(The following is from Einstein and Religion by Max Jammer, Princeton University Press)
“I’m not an atheist, and I don’t think I can call myself a pantheist. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn’t know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God. We see the universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws but only dimly understand these laws. Our limited minds grasp the mysterious force that moves the constellations.” -Albert Einstien

I can imagine that. Did you get the sense that they were reacting against “spirit” and all the supernatural notions that word implies, or that they were really not interested in spirituality itself, including all the notions of personal growth and self-development implied by that word in modern usage?

Actually I think that *is* what all Christians agree on without controversy, if I’m not mistaken. Variance in interpretation aside, those are the core doctrines that have been identified. The nature of the creation story in Genesis, however, is less unanimous.

As for the universe/omniverse thing, I’m starting to understand you now. It’s becoming clearer.

On the Big Bang, I agree with you, the theory presumes “the big bang started time and space itself.” Thus, there was no “outside of” or “before” this big bang , no dimensions, no other universes, no other big bangs.. only one big bang one time/space, one universe. Yet, theoretical physics entertain ideas of multiple big bangs, multiple physical universes, not to mention the possibility of non-time, non-space, non-material existences out there.. These are better captured with a word such as Omniverse that is more inclusive than a universe which might be local, physical or one of many.

I was an atheist and I do respect all atheists highly. From my own experiences, the atheists I met were not spiritual, they did not even entertain the idea of spirituality.

Having said that, I agree, there is nothing stopping any human being from experiencing their inner world, outer world, spirituality, mystery, stillness, wholeness, holiness or awareness. I should reword that paragraph. I am not out to insult people, this is not my intention or goal. Thanks for alerting me to this.

Regarding the universe theories, I think for most people, mainstream ideas of the universe, are basically of a physical universe, and when talking where the universe came from we hear theories like the big bang, or creationism. It seems, to me at least, that most people think “physical” when they think of what the universe is or has within it especially within scientific theory, many accept an end to the universe (i.e. edge) or even if considered to be endless (because it’s spherical) they try to estimate its “size”, and many scientists seek to find where and how the universe was made or came to exist. All these are not ideas compatible with an infinite eternal all-inclusive thing Omniverse.

Rather than using a term like the Universe, I went with the Omniverse which is a term used by some in theoretical astronomy. I find it much more appropriate than universe in portraying something that is everything, literally includes and is everything there is.

Some out there might think of the universe is being infinite and/or not solely material, but many if not most in the mainstream think the universe is created by a god and/or started with a big bang, even the current science tells us that “at a certain point in the distant future, the whole universe will be a uniform, isothermic and inert body of matter, in which there will be no available energy to do work. This condition is known as the “heat death of the Universe”.” this quote is from a Wikipedia article on entropy.

As you see, when people think of the universe they are talking physical, and possibly not infinite or eternal (to these people that’s what god is, infinite and eternal).

By definition an Omniverse must be “all there is” and thus infinite, and thus all-inclusive including not only a material universe but any non-material things be it universes or energies, multiple universes, infinite universes or dimensions, natural orders, and many unknowns.

Finally, some theorize that our universe is a local universe, that is one of many other in existence, like bubbles within bubbles. Since theories or ideas exist today in that this universe might be one of many others, naturally when I wanted refer to something that is “all there is” I could no longer use the word “universe” I must use a word that is more inclusive than a universe, a word that includes all these theoretical universes.

I agree about your point on Christians who are “not 100% in agreement that God was never created and that the universe was created in 7 days.” I shall write an article to explain my view. But in a nutshell, it is my belief that unless you believe a 100% that Jesus is the son of god, that he died, and was risen and that God is the father, and son and holy spirit you are not a christian. I know statement is bold and will likely generate a lot of disagreement, but I believe in accurate definitions, how could label themselves Christian and not follow the basic premise of Christianity? How could a Muslim claim to be Muslim and not believe that there is one God and Muhammad is his profit?

Regarding the Catholic church going with evolution, I think they just make these statements to appear moderate and modern, I do not take anything the Catholic church seriously, to be honest. These organized religions like the Catholic church with their hierarchies, dogma, rules, excommunication are not in the business of empowering people, rather in keeping people dependent on them. This, again, is only my opinion.

I agree a 100% with you on scientists not being “today’s Atheists and skeptics”. I know many people in sciences (i.e. scientists) who are Christian. I did not mean to equate all scientists to being atheist nor that all skeptics are scientists.

I enjoyed thinking about your comments, thank you. I will be working to improve the text on this site to deliver a clearer message of what I think Classical Pantheism is. Feedback from people like you helps me refine the way I deliver this very simple idea of an Omniverse and Classical Pantheism.

As I understand, the Big Bang was the explosion into existence of space-time. To say that it was or was not preceded by anything is to contradict the theory, because “precede” is a concept of time which only makes sense after the existence of space-time.

>They will finally get a “permission slip”, by redefining the universe as the Omniverse, to explore their own inner world, the mysteries that abound inside them and outside, their life experiences will become lined with spirituality and appreciation, much more awe and appreciation. In other words, more joy.

I’m afraid this is quite offensive and downright insulting. There is absolutely nothing preventing atheists from exploring their inner worlds, nor from appreciating their life experiences, or experiencing awe or joy.

Also, the characterizations of both Christians and scientists seem problematic. Christians are not 100% in agreement that God was never created and that the universe was created in 7 days. That’s Creationism. There are other Christian viewpoints that take a looser interpretation of Genesis. Even the Catholic church officially endorses Darwinian evolution as consistent with Catholic doctrine. As for scientists, they are not “today’s Atheists and skeptics.” It’s true that a much higher percentage of scientists are atheists and skeptics, compared to the general population, but there are many other viewpoints in the scientific community.

I have had a life-long interest in near death experiences, the stories are fascinating. I’d love to talk face to face with someone who has gone through that.

I just finished this book and wanted to share it with you -
Evidence of the Afterlife The Science of Near-Death Experiences by Jeffery Long, MD & Long Perry

Page 158
A woman who shares what she learned from her near death experience – “A part of what I understand and remember today is…

• We live in a ‘plural unity’ or ‘oneness.’ In other words, our reality is ‘ unity in plurality and plurality in unity.’

• That I was everything and everything was me, without essential differences other than in earthly appearances.

• That there is no God outside ourselves, but rather, God is in everything and everything is a part of God; as is life itself.

• That everything is part of an essential game of life itself, and to that degree we live by true love – unconditional and universal.

• That everything is experience and that this life and the next are essentially the same because everything is God.

• Death is a metamorphosis of time – one more illusion born of our mental concepts.

• That ‘I’ includes ‘we.’

• That the ‘creator’ is eternally creating, and one of the creations is the practice of conscious love. One learns to paint by painting.

• Consciously living by love is the essence of life itself.

At the end of (her) list, she expressed a frustration that the author had read and heard from many near-death experiencers. “I learned thousands of other things without end,” she wrote. “It is difficult to express in words because words are insufficient.”’

Happy new year and peace to all, Anne

I see this oneness of everything to equal what I am calling (borrowed from quantum mechanics and cosmology) Omniverse, which is all there is mother earth, and everything that ever was or will be, including wise people, ascended masters, teachers, enlightened being, whatever you call them. We are all, you, me and every thing part of the Omniverse, an interconnected part of this oneness of all there is, each worthy of respect and awe.

Since your comment was posted I’ve reviewed and edited (updated) a number of articles and posted a couple new ones!

Beauty is everywhere, yes! you betcha