Pantheism Pantheistic Religions Hinduism Kabbalah

One way to describe pantheism is to say "you are to God, as an individual blood cell in your vein is to you." While a cell may be aware of its own environs, and even has some choices ( freewill) between right and wrong (killing a bacteria, becoming malignant, or perhaps just doing nothing, among countless others) it likely has little conception of the greater being of which it is a part.

Another way to understand this relationship is the Hindu concept of JivaIn Hinduism and Jainism, a jiva is the immortal essence of a living being, subject to maya. A jiva that is free of maya, i. is not tied to a body or earthly existence in any way, is called atma. The vedic concept of jiva is analogous, but by no means iden, wherein the human soulThis page is about the core essence of a being. For the music genre, see soul music; for the chief city of South Korea see Seoul. The soul in several philosophical movements and many religious traditions, is the core essence of a being. In some traditions is an aspect of God not yet having reached enlightenmentFor the period in European history, The Age of Enlightenment For the corresponding movement in the European Jewish community, see Haskalah''. For the Hindu religious concept of enlightenment, see moksha For the Buddhist religious concept, see enlightenmen, after which it becomes AtmanThis is a disambiguation page for the term atman (or atma . It is a fundamental concept to both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Atman (Hinduism) Atman (Buddhism) See also anatta ( anatman) for Buddhist negation of "atman" idea.

Not all interpretations of pantheism would find these concepts meaningful indeed, not even all pantheists believe in free willFree will is the philosophical doctrine that our choices are, ultimately, "up to us. Consequently, an unfree action must be somehow "up to" something else. The phrase "up to us" is vague, and, just like free will itself, admits of a variety of interpretat. Baruch SpinozaBenedictus de Spinoza ( November 24, 1632 February 21, 1677), named Baruch Spinoza by his synagogue elders and known as Bento de Spinoza or Bento d'Espinoza in the community in which he grew up. Along with Rene Descartes and Gottfried Wilhelm Freiherr von had a view in sharp contrast to the above, seeing God as an unconscious, unthinking entity. This is indicative of the wide diversity of pantheist beliefs.

1 Pantheistic religions

1.1 Hinduism

Within HinduismThis article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). Aum, the most sacred syllable and quintessential symbol of Hinduism, represents the first manifestation of the unmanifest Brahman. Hinduism Santana Dharm (also called Sanatana Dharma) a variety of lesser gods are seen as aspects of the one God, Brahman (not Brahma). Brahman is the ultimate, both transcendent and immanent the absolute infinite existence, the sum total of all that ever is, was, or ever shall be. Vedanta is a branch of Hindu philosophy which gives this matter a greater focus. Yoga is the primary focus in many ways of a Hindu's religious activities, being somewhere between meditation, prayer and healthful exercise. Some of the Hindu gods include Brahma, Devi, Vishnu, and Siva. Most of its adherents are monists, seeing multiple manifestations of the one God or source of being, which is often confused by non-Hindus as being polytheism. It is seen as one unity, with the lesser gods aspects of the one, like many colors of the same prism, and seen by some as valid to worship. Many even believe they may be able to bring worshippers closer to Moksha, end of the cycle of rebirth. Some sects of Hinduism believe in a monotheistic ideal of Krishna, or Vishnu or Shiva, but Brahman is more often seen as the one God, with all other gods emanating there from. With all Hindus, there is a strong belief in all paths/true religions leading to One God. However, certain sects of Hinduism are not pantheistic but rather panenthistic.

1.2 Kabbalah

The Kabbalah, in Jewish mysticism, paints a pantheistic/panentheistic view of God which has wide acceptance in Hasidic Judaism, particularly from their founder Baal Shem Tov.

1.3 Other religions

It is also the view of the Liberal Catholic Church, Theosophy, Cosmotheism, some Buddhists, Taoism, Process theology and Creation Spirituality, along with many varying denominations and individuals within denominations.

2 Ideas of pantheism

Pantheism is often considered to be tautology by atheists, since it appears to many of them to do little more than re-define the word "God" to mean " world" or " universe." However, there is no significant agreement that making "God" synonymous with "universe" must necessarily make either term any less meaningful. Pantheists maintain that such an arrangement serves to create both a new and a potentially far more insightful conception of both of these terms.

Perhaps the most significant debate within the pantheistic community is as to the nature of God. Classical pantheism believes in a personal, conscious, and omniscient deity, and see this deity as uniting all true religions. Others, such as Naturalistic Pantheism, believe in an unconscious, non-sentient universe, which, while being holy and beautiful, is seen as being a God in a non-traditional and impersonal sense. (See also Scientific Pantheism) Finally, some in the United States (see Cosmotheism) have bought the ideas of a hierarchical religious community and worldview, as well as some other more controversial political views ( white separatism) of Dr. William Pierce.

The viewpoints encompassed within the pantheistic community are necessarily diverse, but the central ideas of the universe being an all-encompassing unity, a common purpose, and the sanctity of both nature and its natural laws are found throughout.

3 Panentheism

One interesting area is the distinction with Panentheism. While technically the two are separate, based on a subtlety wherein Pantheism finds God synonymous with nature, and Panentheism finds God to be greater than nature alone. Many find this distinction unhelpful, and most of the major faiths described as Pantheistic could also be described as Panentheistic. This belief is also found in Hinduism. Certain interpretations of the Gita and Shri Rudram support this view.

4 Quotations

A religion old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the universe as revealed by modern science, might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths. Sooner or later, such a religion will emerge. - Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot ( 1994)

To me, nature is sacred. Trees are my temples and forests are my cathedrals. - Mikhail Gorbachev [1]

5 See also

6 External links

Pantheism

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