OK I have heard the term used and looked it up. It didn't explain to me as much about it. But it kind of sounds like me.

Can anyone tell me more about what it is?

Pantheism is a blanket term.

It basically refers to the philosophy that all is one.

We are all manifestations of the same higher power.

In this way we are all connected. We are all one, including everything in the universe.

Pantheism doesn’t really say what it is that we are a manifestation of.

That part is unknown, some call it God, some call it our ‘higher self’, some imagine that it is the universe itself. That part of it is really irrelevant. The main gist of it is that all is one.

We all arose from the same source, and we all return to it when our bodies die.

The process is believed to being continuous. (i.e. continuous reincarnation in physical realms)

The reason for a belief in reincarnation is because the world continues when individuals die, therefore the whole does not die with the individual.

In the pantheistic view, life is doubled-ended. In other words, not only does your spirit exist after your body dies, but it also existed before your body was born. You are eternal and have always been. You are a manifestation of the source of life. You are the creator experiencing the creation. As is everyone else.

Pantheism is not solipsism though. At least not in the truest sense of solipsism In pantheism all life forms are viewed as egalitarian.

Unfortunately, because pantheism doesn’t dictate the details many people reject it. They prefer a more elaborate dogma that claims to be the precise word of God. That way, they have something they can put their finger on and they don’t have to think for themselves. It’s much easier to be led by a deity that supposedly has answered than to boldly accept the unknown on pure faith.

Pantheism is not for the timid.

I'm a pantheist and always have been. However, I didn’t choose to become a pantheist. I merely discovered the word ‘pantheism’ that describes how I have always felt since early childhood.

Even in my younger days when I was being raised as a Christian I was never convinced that God is separate. Or that God could reject or accept me. Like as if there was a choice in the matter. That flew in the face of what I’ve always known in my heart, and that is that God is inseparable form me.

I tried for many years to try to see the pantheistic view in the Bible. I finally gave up. The Bible is too bent on the idea that God can reject a soul and cast it into hell fire. I finally concluded that the biblical picture of God was nothing more than a concoction of men who were trying to scare the masses into obedience. It flew in the face of the true God that I had always known in my heart.

So I consider myself to be an innate pantheist. For me, it’s not even a matter of belief. It just what I am. I don’t need to read about it in a book. I just know in my heart what is real.

ok...maybe I'm not seeing the right thing then. is there a term for someone believing in christian beliefs but thinking others are encompassed? not sure if that makes sense or not...i guess incorporating christian and other beliefs together

is there a term for that (and don't say crazy or confused lol)

ex-christian...

j/k

hush you...

I personally don’t’ see how a Christian could embrace pantheism and simultaneously cling to the biblical picture of a God who rejects souls based on their behavior, attitude, or even based on their beliefs!

The pantheistic God is a God of truly unconditional love. Pure and simple.

The biblical picture of God places more conditions on his love than Carter has pills.

I don’t see how they could be compatible.

But then again, there are a lot of people who call themselves ‘Christians’ who don’t really agree with about 90% of what the bible says anyway, so in this day and age the term ‘Christian’ can pretty much mean anything I suppose.

I personally believe that the vast majority of people in the USA who call themselves ‘Christians’ are actually what I refer to as ‘Designer Christians’. They just take the core idea that Jesus Saves, and build up a religion around that. They usually focus on ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’.

But in truth, most of what Jesus taught actually agrees with Pantheism and flies in the face of the Old Testament anyway.

If you believe that all is one surely you are going to also believe in ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’. That’s a core belief in pantheism just by the very nature of what the philosophy is about.

Your right Rose. It doesnt make sense.

mirror...creative can be my translator even though you should know me well enough

that's why i'm asking about it abra. is there such a thing?

creative...can you help? if you understand?

yellow:

I can not translate another's internalizations, they are not of me... they are of your agreements within yourself, according to that which you have already accepted...or not.

I am of the belief that definitions create boundaries...

I claim no label...

An eclectic group of one...

sigh...ok ok ok I'm just crazy then

Nah...

Just finding yourself, perhaps...

Look not outside for your clarity... tunnel within, and remove that which is not you...

What is left always was... you.

Peace.

I know what I am and what I belief...it's just hard typing it all out everytime lol....that's why I like names

I know what I am not...

I am still learning what I am...

By removing that which I am not...

On the idea of labels.

I don't claim to be a 'pantheist' like as if it is something.

I just offer that label to people because it covers a lot of area in bulk. Like YellowRose says. It saves a lot of typing.

I’m also agnostic. I have no frigg’in clue what’s going on. Pantheism is just my best guess.

I’m thoroughly convinced that the biblical picture is ambiguous at best, and very likely highly demagogic at worst. I have seriously problems with a Godhead who would purposefully get himself nailed to a cross to save men from sin. That’s way too much along the lines of the craziness of things like Greek Mythology for me. I just can’t see an all-wise supernatural supreme being doing such a thing. It makes absolutely no sense to me at all.

So Christianity isn’t going to be a label that would describe my beliefs.

Pantheism makes much more sense to me.

But in truth, I’m agonistic, and so is everyone whether they believe it or not. Unless they have genuine divine knowledge and no longer need to believe on faith, then they are ultimately agnostic whether they confess to it or not.

In other words, they really can’t know. They’re just hoping.

Like I say, in the end I’m agnostic.

Whatever will be will be, Que Sara Sara.

If we are at the mercy of a fascist supreme dictator I can only hope that he’s as least as nice as me.

If he isn’t would it really matter that I was wrong not to worship him?

Which is worst? Being cast into a hell fire, or groveling before a fascist dictator for the rest of eternity?

Either fate is equally hell as far as I can see.

I’d be praying the atheists are right if that’s the case.

To simply black out when we die could be a true gift!

i'll just stick to kim-isms

Creative Gotta love it!!! Exactly what happened to me and spiritually I am complete now. I have the connection to that around me because there is the life force of all and I am still a whole spirit unto myself for myself and for others too. If that makes sense? LOL

afterthought: Not saying that my growing spiritually and humanly is done, no, we never stop growing and learning

yellowrose,

To better see the dfference between pantheism and Christianity, there is one biblical passage that will speak to the alienation that is representative of judgements outside of Christ being made of judgements in Christ.

This passage is clearly describing an experiential aspect to the Christian way of life and clearly is not a universal innateness upon all naturally. Christianity is not elitist, but clearly partial in that there is no innate nature to it as a way of life.

Matthew 19: 25-30.

"When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible
Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
And Jesus said unto them,
Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon the twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
But many that are first shall be last; and the last (shall be) first.



Clearly argumentative and partial and experiential and not innate or preexistent, nor eternal.

Key words, limiting the scope, are found in 'regeneration', 'for his name's sake', 'forsaken all' and 'inherit'.

It is a choice, and one that God must affirm with 'regeneration' to those 'forsaking all' for 'his name's sake' and the 'inheritance' is made consequential to the rest.

It is not unconditional, in that 'regeneration' is incumbent upon the character of the inheritance, and none of that is left to man to assume in his own judgement, but rather is conditional on being about 'his name's sake' and clearly not about our own sake.

Nothing pantheistic there.

Abra - you said:



However this is only true for someone who is a self proclaimed Agnostic - is it not? To claim that everyone is an Agnostic is merely viewing what everyone claims to believe through _your_ criteria for substanciative proof. It does not follow that because what I claim is proof to me that God exists does not fullfill your criteria of proof - that I'm an Agnostic in denial. It only demonstrates to me that you are a Christian in denial. Which would be like my telling you that everyone is a Christian whether they admit it or not.

This makes no sense at all Eljay.

Agnostic simply means that you don’t know. All you can do is guess.

To claim that you actually know is to claim divinity.

Are you claiming divinity?