are bad. You can go crazy.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

I don't know about just one; what if some panentheists believe in another God that has another universe within him?

That sounds like some funky New Age stuff, right?

 

[Storm]

I don't know about just one; what if some panentheists believe in another God that has another universe within him?

That sounds like some funky New Age stuff, right?

*raises hand*

... I keep telling people I'm weird....

 

[Joshua Pryce]

I believe that God is the Origin or origins, the Cause of all causes.

This has contradictions attached to it. How can something be good and evil at the same time. Its almost like preaching ying and yang. How can something destroy and create at the same time, unless there are two beings and spiritual beings of light and darkness. The good being would have to overrule the evil beings, to govern the world fairly. An energy is substance, electricity cannot talk, and fire doesnt understand people.