About/Why

Hi,

I’ve always had deeper questions about existence. In this page I will share personal information only because some might wonder about my background.

I’ve experienced a spiritual and a Christian childhood of walking with Jesus daily, I learned the bible with eagerness; many of my questions were not answered, or where answered unsatisfactorily. One day, I prayed and asked for permission to allow myself to question freely and to pursue answers to whatever questions I had to wherever the answers lead. I then started to call myself an Atheist, then an Agnostic then and Atheist again.

I never accepted half truths or compromises in religious ideas and teachings, doing so meant handing away my infinite power of reasoning and thought to some religious figure or one religious book. When I saw contradictions I did not ignore them, I trusted in my logic, I retained my right to question and ability to investigate the world around me and within me.

Atheism suited my lack of belief, and the lack of logic in Abrahamic religions (creation, inherent sin, and the idea of a judging god). Yet, I had a spiritual flame within me that I was born with (that, I think, every human has). I had to face the fact that I was a spiritual Atheist; after further investigation and talks with atheists I came to conclude that the term Spiritual Atheist was an oxymoron.

I simply referred to myself as a Spiritual person from then on, as I went on to study my many interests including meditation, Chinese medicine, QiGong, hypnosis and trance-states, astronomy, physics, biology, chemistry, human thought and psychology with a bit of  history, mythology and even some mystical ideas. I believed and still do that I am more than just a label. I never cared to define my spirituality. Then why look for a label, why this website?

In the year 2009, intrigued about the possibility of finding others who think like me, I set on a quest to find if someone had already come up with a “label” to describe my spiritual leanings, in an accurate yet not so restrictive fashion. Many labels came close, including Buddhism, Agnosticism, Paganism, Neo-paganism, Mysticism, Unitarian universalism, New Thought, Taoism, Oneness, Non-Dualism, even Scientific Pantheism. No one label felt right, though. They were either too restrictive, too hierarchical, too ritualistic, too exclusive, too Paganistic, or too influenced by Abrahamic religions and their ideology missing the point of what I could see as my spirituality in its vast simplicity and broadness.

Many groups, take Atheists for example, work to define themselves using terminology created (or heavily influenced by) Abrahamic thought or theistic principles (i.e. today’s mainstream culture), even Pantheism has the word “theism” in it!  When trying to define something using an established school of though it is easy to become “anti” that school of thought, anti-creation, anti-god (i.e. a-theist), anti-Christian, anti-supernatural, anti-different, anti-spiritual. I did not care for these feuds, I’ve seen enough of them in my lifetime, and consider them a waste of time, energy and to be misguided.

Quickly taking the position of being “anti” something shuts the door in the face of honest and deep inquiry into what the person has become “anti” of. Criticism is very easy, calling someone a quack is very easy since the burden of proof is (according to our modern culture) is on the shoulders of the person introducing the new concept.  I do not want to criticize any thoughts, when I compare Pantheism to other concepts I do so in order to clarify what Pantheism is not to criticize others’ beliefs. I rather talk about what I believe than attack others, as every religion in existence and every philosophy has something valuable to offer those willing to learn.  As in life, I steer clear from troublemakers, those who seek feuds.

I created this website to introduce you to something called Classical Pantheism, a precursor to what people today call “Scientific Pantheism”. I also created this website for a selfish reason: I wanted to “learn” more about Pantheism, and write about it.  As the best learning happens when one attempts to teach others (explain to others the principles). It started with a quest to find if someone thought of the simple ideas I had, this different approach that is not theistic nor atheistic, an inclusive, one that embraces people, science and mystery all together.

I have since starting this website learned more about Pantheism and many other related “isms” that now I have a defined mission for this website (as of today 12/18/2010):

The mission is to make clear to everyone what Pantheism means. In particular what I am terming “Classical Pantheism”.

The challenge I came across was navigating the established English terminology and predominantly Abrahamic mindset in our modern world. Words such as god, divine, creation, and others are seen by most people as Theistic and heavily understood within an Abrahamic context.   However, truth transcends words.

As truth transcends words, I hope that through my repeated explanation you are able to see past the words and into the concepts, so simple yet for some radically different, of what the Omniverse (or god) is to a Pantheist.

I am communicating to you the concept — an idea or a philosophy — of an infinite, eternal existence that we call “the Omniverse” which in itself is the collection of everything that once existed or will ever exist known and unknown to us. This Omniverse (oneness, infinity, or god if you will) was never created but is able to create.

On this site we also discuss how you and I fit into this existence (Omniverse), as consciousness beings, as physical beings, as whole beings with all our parts, each of us a part of this one existence (Omniverse or god), distinct, independent, unique from others yet one in essence with all other consciousness or beings.

Please note that Classical and Scientific Pantheism are not the same. The latter being more popular currently, and thus often considered by some to be plain “Pantheism”. This is incorrect, “Scientific Pantheism” is not the same as plain “Pantheism”. To aid in drawing this distinction I decided to use the term “Classical Pantheism”.

“Classical” here refers to the origins of the word Pantheism. Some might use the term Mystical Pantheism, mystical here refers to the mystical Omniverse, as it is full of mystery and by not denying such mystery one explores it and might define the universe as being mystical (others accept and practice mystical concepts, similar mystical christians). Whether classical or mystical, the omniverse is also the quantum physics omniverse, so perhaps some might prefer to refer to Classical Pantheism as Quantum Pantheism!

Since Quantum physics is a science, perhaps others might use the term Scientific Pantheism. However Scientific Pantheism is an established label used by thousands, so I choose to not redefine it. I am simply working here to bring the simplest concepts of what Pantheism is, what Classical Pantheism is.

The original, plain, simple, classical concepts of Pantheism fell out of people’s minds as Deism, Pandiesm, Theism, Atheism and Panentheism and Scientific Pantheism all found proponents who adopted these labels and spread their views while the very simplistic and very powerful original concepts of Pantheism seemed to have been overlooked. I believe the original concepts of Classical Pantheism were adsorbed into other “labels” such as the ones I listed earlier. The original simple “Classical” Pantheism never evolved to it’s full potential of wide-spread recognition, its simplicity probably was the reason. Often we like to define things in very specific ways (that’s one reason we have many churches, and why  many churches split up into smaller churches).

Concepts of Classical Pantheism continued to exist within many religions including Taoism. I found a lack of a well define view of Classical Pantheism alone without the restrictions or additions of religious texts or rituals. You will see pantheists or pantheistic ideas in these religions: Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Neopaganism,  Theosophy, Gaia theory, Unitarian Universalists, Sufism, traditional and folk religions including African traditional religions and Native American religions.

As you see, the concepts of Classical Pantheism are prevalent and can be found, and understood everywhere and by everyone. Pantheist ideas are so basic and broad, they likely existed as far back as homo sapiens did. Due to that simplicity alone many have added on to its basic ideas over the years defining it into labels that were no longer the simple classical Pantheism.

Pantheism is so simple that people looked past it, later on Spiritual Atheists coined the term Scientific Pantheism and used it, which further confused the masses and obscured the simplicity of what Pantheism really is.

True, classical Pantheism, despite being very simple, when defined correctly, stands the chance of finally being seen for how profound, and eye opening, it really is, standing all alone as a philosophy outside of any religious tradition. I am humbly attempting to give the concepts of Pantheism (Classical Pantheism) the explanation and place it deserves. Naturally, everything you read here is my own interpretation of what I see Classical Pantheism to be.

I see Classical Pantheism as a very simple, very profound, very logical, inclusive, intuitive and holistic view of existence. At its core lies of the concept of an Omniverse and the concepts of infinity and oneness. Allowing for these concepts to enter one’s mind bridges the wide gap that exists between Theism and Atheism, science and spirituality, that many, like myself, could find perfectly compatible with their views on life. I am both a scientist and a spiritual, I highly respect science and spirituality, I highly respect Atheists and Theists alike. It is best, however, to not dwell in these dualities.

I see these dualistic, or polarized views as an integral part of a “holistic”, “non-dualistic” naturally-all-inclusive “reality”. This view of reality, and Pantheistic views in general, can be very different than both Atheistic and Theistic views, Pantheistic views are very inclusive, very loving, understanding of dualities but not limited by them, and naturally broad in perspective.

In an effort to define Pantheism I do discuss and define many others “isms”. This website grows slowly as I learn more and have the free time to write here. This website and its articles are a constant work in progress. I sport a very busy schedule, I can only write here when I have free time.

I do not hold a degree in philosphy, nor am I a writer, or a PhD candidate. I am a normal person, who asked a question, and went out seeking his own answer, I do learn from others’ works however I do not spend all my time learning from others as I have enough to share myself, enough ideas, a clear vision.. often bright ideas come from inspiration, and moments of quietness. My ideas on Classical Pantheism are these.

Before we end this discussion, I must ask you to please, do not allow me tell you what to believe. My truth is my truth, your truth is your truth. What you believe is what is real for you and I am not here to make you change your beliefs. I am only offering a clarification, of how I see existence, infinity, the Omniverse and in how I view Classical Pantheism.

The truth is out there, it is not going to be given through me, because it is inside of you, in your mind, in nature, in the ether and your mind is a great antenna and a great interpreter. Seek, read, ask for advice, then sit down in your room, lock your door, and be silent. I believe strongly in the power of silence, meditation, time-alone and the experiences one has when alone and/or with nature. Learning science is great, but equally important is to experience the beauty and mystery of nature.

I find these quotes by Einstein appropriate for this discussion:

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity.”

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.”

You could read hundreds of books on science and philosophy, yet the true answers I found come not from books. Please know, books are great to read, but “knowing” and “connecting all that you’ve learned” comes from within you. Many people spend a lifetime seeking god, seeking answers to existence and themselves. Sometimes seeking interferes with finding.Some times, one must simply grant themselves permission to “find”, experience and “be” with the present moment. These moments historically have been the ones that bring about innovation and creativity.

You can use the scientific method of inquiry to scientifically explain the mysteries of nature, but you must understand how the scientific method works in order to understand the results it produces. You also could close your eyes, close your door, sit in a room, or be out in nature, then give yourself permission to be free, to explore your inner self, to feel, to touch, to explore quietness, to explore nature, to simply “be”, think of non-dualism, and delve in to explore what the “I” and “self” is. When you question and think for yourself you become free and powerful.

A deep “thank you” for taking the time to be here.

In love,

I see the divinity in you

Ethan Z.

Ponder this:  “World peace starts with inner peace”.