Pantheism Today

The Remedy Lies in Pantheism

Ethan Z — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 23:54:41 +0000

“If I am right in my diagnosis of mankind’s present-day distress, the remedy lies in reverting from the world view of monotheism to the world view of pantheism, which is older and was once universal.”

Arnold Toynbee

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Classical Pantheism Defined – Version 1.1

Ethan Z — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:57:38 +0000

Classical Pantheism is a way of thinking, realization or a philosophy [and/or religion if you like] that offers a mental perspective or a vantage point that’s other than theism or atheism, one that doesn’t entail having to believe in a god or not believing in one but views the subject in a different light. This understanding -of Classical Pantheism- might enable filling-in the gap between scientific facts and the mysterious, logic and emotions, and it encourages thinking beyond the ever so common dualities of human existence. It encourages skepticism and spirituality, logic and emotions, living in the now, acquiring knowledge, being of high moral character, learning from others, knowing one’s self, and the nourishing of a truly holistic human experience.

Classical Pantheism is a very broad view, and very basic. Beyond the basic definition, it does not concern itself with matters of rituals, rules, secrets, divine canons, etc.. leaving these to organized groups and religions. Classical Pantheism at it’s best is free of dogma and hierarchy, free of secrets or initiations, free of guilt and psychological manipulation, free of shame, it’s a personal pursuit, holistic and empowering to the individual; further, it is very open to all of human knowledge and wisdom.

Three Basic (Foundational) Concepts:

1- Omniverse: An awareness (via a definition of the word “omniverse”) of an “all-there-is”, perhaps an “all-inclusive-oneness”, that is the sum of, and includes everything material and non, known to us humans and not-known yet, knowable things and unknowables. The “omniverse” is a “philosophical” mental construct that can be equated with the universe, but more accurately it is “all of the possible universes”, or simply “all of existence”, thus omni-universe (or all-universes). Read more on the omniverse here.

2- Spiritual: Explores the inner self and the outer world with a spiritual perspective. Everything around us and that we do is spiritual. Spiritual experiences, moments of connecting with one’s inner self, connecting with others, or with nature are very valuable (or as some might say, holy.) The understanding of the Omniverse is beyond scientific or philosophy it is the sum of both and is a spiritual concept.

3- Knowing: Accepts and utilizes: scientific knowledge, general knowledge, facts, theories, hypothesis, including myth, inspiration, imagination, also unknowables. Encourages seeking truth while noticing the influence one’s ego has on such pursuit. In doing so, it is very open, and allows individuals to interpret their own experiences. Individual opinions vary.

There are only three basic ideas to Classical Pantheism; of these, the first one is the heart of Classical Pantheism (i.e. the understanding of what an omniverse means). Other aspects of Classical Pantheism (listed below) are derivatives or elaborations on these basic concepts, often evolving, and vary amongst individuals.

Aspects of Classical Pantheism include:

1- Universality: Accepts and acquires knowledge and concepts from known facts along un-proven things, science, mythology, traditional wisdom, philosophies, spirituality, art, nature, and any spiritual practices that are free of guilt, dogma, dependance, original sin, human-body vilification or disfiguration, ones that truly respect life and aim to empower people. etc..

2- Evolving: Evolves with human knowledge and experience. Encourages personal growth and the respect of human thought, knowledge, experience, philosophy, morality, potential, spirituality, and the human body. Encourages each person to grow holistically.

3- Holistic: A holistic view of existence, one omniverse unifying the known and unknown as parts of existence. Accepts the dualities of life while holistically encourages a non-dualistic perspective of our life experience. Encourages a holistic way of living, and holistic mind-body well-being, mind, body and spirit. Wishes that people find wholeness within themselves and reflect that upon their world.

4- Nature Spirituality: Nature is one path to experience spirituality and our place and connection to existence. Each spiritual experience is sacred or holy.

5- Morality: No established canon of ethics. Emphasizes discussions on morality and ethics. Accepts moral ideals from all works of philosophy and religions. People are born innocent (or good) and seek to be good.

6- Life Respecting: Respects all forms of life, considers life, and consciousness sacred. When we eat meat, we respect and give thanks to the animal that had to die for us to eat, some decide to eat no meat.

7- Environmental: We love, respect and experience a spiritual connection to everything in nature. We respect the environment we live in, mother earth, and the interconnectedness of nature and its “systems”. We seek to preserve and live in harmony with nature and sentient beings. When it comes to life choices and diet choices we seek to be aware of the implications of these interactions on nature and thus work to have a positive influence.

8- Practice: Just as physicians “practice”, it is encouraged to make ones daily life a “practice”, in mindfulness, and in all the above.

9- Patience and kindness. Always ask “what if it was me in this persons’ position?”. Always consider this scenario: Other people are in essence just like you, made of the same essence, are a part of the omniverse. They might be exactly you if it wasn’t for their genetic, cultural, mental uniqueness (imagine a world made up of people identical to you, I like myself but that kind of world would be boring); consider these people to be you in a different situation, you in a different skin, you with different priorities; now, how do you feel towards what they (you) did/said? are you more tolerant, a bit more kind, do you want to help them?

More:

The word Pantheism is built upon the Greek pan=”everything” & theos=”God”; In Classical Pantheism the Omniverse (multiverse/cosmos/all of existence) is divine, eternal, one and infinite.

Classical Pantheism is a philosophy (and/or religion) that offers an alternative that is very logical, free of dogma, simple and intuitive, one that is not: theistic, atheistic, deistic, pandeistic or panentheistic. Pantheism does not see theism as it was defined by Abrahamic religions, it is META-theism, meaning: beyond, outside and above ordinary theism. I sometimes describe it as non-theistic due to the widely accepted definition of what the word “theistic” means. If you view theism as it is defined by Abrahamic religions or mainstream culture world-wide then Pantheism is “not” theistic, despite the term theism being a part of the word pantheism.

I believe pantheism fills-in the gap between those who believe in a god and those who don’t. It unifies those who see creation and those who don’t, those that rely on science and those who don’t.

We live in a world of duality, two very visible camps, those believing in a god (or multiple) the others denying anything resembling a god, those spiritual and the others denying spirituality exists. Pantheism does not engage in these petty wars, pantheism offers a middle ground, many theists and atheists alike find a home in pantheism. Pantheism attracts atheists who do not believe in the Abrahamic god, atheists that are spiritual, and spiritual people from all backgrounds.

As you read this article and others on this website you will begin to see the essence of what pantheism is and the logic behind it. Pantheism does not waste time debating the common idea of a god as is defined in the mainstream (as defined by atheists and theists alike). Pantheism concerns itself in the oneness of things.

The Omniverse is synonymous to the whole itself, the one itself, here the Omniverse is the god itself. There is no Abrahamic personified god, no eternal being but the Omniverse in its wholeness and oneness (that is the source end destination of all existing dualities). There is no separation of a divine being outside of this oneness that is itself all there is.

Further logical processing leads me to say that you and I are distinct parts of this Omniverse’s oneness, aware of ourselves, and very likely interconnected or interdependent. No genuine scientist could find fault in this paragraph, and shamans, animists, pagans and other spirituals also find this paragraph in agreement with their ideology.

You see, when using common theistic terms, Pantheism is atheistic because it does not acknowledge the existence of the Abrahamic god; it is also a sort of monotheism (that is beyond the traditional definition of theism). There is one Omniverse and it is all there is (similar to the one monotheistic Abrahamic god) yet this Omniverse is not the same as the theistic god of the Abrahamic religions. In fact, many prefer not to use the word god to refer to the concept of the Omniverse (i.e. all there is, nature, universe, cosmos, oneness, eternal infinite thing).

If you have to use the word god you must remember it is not a person, also remember in Classical Pantheism god and the Omniverse are coextensive.

Pantheists refer to the Omniverse in any terms they prefer including including: divinity, infinity, goddess, cosmos, the oneness. Keeping in mind this Omniverse is not a human or a person but it is the Omniverse and all that is or ever will be in it, possibly incomprehensible to most.

I prefer to use words such as divine or oneness, but often people are more open to the use of the term god as long as I explain to them what the Pantheist means by the word god.

As you might have noticed, a key concept in Pantheism is the the Omniverse.

Another important aspect of pantheism is being ok with not knowing. Not knowing things is accepted in pantheism. We respect and use science and the scientific method as a tool to explore the Omniverse, but we acknowledge that one tool might not be able to do every job the universe has to offer. Until science is able to prove, measure or acknowledge certain things we cannot dismiss them as not to be in existence. In circumstances such as these, we use logic, rather than denial for the sake of denial (or for the sake of appearing to be logical skeptics).

A break down of specific concepts:

To define Classical Pantheism in specific points common with most people, I looked at terms and concepts other religions use to define themselves and used these concepts/points to define Classical Pantheism.. Naturally, the word “god” is used often, this is due to the fact that I am using existing terminology used by other religions to clarify how Classical Pantheism is different.

Here’s what this comparison looks like:

Idea	Classical Pantheism
God exists now?	yes (i.e. Omniverse)
God existed in the past?	yes (i.e. Omniverse)
God will exist in the future?	yes (i.e. Omniverse) – (this also begs the question “what is time?”)
God existed before the universe?	not applicable (n/a) – or the Omniverse itself is god and eternal as time is localized within universes
God created the universe?	yes, Omniverse contains any and every universe possible, thus it is in constant creation within. no, the Omniverse wasn’t created
A personal god?	Varies: no, it is not anthropomorphic yes, we are interconnected with it, can learn, interact with it, we are the consciousness of this Omniverse, divine soul in a body filled with spirit and experiences itself via the scenes, ego, and mind.
God was a “being” pre-universe existence?	Only the Omniverse itself is eternal, universes are born/created thus are not eternal.
God is a “being” now post-universe creation?	Cannot separate god from the Omniverse, the Omniverse is everything and everything is it
God will become/remain a being post-universe existence / after universe?	Cannot separate god from the Omniverse
god = universe?	yes , more accurately: Omniverse = the idea of god
God transcends the world/ universe?	n/a or open to interpretation: the Omniverse is it, no transcendence or separation transcendence implies separation or anthropomorphism
God “in” our universe but is “separate from” it	no, and open to interpretation: the Omniverse is it all , no transcendence or separation also, divine soul/seed is within living things not transcending them
God is present in world	the Omniverse is it, all there is, everywhere, thus god is present everywhere in everything. open to interpretation, see row above.
God is active in the world / influences its affairs?	no, and open to interpretation: Omniverse doesnt influence our world and lives in the anthropomorphic sense. the Omniverse is it, all there is, everywhere, the omniverse creates. this begs the question do aliens, angels, spirits, ascended masters, christ, buddha, other energies, thought forms, physical or non-physican consciousness exist and can they influence our world?
God is conscious now?	varies: yes, the Omniverse is, through everything everywhere, yes, through conscious beings like human being. no, it facilitated the existence of individual consciousness but is not linked to them no, but it experiences consciousness through us
God was conscious before the universe existed?	n/a – the Omniverse is eternal not preceded by anything or a god, time exists within our universe thus any talk of past or future is not applicable when discussing the Omniverse
God was an entity pre-universe existence?	the Omniverse is it, eternal, cant talk of time .. also, is the word entity suitable to describe something like the Omniverse or god? likely not.
God is entity now post-universe creation?	it is the Omniverse itself, see row above.
God will become/remain entity post-universe existence / after universe?	Omniverse always existed and will, see row above.

God was sentient (able to have experiences) pre-universe existence?	varies: Omniverse always existed. no: it is not human-like or anthropomorphic yes: it is, no: it is sentient through conscious beings like humans
God is sentient (able to have experiences) now	varies: yes the Omniverse is sentient as itself as a “thing” everywhere experiencing its creation as a whole, yes, as parts through individuals’ consciousness
God will become/remain sentient after universe existence	n/a – always existed always will, time doesn’t apply.
God was person-like pre-universe	no – we may not comprehend the nature of Omniverse, it is not a person. A person is made a person via the mind, ego, personality, and possibly body and spirit.. through duality, through in-completeness , something as infinite and eternal and complete as an Omniverse cannot be described as “person”.
God is a person-like now	no – we may not comprehend the nature of Omniverse, it is not a person, see above row
God will be person-like post-universe existence	no – we may not comprehend the nature of Omniverse, it is not a person, see above row
God could be reached now	varies: yes, we are a part of the Omniverse and interconnected with it and interact with it physically and non-physically, reaching to nature and within ourselves we reach larger understandings of life, yes, we are the Omniverse looking inwards reveals our divinity
God created the universe and abandoned it?	n/a – it is it (Omniverse did not abandon itself), cannot abandon what it is and what it encopases, esp when time and space are all contained within in.
How did the physical universe originate?	The physical universe is a part of the Omniverse – see Omniverse below
How did the Omniverse originate?	The Omniverse is eternal and infinite – was never created by a god, always existed. No need for a pre-Omniverse creator or an eternal creator to create the eternal Omniverse. Cannot have a begining if time doesnt exist. It is beyond physical it is beyond our 3D, 4D, 5D or 11D universe.
What is the universe?	a part of the infinite eternal non-dimensional or multi-dimensional all there is “thing” “one” or “Omniverse”. Possibility of multiple universes. Most people refer to the local known universe taught in undergrad classes
What is the Omniverse?	“god is the whole” Every possible thing that could, has, have or will exist in existence itself, physical, non-physical, energy, non-energy, wave, light, seen, unseen, known to humans or not, vibrational, thoughts, emotions, parallel, multiple dimensional universes. everything in existence. Learn more by reading the Omniverse page.
Emanationism?	yes
Creation?	yes (Constant creation), creating of local universes (with possibly local time, space and other “laws”)
Intelligent design?	varies: yes, the Omniverse has consciousness and works based on rules (laws), no it’s all random, yes eventually the duality spurts evolution and some order.
Pro science?	yes, science improves our understanding and life experience and a natural part of life itself, but we must however understand the limitations of science, there will always be mystery to study, as long as mystery exists science is not an answer-to-all, we cannot blindly ignore things we cant see/understand.
Compared to other isms	non Theistic (in the Abrahamic sense), non Atheistic, non Polytheistic (but may accept guiding powers, spirits, etc), non Panentheistic, is Spiritual, Mystical, related to neo-paganism and taoism, varies: allows for miracles and spirits and “supernatural” things
God runs the world?	Omniverse is it, everything is part of it, with our consciousness we interact and experience the Omniverse
Holy books from god’s person?	varies: yes, as people are able to connect with the “one” matter or inner divine and “know” or receive knowledge transcribed into books, no, as god is not a person, yes, all the human thought written represents human intellect and instinct which is part of human nature or the larger nature of this life or the Omniverse or these books are from other beings but not the Ominverse itself since it itself is not a being.
God judges people?	varies: no, Omniverse doesn’t judge, it flows through us and us through it, we interact, and we experience cause an effect, yes, the karma concept where a person reaps what they seed, yes in the form of human conscious that is in pain when at guilt. no, god is not a person to pass judgment..
Religious reverence of?	the Omniuniverse and everything in it (i.e. nature, other sentient beings) but, the word religion often indicates holy books being followed, hierarchy of religious leaders, etc.. classical pantheism is both a scientific and a spiritual philosophy, and for some a religion. legally it is a religion.
One god only?	yes, i.e. the Omniverse, all there is, we are part of it. Still allows for guides and so called masters, guiding beings etc..
Has a mystical component?	likely, but not for everyone .. mystical here mans anything science cannot verify and we agreed that science is only a tool that we use, thus the word mystic itself is biased in implying secrecy or un-normalcy..
Accepts miracles?	varies, define miracle first..
Spirit / Soul / life force exist?	varies, yes likely, to some unknown.
Consciousness	varies: people, animals, tree all living matter is conscious, only people are conscious, the Omniverse is conscious in all its parts and as a whole
Angels / Spirits / Guides may exist?	varies, unknown, but likely
Supernatural beings	“supernatural” is a matter of semantics, define supernatural first.. Supernatural implies un-natural but how can anything in the Natural Omniverse be un-natural? perhaps only not understood by some religions or science but that does not make something above/beyond the natural.
Nature based?	yes 100%, Classical Pantheism is nature-based, elemental based, spiritual, inner-divine based, likely-mystical, understands duality and non-dualty .. define nature
God is active in us?	yes – we are part of it, our consciousness allows us to experience and interact with all there is, physical and non (imagination, emotions, thinking, planning, etc)
God has personality?	n/a, most likely Omniverse is not a person with human personality as we define human personality
All things interconnected interdependent	yes
Life pre/post this one?	varies per individual’s beliefs
God and universe identical	yes
Emotional connection towards nature	yes, most pantheists have a true emotional relationship/connection to the elements around them
Spiritual?	yes, define spiritual (everything in existence)

God owns nature or people	no, they are a part of the one Omniverse, no ownership of physical body or soul, each person is independent, unique incarnation/creation/part of the Omniverse
God is a ruler?	no, no one is
People worship god?	no, not in the Abrahamic sense. People live in and interact with, admire, walk with, learn from and live the Omniverse.
Original sin?	no, doesn’t exist
Sins	don’t exist as defined by Abrahamic religions.
Heaven / Hell	don’t exist in the Abrahamic sense, ones own mind/life/present moment could be ones hell, we can make heaven on Earth
Oneness ?	yes, the omniverse is one, every consciousness is an expression of the one unity, all matter is also essentially a different expression of the one.
A person retains their personality after death?	unknown, varies
People born evil?	no, people are born good or neutral

Updated 07/13/2011

Ethan Z.

Find the most-recently-reviewed definition document by looking here: Classical Pantheism Defined

Spiritual?

yes, everything is

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The Omniverse Defined – Version 1.1

Ethan Z — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:14:38 +0000

The omniverse is an astronomical, quantum mechanics, theoretical or philosophical view (or definition) on “all of existence” or “all existent universes”. It is both atheistic and theistic, yet it’s neither of these. The idea of an omniverse offers a more basic and expansive definition of existence, this can help many see things differently than the mainstream religions or atheism, offering a place for one to see a third choice (perhaps a middle-ground, or an outside-the-box view) other than having to be an atheists or a theist.

The omniverse is a conceptual ensemble of all possible universes, with everything they contain, with all possible laws of physics, forms of matter, anti matter, no-matter, energies, space, gravity, influences and existences.

The term omniverse is used in cosmology and in physics mostly, though it has appeared in some songs such as the children’s song “One everything” by the group They Might Be Giants and in a song titled “A Perfect Timing” by Niyorah, a reggae artist.

In cosmology, an omniverse is defined by: “all possible attributes and modes are in play, multiverses are categorized by the attributes/modes active in its child universes. Some or all possible modes of existence are actualized.”

In physics, we find the definition by physicists such as Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose who suggested that universes both fork and combine, which could be visualized as a system of roads and pathways. Further Hawking said one could visualize our universe as a bubble, and other universes as other bubbles.

The term is used in quantum mechanics to differentiate the concept of a limited number of universes from all existent universes. In other words it refers to all of the existent unlimited universes.

As Classical Pantheism is in agreement with scientific discovery, I as a Classical Pantheist use the term omniverse where someone else would have used the term Universe.

The Universe is limited. It is best thought of as the physical universe, time-space, distance, speed, matter, 3-D. It is usually thought of as our local universe. Etymologically, the term “universe” is meant to refer to the entirety of one reality, but that is not how this term is used today.

What about the term Multivers?

Multiverses, the “many-worlds interpretation”, “M-theory”, or parallel universes in physics all exist within the catch-all conception of the omniverse. Omni being a more inclusive word than multi.

Why Omni?

Omni- is a prefix meaning “all”, making the omniverse encompass all possible universes, in fact all possible “things”. Unlike the multiverse (that can encompass any two or more universes with the same set of laws and constants) an omniverse encompasses all possible universes, and more.

A Cosmos in cosmology is equated with the Universe. The diameter of the entire cosmos is unknown and possibly infinite.

The omniverse is unlimited, too large to comprehend (many consider god to be too large to comprehend). It includes every possible thing that could, has, have or will ever exist in existence itself, physical, non-physical, vibrational, thoughts, emotions, parallel, multiple dimensional realities. It is possible for the omniverse to contain an infinite number of universes (cosmoses) each which is infinite in their own way..

An omniverse is then all of these:

All there is, was or will be,
nature,
all possible universes,
everything in existence,
all possible laws of physics,
all possible forms of matter, anti matter, no-matter, energies, space, gravity, influences and existences,
all the universes,
all the multiverses,
all the cosmoses,
every possible thing that could, has, have or will ever exist in existence itself,
all that us physical, non-physical, vibrational, thought, emotional, esoteric energetic
infinity,
everything,
all realities,
the oneness, the one substance, eternity, the eternal infinite thing, the source.

Commonly, the omniverse is referred to using one of or all of these words, omniverse or existence being the most appropriate:

all there is
existence
nature
oneness
eternity, infinity, eternal thing, infinite thing
everything there is
divine
source
goddess, god *
it, she *
realm, or world *
universe *
omniverse

* Note: these words are used because they are more well known than omniverse. When any of these are used the person using such terms literally means omniverse but is using mainstream words.

Capital O?

The omniverse is written with a small-case o, usually. You might find me using capital O here and there, there is not set rule on capitalization. There is no divine book of rules, hierarchy to fear, obey and honor. Capitalization is left up to you. Just remember, we do not fear, or elevate the omniverse to a role of a supreme god or royalty that asks us to capitalize it’s name/mention.

Gender?

Naturally the omniverse is an “it” but “female references” such as goddess or “she” could be used, similarly to referring to planet earth as Mother Earth, due to it’s nourishing, giving, creating, hosting, being the source of, life-hosting, or sustaining role.

Mystery, unknowns, infinity..

We do not fully understand our own universe’s time-space continuum, energy or gravity all to which exist in our physical universe, in the portion of our observable universe of cosmos, further we have no idea what the endless possible universes or existences would be like.. but all of these are a part of the infinite one omniverse that is itself everything.

As defined, the omniverse is everything, it is also infinite and eternal, there is no edge to the omniverse as there is no size to it, neither did it start at some point in time, perhaps time only exists in our own universe. Every unknown in “all the existences there are” is a mystery.

Humans are conscious things within the omniverse.

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Read Articles tagged with Omniverse here

Updated: July, 11, 2011

Find the most recent version of this article here.

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The Omniverse Defined – Version 1.0

Ethan Z — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:09:00 +0000

Originally posted on: December 12, 2009 — Find the most recent version of this article here.

The omniverse is a quantum physics, or philosophical view (or definition) on “all of existence”. It is both atheistic and theistic, yet it’s neither of these. It is what a Classical Pantheist would consider a god, yet not in the Abrahamic sense of a god.

As Classical Pantheism is in agreement with scientific discovery, I as a Classical Pantheist use the term omniverse where someone else would have used the term Universe.

Multiverses, the “many-worlds interpretation”, “M-theory”, or parallel universes in physics all exist within the catch-all conception of the omniverse. Omni being a more inclusive word than multi. Omni- is a prefix meaning “all”, making the omniverse encompass all possible universes, in fact all possible “things”. Unlike the multiverse (that can encompass any two or more universes with the same set of laws and constants) an omniverse encompasses all possible universes, and more.

A Cosmos in cosmology is equated with the Universe. The diameter of the entire cosmos is unknown and possibly infinite.

An omniverse is then all of these:

All there is, was or will be,
nature,
all possible universes,
everything in existence,
all possible laws of physics,
all possible forms of matter, anti matter, no-matter, energies, space, gravity, influences and existences,
all the universes,
every possible thing that could, has, have or will ever exist in existence itself,
all that us physical, non-physical, vibrational, thought, emotional, esoteric energetic
infinity,
everything,
all realities,
the oneness, the one substance, eternity, the eternal infinite thing, the source.

Commonly, the omniverse is referred to using one of or all of these words, omniverse or existence being the most appropriate:

all there is
existence
nature
oneness
eternity, infinity, eternal thing, infinite thing
everything there is
divine
source
goddess, god *
it, she *
realm, or world *
universe *
omniverse

* Note: these words are used because they are more well known than omniverse. When any of these are used the person using such terms literally means omniverse but is using mainstream words.

Gender?

Mystery, unknowns, infinity..

Humans are conscious things within the omniverse.

These articles may interest you:

Read Articles tagged with Omniverse here

Posted on: December 12, 2009

Updated: Dec 21, 2010

Find the most recent version of this article here.

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Intro

Ethan Z — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 21:49:53 +0000

Note: This website used to have an introduction text on the main page. That text was removed and posted as this article on July 9th, 2011 opting to keep the home page short and simple. Here’s the introduction, written sometime in mid 2010:

Welcome!

A more precise definition of Classical Pantheism can be found here.

Classical Pantheism offers you a framework that enables being true to yourself, to fully accept both science and spirituality, without religious or atheistic extremism, without dogma or controlling concepts, enabling you to see past the world of duality most religious followers and evangelical atheists create, giving you a world-view that is truly and essentially holistic.

This world view is what makes Classical Pantheism different. Classical Pantheism is not a new concept, it’s as old as human thought, yet it is as modern as possible, because it is derived from human thought, knowledge and experience, thus it evolves as we do.

Classical Pantheism enables you to explore your inner and outer nature, not only in scientific terms but also in spiritual terms and personal experiences. It merges our human attraction to exploration and knowledge along with our innate spirituality and emotions, it also encourages you accept the unknown, or not knowing. When we do not know, we rely on human thought, or logic, while understanding and accepting the limitations of both, not fearing them.

Pantheism is interesting because (despite the term pan-theism) it is not Theistic as we define theism today; it is also not Atheistic. It is rather holistic, in doing so it recognizes dualities but sees past duality into the wholeness or oneness of everything.

A main concept in Classical Pantheism as it is known today is what I call “the Omniverse”. Thinking in terms of the Omniverse redefines what people consider to be a god, a divine existence, or the “all there is”. Another facet of Classical Pantheism is that it accepts “not knowing” certain facts, in not knowing lies mystery, which is an integral part of the human experience. We understands and respects human limitations, and rely on logic (ancient and modern) where science is lacking in explanation.

Unlike Atheism or Skepticism we celebrate the unknown along with the known scientific facts of the day. We also accept the natural constant evolution of science, never scumming to the stagnation of scientific dogma.

Pantheism offers a fresh, very deep basic interpretation of existence, grounded in the concept of the Omniverse’s oneness and wholeness, in the known and unknown, with no deity(s) to worship, no god to fear, no religious dogma, no heaven or hell to aspire to.

Classical Panthesists respect knowledge, knowing, research, experimentation and the scientific method. They view them in a holistic manner, within a larger context of politics, funding and cultural norms of the time.

Knowing and not knowing are dualities of our existence. We celebrate both, and fear neither.

We aspire to view everything from our own existence, culture, economy, social interactions, discovery, medicine and health, traditional concepts, myth, and spirituality from a holistic perspective, rather than taking sides with extremes of science or religion, knowing and not knowing, myth and fact, allopathic medicine and natural healing, all constantly evolving, we recognize these as parts of today’s duality that makes up the wholeness of existence.

Atheism and religion: If you are a strong skeptic Atheist, religious Christian or Muslim (from any denomination), or if you think God is a being(s) that created this universe (and humans) while separate from it, and himself was not created, and/or this divine being judges people, struggles with original sin and redemption, or is made in the image of man, you are by default, currently, not a Classical Pantheist.

Myth and spirituality: Spirituality, some “fringe science” concepts, spirits, “life” after “death”, other beings, human 6th sense, dark matter, worm holes, multi universes, bubble universes, radiant electricity, life force (Chi), Yin/Yang ideas, natural healing, and the concept of the “Omniverse”.. If you believe these to exist or be true, or to “might” be true/exist, or have an “agnostic” stance, you are in agreement with Classical Pantheism. Classical Pantheism understands there will always be scientifically-unknowable-things, and accepts different interpretations; if you deny them and think “these do not exist”, you are not a Classical Pantheist.

As Classical Pantheists, we integrate and merge the dualities of thinking, into one mental reality. We find ancient or traditional principles useful in offering insight into the human psyche and in offering tools to enable our exploration of our inner and outer worlds. We experience both the Yin and Yang of existence but acknowledge that together they are a whole one. We live, explore, learn and journey this life with science, spirituality, intuition, emotion, ethics, morality, empowering self-responsibility, logic and everything that makes us (whole) human. Additionally, we respect all living beings and certainly human life.

To be a Classical Pantheist one must be open minded and accepting, not only in accepting (or being agnostic about) the scientifically-unknowable things, but also open minded to scientific discovery, and the massive wealth of human philosophies, especially ones that empower people. One must respect all religions that teach love and caring; to constantly learn empowering concepts from all religious thought including but not limited to Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Pagan, Atheism, Humanism, and certainly from Taoism, and philosophies of influential humans such as Christ, Buddha, Lao Tzu, etc. Wisdom and truth exist in all these, the diversity of thought is a part of the duality of our existence.

Many are Classical Pantheists yet have not heard of this term, or have come-across the definition of Scientific Pantheism mistaking it as the definition of Pantheism (as it was before Scientific pantheism, i.e. the definition of Classical Pantheism). That’s why I put this website together in November 2009.

When a concept is so obvious sometimes it is the one everyone overlooks. The concept of the Omniverse is exactly that.

To know Pantheism (especially Classical Pantheism) you must know what the Omniverse is.

All the above topics are/will be discussed in more detail in this website’s articles. To learn more about what Classical Pantheism is, how it compares to other religions, what its ethics and morality are like, what the Omniverse is, and more browse this site’s articles and pages.

Blessings and peace to all of humanity,

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FAQ: What About Creation? v 1.0

Ethan Z — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:28:27 +0000

This is another point of common confusion today, due to limited “definitions” on the parts of theists and atheists alike.

People assume creation happened once.

The Theists credit God to have created everything in the universe once, in some instances god may be creating things now, but in general, God creates withing the universe based on the limited view of what we consider the physical universe.

The Atheists say creation never occurred. But, many seem to accept a beginning point to the universe as in the big-bang theory, assuming that a big-bang started the universe, this one point preceded everything there is… it created matter and time, but itself (the big-bang) was not created or preceded by anything. Do you see the conflict in this argument? Is this much better than what Theists believe? really? not that different if you ask me.

The Classical Pantheist says creation is ALWAYS occurring, as our Omniverse is constantly creating, in our universe perhaps, perhaps creating other universes, perhaps creating new laws of physics in other existences! we simply do not know.

Both Atheists and Theists, once they understand the concept of an Omniverse, will see things very differently:

The Theist will see how an Omniverse is eternal (was never created) and they will see it as the creator. They will see, by definition, an external, creator god that preceded the Omniverses is simply not possible;

Christians will finally have an answer when their children ask them “who created god?”

they might say

“everything is god and god is everything and everything has always been there”

The Atheist will see the Omniverse as being in constant “creation”, that we are interconnected with and live within (and are a part of) this process, they will use science to explore more of this eternal infinite existence, and rather than deny things to exist unless proven. They might keep an open mind and agree that we do not know everything about existence; perhaps agree that it might be arrogant to deny somethings’ existence just because we currently do not know they exists.

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.

Atheists will no longer need to come up with new labels such as Scientific Pantheism or Naturalistic Pantheism or Spiritual Atheist only to allow themselves to be both “skeptical and scientific” while being “spiritual”. Classical Pantheists are enjoy being both!

They also might see humans as part of this creator force, as we are a part of the Omniverse, which is always changing and creating.. in various ways, as humans we also create, to add to “all there is”. We are a part of this creation process as we are endowed with enough intelligence to be creators in this Omniverse. To take it one step further one might see art, music, ideas, emotions, thoughts, and even imagination as actual creations.

Like I said earlier, the concept of “creation” is currently defined very narrowly and largely influenced by the Abrahamic definition of creation.

Atheists and scientists should reconsider their view of the universe. They must know the difference between “our universe” and that of the Omniverse. This is not mystical theory, this is based on science, philosophy of science and theoretical physics.

All-famous physicists such as Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose have discussed how an Ominiverse contains many universes that fork and combine, which could be visualized as more of a system of roads and pathways. They also suggested bubbles of universes, and multiple localized big-bangs. This is active creation in an Omniverse so large (infinite) and eternal that we cannot (have not yet) understood it.

This is how the Ominiverse, itself was never created but is constantly in the process of creation.

in love

A related article: But Who Created the Universe?

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FAQ: When was the Term Omniverse First Used to Describe Pantheism?

Ethan Z — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:17:46 +0000

When I researched Pantheism I found that before the rise of Scientific Pantheism, pantheism used terms as the universe, cosmos, “all there is”, divine, “one thing”, “one Being”, or God.

The term Omniverse is relatively modern physics term. I found the term Omniverse to be much more suitable to describe “all that is” (whether known or unknown). Today, many seem to recognize the words “universe” and “cosmos” to be referring to a local region of space/time while the word God usually is thought of as the Abrahamic God.

The Omniverse is “eternity”, “infinite”, timeless, limitless, all there is. Possibly impossible to imagine by us.. Think how how difficult it is to imagine infinity, yet the Ominverse concept is so basic. It is all there is, the oneness that is everything.

Omniverse is a core concept of Pantheism.. I am certain I am not the only human that thought of this, thus came this website to share this thought with everyone and for those who have pondered such issues to have this idea to consider, how the Omniverse concept unifies science and spirituality and offers an alternative to monotheistic or panentheistic religions.

The Pantheistic god, today is defined by me to be the Omniverse. In fact, Omniverse is much more easily understood as a term than pantheism, as the word theism in pantheism implies some sort of christian or religious connotation limiting ones scope of definition. Omniverse on the other hand is a newer, scientific term one that has not been defined earlier in any contradicting manner.

Should we then use the term Omniversism over classical pantheism? perhaps.

When did I start using the word Omniverse? on December 10, 2009.

Edited 9/4/2011

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Classical Pantheism Defined – Version 1.0

Ethan Z — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:06:28 +0000

Find the most-recently version of this document here: Classical Pantheism Defined

The word Pantheism is built upon the Greek pan=”everything” & theos=”God”; In Classical Pantheism the Omniverse (multiverse/cosmos/all of existence) is divine, eternal, one and infinite.

If you have to use the word god you must remember it is not a person, also remember in Classical Pantheism god and the Omniverse are coextensive.

I prefer to use words such as divine or oneness, but often people are more open to the use of the term god as long as I explain to them what the Pantheist means by the word god.

As you might have noticed, a key concept in Pantheism is the the Omniverse (a.k.a. god).

A more specific definition:

Here’s what this comparison looks like:

Idea	Pantheism (classical)
God exists now?	yes (i.e. Omniverse)
God existed in the past?	yes (i.e. Omniverse)
God will exist in the future?	yes (i.e. Omniverse)
God existed before the universe?	n/a (the Omniverse – it is it)
God created the universe?	yes, the Omniverse did, it is in constant creation within. no, the Omniverse wasn’t created
A personal god?	Varies: no, it is not anthropomorphic yes, we are interconnected with it, can learn, interact with it.
God was a being pre-universe existence?	n/a (only the Omniverse itself is eternal)
God is a being now post-universe creation?	no – the Omniverse is everything and everything is it
God will become/remain a being post-universe existence / after universe?	n/a – it is the universe (will universe morph?)
God = universe?	yes , more accurately: Omniverse = the idea of god
God transcends the world/ universe?	n/a, the Omniverse is it, no transcendence or separation
God in universe but is separate from it	no, the Omniverse is it, no transcendence or separation
God is present in world	the Omniverse is it, all there is, everywhere, thus god is present everywhere in everything
God is active in the world / influences its affairs?	not in the anthropomorphic sense. the Omniverse is it, all there is, everywhere, the omniverse creates. (does this omniverse oneness or “thing” interact with humans?)
God is conscious now?	varies: yes, the Omniverse is through everything everywhere, yes, through conscious beings, no, it experiences consciousness through us
God was conscious before the universe existed?	unknown or n/a – the Omniverse is eternal not preceded by anything or a god
God was an entity pre-universe existence?	the Omniverse is it, eternal
God is entity now post-universe creation?	it is the Omniverse itself
God will become/remain entity post-universe existence / after universe?	Omniverse always existed and will

God was sentient (able to have experiences) pre-universe existence?	varies: Omniverse always existed. yes: it is, no: it is sentient through conscious beings like humans
God is sentient (able to have experiences) now	varies: yes the Omniverse is sentient as itself as a “thing” everywhere experiencing its creation as a whole, yes, as parts through individuals’ consciousness
God will become/remain sentient after universe existence	n/a – always existed always will
God was person-like pre-universe	no – we may not comprehend the nature of Omniverse, it is not a person
God is a person-like now	no – we may not comprehend the nature of Omniverse, it is not a person
God will be person-like post-universe existence	no – we may not comprehend the nature of Omniverse, it is not a person
God could be reached now	varies: yes, we are a part of the Omniverse and interconnected with it and created by it, reaching to nature and within ourselves we reach larger understandings of life, yes, we are the Omniverse looking inwards reveals our divinity
God created the universe and abandoned it?	no and n/a – it is it (Omniverse did not abandon itself)
How did the physical universe originate?	The physical universe is a part of the Omniverse – see Omniverse below
How did the Omniverse originate?	The Omniverse is eternal and infinite – was never created by a god, always existed. No need for a pre-Omniverse creator or an eternal creator to create the eternal Omniverse.
What is the universe?	a part of the infinite eternal non-dimensional or multi-dimensional all there is “thing” “one” or “Omniverse”. Possibility of multiple universes. Most people refer to the local known universe taught in undergrad classes
What is the Omniverse?	“god is the whole”Every possible thing that could, has, have or will exist in existence itself, physical, non-physical, energy, non-energy, wave, light, seen, unseen, known to humans or not, vibrational, thoughts, emotions, parallel, multiple dimentional universes. everything in existence. Learn more by reading the Omniverse page.
Emanationism?	yes
Creation?	yes (Constant creation)
Intelligent design?	varies: yes, the Omniverse has consciousness and works based on rules (laws), no it’s all random.
Pro science?	yes, science improves our understanding and life experience and a natural part of life itself, but we must however understand the limitations of science, there will always be mystery to study, as long as mystery exists science is not an answer-to-all, we cannot blindly ignore things we cant see/understand.
Compared to other isms	non Theistic (in the Abrahamic sense), non Atheistic, non Polytheistic (but may accept guiding powers, spirits, etc), non Panentheistic, is Spiritual, Mystical, related to neo-paganism and taoism, varies: allows for miracles and spirits and “supernatural” things
God runs the world?	no, Omniverse is it, everything is part of it, with our consciousness we interact and experience the Omniverse
Holy books from god’s person?	varies: yes, as people are able to connect with the “one” matter and “know” or receive knowledge transcribed into books, no, as god is not a person, yes, all the human thought written represents human intellect and instinct which is part of human nature or the larger nature of this life or the Omniverse
God judges people?	varies: no, Omniverse doesn’t judge, it flows through us and us through it, we interact, and we experience cause an effect, yes, the karma concept where a person reaps what they seed, yes in the form of human conscious that is in pain when at guilt. no, god is not a person to pass judgment..
Religious reverence of?	the Omniuniverse and everything in it (i.e. nature, other sentient beings)
One god only?	yes, i.e. the Omniverse, all there is, we are part of it. Still allows for guides and so called masters, guiding beings etc..
Has a mystical component?	likely but not for everyone
Accepts miracles?	varies, define miracle first..
Spirit / Soul / life force exist?	varies, yes likely, to some unknown.
Consciousness	varies: people, animals, tree all living matter is conscious, only people are conscious, the Omniverse is conscious in all its parts and as a whole
Angels / Spirits / Guides may exist?	varies, unknown, likely
Supernatural beings	“supernatural” is a matter of semantics, define supernatural first..
Nature based?	yes 100%, define nature
God is active in us?	yes – we are part of it, our consciousness allows us to experience and interact with all there is, physical and non (imagination, emotions, thinking, planning, etc)
God has personality?	n/a, most likely Omniverse is not a person with human personality as we define human personality
All things interconnected interdependent	yes
Life pre/post this one?	varies per individual’s beliefs
God and universe identical	yes
Emotional connection towards nature	yes, most pantheists have a true emotional relationship/connection to the elements around them
Spiritual?	yes, define spiritual (everything in existence)

God owns nature or people	no, they are a part of the one Omniverse, no ownership of physical body or soul, each person is independent , unique incarnation/creation/part of the Omniverse
God is a ruler?	no, no one is
People worship god?	no, not in the Abrahamic sense. People live in and interact with, admire, walk with, learn from and live the Omniverse
Original sin?	no, doesn’t exist
Sins	don’t exist as defined by Abrahamic religions.
Heaven / Hell	don’t exist in the Abrahamic sense, ones own mind/life/present moment could be ones hell, we can make heaven on Earth
Oneness ?	yes, the omniverse is one, every consciousness is an expression of the one unity, all matter is also essentially a different expression of the one.
A person retains their personality after death?	unknown
People born evil?	no, people are born good or neutral

Updated Dec 21, 2010.

Ethan Z.

Note: This article is now titled with “Version 1.0″ as it will likely be improved upon/edited in the future. The original (this article) is kept for posterity; edits or revisions will be published in a new article with a new version number.

Find the most-recently version of this document here: Classical Pantheism Defined

Spiritual?

yes, everything is

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FAQ: How is the Omniverse Similar to the Abrahamic God?

Ethan Z — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 15:12:00 +0000

Panthesim is META-theism, META meaning: beyond, outside and above ordinary theism. A Pantheist views the Omniverse as a spiritual unity, which could be equated to the idea of the one theistic god but is better understood beyond and above the ordinary accepted understanding of theism.

Some similarities could be drawn between the Omniverse and the Theistic God, as follows:

The Omniverse creates
The Omniverse is greater than our universe
The Omniverse is infinite
The Omniverse is eternal
Since it is infinite and eternal and all there is, it is also all powerful
The Omniverse is considered as the divine, one, all that there is
The Omniverse may have preceded some local universes

Now that we’ve seen the similarities, let’s consider the differences. The Omniverse is not something that:

preceded the Omniverse -> It was always there
exists outside the Omniverse
extends outside the Omniverse
greater than the Omniverse -> it does not transcend itself

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A Conversation with a Believer

Ethan Z — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 03:28:13 +0000

Believer: How come no one created the universe?

Me: I didn’t say it wasn’t created, what we know as the universe was created but it wasnt by what you think of as god.

Believer: Are you saying God didn’t create the universe and give you life?

Me: Not God as you define it.

Believer: Is there another God that you believe in?

Me: I guess so. I don’t believe in the Abrahamic God.

Believer: If I was you I’d be careful with what I say, don’t blaspheme about God, he could hurt you, you’ll go to hell.

Me: Well, my god is not a “he”, and hell doesn’t exist.

Believer: Oh God!

Me: Yes?

Believer: So, who created the Universe?

Me: It created itself, I call it Omniverse.

Believer: How can something create itself?

Me: I see the universe to be God, and God was never created.

Believer: If the universe exists, it must have been created, and the only one who can create it is God.

Me: True, but what is God?

Believer: Are you an Atheist?

Me: No, but try to define God please.

Believer: The God the bible talks about.

Me: Eternal, Infinite, Transcendent, Holy, Divine, Omni present, all powerful God? (note to self: sounds like my god!)

Believer: Exactly.

Me: So, God was always there, and he created everything?

Believer: Exactly!!

Me: Sounds like my god, except mine is not sitting on a throne judging people

Believer: silence.

Me: Who created God?

Believer: He is God, he doesn’t need to be created!

Me: I thought for anything to exist it must have been created.

Believer: But not God, he is eternal.

Me: My god is eternal too.

Believer: So you believe in Jesus?

Me: No, what I said was my god was also eternal. He was not created.

Believer: So you are a Christian?

Me: No. I don’t believe in the god talked about in the bible. My god is the universe.

Believer: What! My God created the universe! Why do you worship his creation but not him?

Me: My universe is god, it did not need to be created. I call it Omniverse, and our universe is one of many possible universes within this Oneness I call the Omniverse.

Believer: How could something exist without being made by God?

Me: God exists, doesn’t he? Who made Him (your God)?

Believer: God is eternal, the bible says so.

Me: Do you know what I mean by an Omniverse?

Believer: I don’t care.

.. end of conversation ..

One conclusion you may reach from the above discussion: Things get lost in translation, thanks to one’s perceptions (mostly subconscious) and fears. People will see, when they are ready to. Planting a seed of wisdom or vision is sometimes all you should do. Once the person is ready to see, explore, get out of their shell, they will but only then.

Read: But who created the universe?

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FAQ: Define Classical Pantheism Please

Ethan Z — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 02:58:59 +0000

This article has been given a version number.

Find the most recent article (the one with the most recent version number) here: Classical Pantheism Defined

Note: The comments below were in response to an article that was moved from here, posted as a new article and given a version number, specifically the one with version 1.0. The link above will take you to a list of articles defining Classical Pantheism. Older versions are kept for posterity.

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The Omniverse Unifies

Ethan Z — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:54:09 +0000

Understanding what the Omniverse is can unify both Atheists and Theists.

Ethan Z. 12/18.2010

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FAQ: But Who Created the Universe?

Ethan Z — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:48:46 +0000

The Omniverse was never created. It is everything there is, infinite and eternal (as energy/matter is not created only changed) You could think of what we call “our universe” as something that was created, via a big-bang etc, our universe might/likely have had a beginning.

Most if not all theists believe in the existence of a force outside of the universe that created it. This force itself, they reason, was not created, it was always there. This force is the creator, and referred to a god.

Deists believe such force once existed but no longer does, as this force (or god) designed and created the universe and then ceased to exist. They also call this force god or divine.

Classical Pantheism equates this creating force, the thing that creates but itself was not created (i.e. god) with the Omniverse literally. Thus, the Omniverse was never created, and is a creator.

Let’s examine this “different” concept more … an example or two:

A Christian is 100% in agreement that God was never created.. that god created the universe (and life in it), in 7 days.

A Classical Pantheist is in agreement that god was never created … however, here, “god” is the “Omniverse” itself in all it’s mystery, eternity and infinity.. thus, the Omniverse is god, and the Omniverse was never created. The Omniverse is “everything that is”, “all there is”, including physical things like elements and stars and life and non physical things like time and the laws of physics, essentially “one thing”, thus has always been there, and itself constantly changes via astronomical and intergalactic events and when entire universes are created.

.. How does that sound so far? peaked your interest? Great! let’s look at this from a different angle:

Theists: If you are a theist, thus willing to accept the notion that “something out there exists that is eternal“, do you see how this “eternal thing” itself could be the one thing that is the collection of everything there is, the Omniverse? There is no need for a different eternal creator external to the “everything”. By definition of the Omniverse (eternal, infinite, all there is), you can’t have anything outside of it, thus a creator that creates the omniverse can’t exist.
The Omniverse is “everything there is”, infinite and eternal, hence, nothing (including a god) can exist outside of it, as there is no-thing such as “outside-of” the Omniverse, let’s say this again, there is no thing outside-of the Omniverse. Thus, “if” there was a god-like creator, it itself must be a part of the Omniverse, not external to it, by definition.

Scientists: The challenge most scientists, today’s Atheists and skeptics, have is to think of an eternal being, or an eternal force that created everything, an anthropomorphic thing, a god, a plan/or planner behind everything, or intelligent design. Once you say “this thing is eternal”, “something was created”, such sentences immediately conger the response: “but it’s impossible, matter cannot be destroyed or created so it must have come from somewhere”.. or in other words, they might think “who made this eternal thing or creator?” .. These questions are very appropriate to ask, and the notion of an anthropomorphic creator that made the universe according to some design is one worthy or rejecting, as atheists do.

Scientists are very analytical and bright. If you are one I suspect that you are beginning to see the importance of definitions, and how defining the Omniverse offers an opportunity of a different perspective to many of today’s opposing arguments.

By having this omniverse, or “everything-thing” be eternal we are also agreeing that matter or energy was not created and cannot be destroyed.. in other words, matter or energy have always been there, a part of the Omniverse, was never created and is always there in some form, thus no beginning, no end to this everything i.e. eternity.

Two common argument points you will hear in today’s culture are:

1- Theists tend think that a creator was needed, that everything needs a start, to be created, like a plant comes from a seed, but who created the creator, who planted the seed?

2- Atheists ask why is the creator human-like, has a personality, emotions, goals, face, beard, arms and a judge’s gavel? and if there is a creator who created it?

Pantheists agree wit Atheists: there is no transcendent creator god, anthropomorphic, judging god, or a god that extends outside the universe, one that exists in heaven who created the physical universe(s), there is no external creator that created everything but itself was not created.

Pantheists agree with today’s Theists: there does exist an eternal force/divinity/thing/oneness/unity/everything-ness (whatever people call it), mysteries exist in the world, that our (local) universe likely had a beginning (but not from nothing), matter is not the only thing there is and perhaps unseen forces of energy exist. Pantheists disagree with theists, the universe did not need to be created by a separate eternal god entity.

Classical Pantheism defines the “Omniverse”, thus offering a mind-set that can bridge the gap between theists and atheists.

The clue is to think “Omniverse”, not universe, not a creator. Think large, think of the one thing that is a collection of everything there is, an Omniverse that we study and observe, one that contains matter, possibly antimatter, many universes, time and space, and many unknowns.

.. ok, is that making more sense now?

Let’s yet again look at this from a different angle:

Theists look at the universe and think there must have been a creator who preceded the universe. They are then willing to accept the idea of a creator entity that itself never was created. All of this is not necessary if they realized that the Omniverse is eternal (i.e. not created), that the omniverse could be thought of as the creator (or container) of local universes.
This is not a large leap for a theist, they have already accepted the notion of an eternal being, the notion of “eternity” is not new to theists. Except, what they see as eternal is different than what a Classical Pantheist sees, rather than seeing the Omniverse as the eternal entity they assume (imagine) a god figure that is eternal (and external to the omniverse – an impossibility by definition) who created the universe.
This god creator is not needed, in fact it cannot exist based on our definition of the Omniverse, as the Omniverse is everything and thus nothing is external to it, and as the Omniverse was not created since it has always been there, never created and cannot be destroyed, but could change.
Just as the theist creator god was never created himself (or herself) neither was the Omniverse created herself but any other creator, it is such by the definition of the word “omniverse”.

Theists and Atheists get stuck in their arguments due to their view of what the Universe is. They accepted the mainstream definition of what the universe is. The idea of a multi-universe universe is no longer mystery or philosophy but a scientific theory..

When one views that everything there is, is the Universe, and this Universe is purely physical, they confine themselves by their own definition, a narrow one, might I say strongly influenced by the Abrahamic religions.

Due to this definition, theists find it necessary to have a non physical transcendent god in order for this physical universe to exist and in order for spirits, life force, and the after life to exist, these things require not only a creator god but a transcendent god.

Atheist take an opposing side saying that no angels, miracles, gods, spirits, life force, spirituality, unseen forces, or even creation itself existed. Since even the word “creation” is seen strictly from an Abrahamic perspective, another narrow definition.

Some atheists might acknowledge we do not know where matter (universal matter, dark energy, gas, the elements, hydrogen, energy..) came from, where the big bang came from, where “energy” first came from! They further might disagree but really cannot deny the possibility of other universes or other dimensions being in existence. They limit themselves by only accepting what mainstream acceptable scientific doctorates say exists and everything that was not “proven” scientifically really doesn’t even exist. By doing so, they rob themselves from experiencing the mystery and beauty of life and our universe.

Both Atheists and Theists are stuck in the physical Universe, Atheists are stuck in the physical universe because that is where our science is at today, theists are stuck in the physical because that’s the story the bible tells.

They define the universe as everything there is yet somehow this “everything” must have come from a source? this is illogical if you consider that matter cannot be created. They define the universe as everything there is yet they struggle with the concept of infinity and eternity.. But how can something be all there is without being infinite?

Where is the truth?

The truth is always there, clear for you to see, I had a gut feeling that the universe was an omniverse, all there is, even when I was 6 years old.. I kept asking “but if this man-like-supernatural being (god) has created things, who made him?” …. We are born very open minded, very curious, skeptical, and experiential then we get sucked into the duality of defined concepts and man-made limitations.

Today, people are stuck between the two main-stream views: The Theists see things one way, the Atheists see things totally the other way … while the true reality is in between these two opposing views, non-dualistic and unifying.

In reality, by definition, the Omniverse is unlimited, too large to comprehend (theists consider god to be too large to comprehend). It includes every-possible-thing that could, has, have or will ever exist in existence itself, physical, probabilistic, thought-form, emotional, chemical, material, dimensional, the dimension of time itself, the dimension of space, matter and possible other forms of matter, energy of all kinds, quantum probabilities and astronomical machinery, and everything we know and still have not discovered, you name it… it has it, as it is everything there is.
Can anyone disagree with this philosophy?

The Omniverse is the Quantum Physics theoretical Universe and it is the Classical Pantheist universe

This Classical Pantheist Omniverse dissolves the disagreement between the Atheist and the Theist

The Omniverse was never created.

What we consider as our universe was (likely) created (i.e had a beginning).

The Omniverse is a constant, eternal, and infinite thing

Mysteries within the Omniverse abound; everything we do not understand scientifically is a mystery.

Science cannot disprove the Omniverse’s existence, but it cannot prove its existence either

This is how the Ominiverse, itself was never created but is constantly in the process of change.

and where you and I belong and currently are

thinking, talking and

living

in love,

Updated: 12/18/2010 – 06/30/2011

A related article: What About Creation?

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FAQ: Why is Pantheism not Theistic?

Ethan Z — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 00:23:52 +0000

Pantheism is not theistic in today’s sense of the word, it is META-theism, META meaning: beyond, outside and above ordinary theism. A Pantheist views the Omniverse as a spiritual unity, which could be equated to the idea of the one theistic god but is better understood beyond and above the ordinary accepted understanding of theism.

When a Scientific Pantheist says “God” they are referring to the Universe and Nature only.

A Classical Pantheist would be referring to the Omniverse. The Pantheist God “is” the Omniverse itself. In fact using the word god may be confusing to some. Panthesist prefer to use words such as oneness or divinity, or omniverse rather than say God.

To those who want to know how the Pantheist God is different than a theistic God, consider these points. The divinity, oneness or Omniverse itself is not something that:

is supernatural -> everything in the Omniverse is natural.
preceded the Omniverse-> It was always there
exists outside the Omniverse
extends outside/beyond the Omniverse
greater than the Omniverse-> it does not transcend itself

All the above are things people think of when they think of a theistic god. Because of this some say the pantheistic god is not theistic. It has to do with how we defined the word “theistic”.

Like most theistic religions, the pantheistic philosophy allows for the so called “supernatural” events to occur. However, supernatural is just that is an oxymoron. In an Omniverse, everything is natural.. including things that people may consider supernatural such as angels, guides, spirits, life force, visions, etc.. They are not super-natural, they are a natural part of the fabric of the Omniverse only referred to as supernatural because we may not fully understand them or scientifically prove them.

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FAQ: How Does Classical Pantheism Relate To Morality?

Ethan Z — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 18:49:53 +0000

Pantheism offers a philosophical view of life and existence itself. It has no holy books or sacred teachings. Humans have the choice to do good or evil. There is no heaven or hell. The life of humans here and now is what it is, we could make it heaven or hell.

Respect for life in all forms:

The omniverse (and everything within it) is divine and worthy of respect and awe. It follows that everything in this omniverse has divinity, is worthy of respect and awe. Life and consciousness are considered “aware” and “distinct” component of this omniverse, thus life and consciousness are divine and deserves and demands respect.

Some view everything as divine, including plants, animals, rocks, clouds, thoughts, emotions..

If once sees others are part of the one, as distinct personalities of the same essence, one will feel an innate love for everything and everyone. Thus, love is an often experienced emotion. Further, Pantheism allows a person to shed their fears to a large degree.

Like I said, there is no holy book here, we have inside of ourselves the innate ability to evolve our thoughts, morals, culture and laws. If one bases their morals on the basic concept of respecting divinity that is every where and in everything, we would have fair and just laws and interactions amongst each other.

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FAQ: Who Coined the Term Pantheist?

Ethan Z — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 00:46:16 +0000

The term “pantheist” was used first by an Irish writer named John Toland in 1705. He defined a pantheist as one who beleives:

in no other eternal being but the universe

This is a simple definition that describes both scientific pantheism and classical/mystical pantheism.

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FAQ: Is Pantheism the Same as Panentheism?

Ethan Z — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:36:59 +0000

No. A lot of confusion exists between pantheism and panentheism. Here’s a clarification:

Pantheism: “God is the whole”. God is synonymous with the Omniverse. The Omniverse is practically the whole itself, the one itself. If you have to use the word god in Pantheism then the omniverse and god are coextensive.

Panentheism: “The whole is in God”. The universe and God are not ontologically equivalent. God is not necessarily the creator or demiurge, but the eternal animating force behind the universe, some versions positing the universe as nothing more than the manifest part of God. In some forms of panentheism, the universe/cosmos exists within God, who in turn “pervades” or is “in” the cosmos. God is greater than the universe and some forms hold that the universe is contained within God.

Pantheists do not worry about god watching them, judging them, who god is, god is not a person to them. They view the Omniverse as a whole oneness as ALL THERE IS. The one infinite eternal Omniverse always was and always will be what is.

You will find pantheists or pantheistic ideas within these religions: Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Neopaganism, Theosophy, Gaia theory, Unitarian Universalists, Sufism, traditional and folk religions including African traditional religions and Native American religions.

On the other hand, Panenthesits do refer to God often and view this god in a fashion more similar to the Abrahamic religions, as an encompassing force or a creator, one that transcends the creation (but is not it). You will see panentheists within these religions: Christianity, Islam (Ismaili doctrine, Sufism [universal sufism] and Shi’ism), Judaism, Hinduism, Bahá’í Faith, Gnosticism, Manichaeism, and Kabbalism

Updated Dec 19, 2010

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Yes I’m here

Ethan Z — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 14:23:09 +0000

I haven’t posted any new articles since Feb 28, 2010, it’s been a few months. I was busy with work, school, reading and simply living this life. I will soon be posting new articles.

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No Related Post

FAQ: Is Pantheism Nondualism?

Ethan Z — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:40:13 +0000

Yes, by examining the excerpt from wikipedia below discussing non-dualism and monism you’ll find that pantheism (which is monotheistic) is non-dualism.

The philosophical concept of monismis similar to nondualism. Some forms of monism hold that all phenomena are actually of the same substance. Other forms of monism including attributive monism and idealism are similar concepts to nondualism. Nondualism proper holds that different phenomena are inseparable or that there is no hard line between them, but not that they are the same. The distinction between these two types of views is considered critical in Zen, Madhyamika, and Dzogchen, all of which are nondualisms proper. Some later philosophical approaches also attempt to undermine traditional dichotomies, with the view they are fundamentally invalid or inaccurate. For example, one typical form of deconstruction is the critique of binary oppositions within a text while problematizationquestions the context or situation in which concepts such as dualisms occur. **

** from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nondualism

Borrowing from the lexicon, you can find the definition of Dualism and nondualism below.

Dualism: The doctrine that reality consists of two basic opposing elements, often taken to be mind and matter (or mind and body), or good and evil. Dualism denotes a state of two parts. The word’s origin is the Latin duo, “two” . The term ‘dualism’ was originally coined to denote co-eternal binary opposition, a meaning that is preserved in metaphysical and philosophical duality discourse but has been diluted in general usage.

Nondualism: Is the implication that things appear distinct while not being separate. The belief that dualism or dichotomy are illusory phenomena; that things such as mind and body may remain distinct while not actually being separate.

It may be debated that Scientific Pantheists are Materialistic Nondualists (the physical Universe is one and all). I believe that Classical Pantheists are Spiritual Nondualists (the spirit/the substance/the force/the conscious Universe is all and one) and Classical Pantheists can be thought of as Spiritual Monotheists as well. The definition of Universe is what varies between them.

It is my personal opinion that Universe, itself is consciousness, or conscious spirit. So am I, so are you, thus all is connected (not separate, ONE), yet distinct. This distinction may be a necessary ilusion for the Universe/god to experience its existence, or perhaps this distinction is solely a product of the ego. Thinking, words, ideas (such as this article) are also used and created by the ego. Many people identify as the ego (identify themselves as their ideas, thoughts, beliefs, emotions). This is my personal opinion as of 2/28/2010. Any addendums will be posted as comments below.

Find up to date definitions of these and other terms in the lexicon

You may find this article interesting Is Pantheism Monotheistic?

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FAQ: Is Pantheism Monotheistic?

Ethan Z — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 01:33:55 +0000

Yes but not exactly:

1- If you examine the definition of Monism, below, you’ll find that Pantheism is monotheistic.

Monism: Any philosophical system asserting the essential unity of things, i.e., that all things belong to one category – material (materialism), mental (idealism), spiritual (pantheism), or some other essence. Monism is contrasted with the various kinds of dualism. The doctrine that reality consists of a single basic substance or element. Is any philosophical view which holds that there is unity in a given field of inquiry, where this is not to be expected. Thus, some philosophers may hold that the Universe is really just one thing, despite its many appearances and diversities; or theology may support the view that there is one God, with many manifestations in different religions.

2- However, Pantheism is not “theistic”. It is META-theism, META meaning: beyond, outside and above ordinary theism.

A Pantheist views the Omniverse as a spiritual unity, which could be equated to the idea of the one theistic god but is better understood beyond and above the ordinary accepted understanding of theism.

Read: Why is Pantheism not theistic?

Find more definitions in the lexicon

Updated: Dec 19, 2010