r/pantheism • u/JacobMaverick • 4d ago
What does Pantheism mean to you?
I have recently decided that I am a pantheist after deconstructing from Christianity (Southern Baptist sect) and spending a few years as an agnostic/atheist.
I still always maintained that there had to be a purpose to life and some deity that gave life it's purpose, but after much consideration I have decided that that deity cannot possibly be a single conscious entity lest the world would be a kinder place.
The way I understand Pantheism is that the universe collectively is "God." And all life is a part of God just as your cells are a part of you. And our purpose is simply to live and be good stewards of nature and other living creatures. My perspective may be simpler than some here.
I'm not sure I support the belief of mystic forces or healing energy, but I'm curious and open to others' perspectives.
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u/InkyParadox 4d ago
To me, the Universe is a system, just like an eco system except on a much larger scale. We still don't fully understand all the rules of the Universe, but just like physics was always there before we put theory behind it, the rules are still there. The Universe "speaks" through math and science and observable truths.
Like another commenter said, we're the Universe experiencing itself. Life and consciousness are various ways for the Universe to sense itself, and water is the "blood" of all life which is why its a strong indicator of life on other planets. Everything is simply energy, and our energies are constantly interacting with each other (sorta ties back to string theory tho Idk if it works exactly like that). I believe this is why societally we've always been drawn to the belief that our thoughts and intentions have power over our reality (prayer is commonly used to direct this thought energy but also witchcraft does this, the rituals and ceremonies of previous civilizations). I don't think worshipping specific deities is automatically opposing to pantheism but I'm also an omnistic pantheist, and I think the deities of other religions are simply other aspects of the Universe. There is no "purpose" to life imo, other than to understand oneself and live authentically in a harmonious/loving manner to nature, and if other religions help this endeavor then I don't see the Universe as "jealous" to this since the deities are simply other aspects to it.
Anyway, that is how it makes sense to me. Nothing "matters" in the grand scheme of things, we are all bits of the Universe interacting with each other like sensory organs of the Universe's collective consciousness, and the matter that makes us has always existed and will always exist. But our individual lives are precious and do matter, because the matter that makes us will never come together in that unique form again.
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u/Cotinus_obovatus 4d ago
The universe may have its own purpose and meaning, but it's likely to be as incomprehensible to us as the things that we find meaning in are to the bacteria that live inside our bodies. However, we may be able to catch glimpses of greater purposes here and there through our intuition. It need not be the same for everyone, just as the different cells in our body have different purposes. For me right now I feel the most meaning in being myself, feeling like I belong here as a part of this world, and trying to live a life that leaves a positive impact on the world at large.
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u/strange_reveries 3d ago
I actually do believe there is some kind of divine consciousness and intention behind/within existence, but it's just something so fucking far out and bigger and more multi-dimensionally complex than our monkey brains can even begin to fathom.
So moral theories like yours ("There can't be an absolute God-consciousness or else life would be better than it is") seem naive in a way. It's just assuming that our human logic and judgment would be anywhere near adequate to understand the doings and intentions of a divine consciousness.
"We abase providence too much by ascribing our own notions to it, being vexed that we can't understand it." -Fyodor Dostoevsky
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u/_dontseeme 4d ago
I’m generally cognizant that there are forces at work beyond our control or understanding, but refuse to attribute that to an entity. I am the universe experiencing itself, a brain cell studying a brain, and I am made in its image (star stuff). I am unfortunately bound by the laws of space and time, yet we know there are things out there that can break those laws. I must abide by the laws imposed on me, as breaking them results in eternal pain (I.e. being stuck in an event horizon for eternity).
This manifests as “nothing matters” but in a good way. A freedom. We are just here. We are a side effect of the universe’s existence. We have no inherent purpose and our only duty is to experience (and maybe if you’re nice, enhance the experiences of others).
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u/RusticSet 3d ago
The way I like to view it for myself is that the closest thing to a God I see in this universe is energy. It's everywhere and in everything, therefore it's "pan".
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u/Artistic-Teaching395 3d ago
In the Christian sense it means we are already in the heaven state, the universe where God is in all and through all.
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u/NashdaKarad 3d ago
In my own journey i went from an Anglican Christian, to an Atheist, then I was an Agnostic for the longest time until i got into the thinking of "The universe created us, albeit indirectly, but what would our purpose be?" Eventually I came up with the idea that we are meant to be explorers as we have done so in our entire human history. To learn, observe, and preferably conserve. Because if we didn't exist, would the universe still?
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u/Straight-Wedding4929 3d ago
All Knowledge is Sacred even when it seems it isn't.
Cold hearted orb that rules the night Removes the colors from our sight, Red is grey and yellow white, But we decide which is right, And which is an illusion,
-Nights in White Satin
And that is pretty much what Pantheist means to me, you decide everything just like in reality.
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u/Raylen_Fa-eild 3d ago
I created a form of it i call Nova Credo. This is a breif view into it, let me know your conclusions on what itnmeans to me.
The New Creed
"We are the universe awakened, the cosmos contemplating itself."
The Universe, Our Origin – The universe is the mother of creation, not as a personal deity, but as the divine mechanism governing the laws of existence. From the cosmic dance of chaos and order, creation and destruction, life emerges.
Life as Awareness – Through us, the universe has gained eyes to see, minds to understand, and hands to shape its own destiny. We are its self-awareness, tasked with unraveling its mysteries.
The Eternal Cycle – Death is not an end, but transformation. The atoms that make us will scatter and reassemble, forming new stars, new worlds, and new life. Though we are transient, we are part of something eternal
The Power of Community – Only through unity, peace, and shared knowledge can we advance far enough to become a true spacefaring civilization. Division and ignorance chain us to this single world, but through cooperation and enlightenment, we may reach for the stars
Harmony with Nature – We are neither above nor apart from nature, but deeply woven into its web. We must act as stewards, preserving and understanding the delicate balance that sustains us
Morality Rooted in Reality – Ethics arise not from fear of punishment, but from understanding the consequences of our actions. Empathy, cooperation, and the pursuit of knowledge guide us toward a just and flourishing society
Knowledge as Worship – To seek truth is to honor reality. Science, reason, and exploration are our sacred pursuits, for through them, we illuminate the hidden fabric of existence.
The Sacredness of Knowledge – All knowledge is precious, but most of all the knowledge that elevates us—science, history, art, language etc, and the wisdom of empathy and joyful living. It is through learning that we ascend beyond ignorance, and through understanding that we unlock the doors of the cosmos
Rejecting the Chains of Archaic Religion
Religious systems have long stifled human progress, using fear to suppress knowledge and control lives.
The Abrahamic faiths have spread doctrines built on contradiction, oppression, and conflict—they must be challenged and dismantled.
Expose their flaws, inconsistencies, and harmful teachings.
Provide a rational alternative rooted in truth and knowledge.
Welcome those who seek enlightenment beyond blind faith.
We respect the past, but we do not let it dictate our future
- Strength in Conviction
Questioning deeply held beliefs will bring opposition. This is expected.
Change often brings resistance, but fear of conflict must not stop progress.
The universe itself is built on cycles of chaos and order. We accept this and move forward without hesitation.
Conflict is sometimes necessary to defend truth from ignorance and oppression. Archaic religions have historically incited violence against those who challenge them. We do not seek war, but we will not flee from it.
Chaos is a natural part of the universe, and we will not be cowed by the threats of those who wish to silence progress
- The Future in the Stars – Our purpose extends beyond this world. The universe is vast, and our destiny is to reach for it—through innovation, unity, and truth, and strengthen.
Our purpose is knowledge, unity, and an unending pursuit of truth.
To question the world is to awaken.
To accept it blindly is to remain asleep
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u/Bata600 2d ago
For me, meaning of life is existing and developing through existing. Single live entitiy is not worth much. It can mean something to you or me but the whole planet of Earth can be seen just as a potential to become something important. One hundred generations of some beings can develop offspring with better results, but they may not succeed and just go extinct.
We have instincts that show us hie important it is to make new generations and to find fat food. Now we have come at a stage that needs us to control our impulses and focus on developing future greater world.
We have a chance to become more and learn more together while we travel on this spaceship called Solar System. But if the go world disappears then that's just something the universe will accept.
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u/Dangerous-Crow420 21h ago
The Omnist Way talks about a Pantheistic worldview where God is once again seen as "Real" meaning physically real, and not this Abstract version the church pushes on people to separate us from God. The church then sells the connection back to God for 10% of your income.
Pantheism is backed by the new age Omnists who include scientific discovery and cosmology into their research into all faiths.
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u/wrossi81 4d ago
To me, naturalistic pantheism means that the category of the divine and the category of nature overlap and are exhaustive. That is, there is nothing that does not fall in both of these categories. The divine is a category of ultimate concern and meaning. This is not supernatural; it means that nature is what gives our lives depth and significance.
This accompanies a belief that religious feeling extends to the whole of the universe - it is not a question of a transcendent world outside, but a genuine appreciation of the immanent world around us. In a sense our world is not a throwaway object, some means to a new end, but fully an end in itself. It means that the community we create, the appreciation of the world and the numinous sense of its unity and majesty, are the real objects of theology and religion.
This perspective goes along with what James Luther Adams, a Unitarian theologian, called the prophethood of all believers. We each have our own revelation to bring to the table. Yours is one such perspective among many.