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Classical Pantheism is a way of thinking, philosophy, view of the world and/or a realization that could fill-in the gap between scientific fact and the mysterious, it offers a different point-view that's other than atheism or theism, religious or skeptic, one that doesn't entail having to believe in a god or not believing in one. Classical Pantheism is broadly and loosely defined, thus is simple and all-inclusive leaving the details up to you.

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Showing posts with label Universe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Universe. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The Scientific Pantheist Universe vs. Classical Pantheist Universe


Scientific Pantheists say:
The universe exists for itself, without cause or purpose. Nothing existed before it that could have been its cause. Nothing exists outside it that could be the source of its purpose *1
In my opinion, the statement above can be rewritten as follows to suite a Classical Pantheist:
The Omniverse exists for itself. Nothing exists outside of it that could be the source of it. The Omniverse is eternal**.
** eternal means: Without beginning or end of existence; always existing, everlasting.
This statement is my personal view of what the Classical Pantheist view of the Omniverse (i.e. the Pantheist equivalent of the god) is.
In my statement I purposefully avoided discussing the “Universe’s purpose”. I think it is speculative to assume that the Universe has no purpose or that we can comprehend what its purpose is, or is not, if one(s) existed. Since I do not have sufficient knowledge, I am comfortable leaving speculation (regarding purpose) out of this statement. Further I use the word Omniverse, not Universe as the Omniverse is a better word to describe all of existence and everything that ever did or will exist, including multiple universes.
Humans have a need and strong urge to know the origin of things, the purpose behind things existing and what caused  these things to exist (the cause of things). Thus, understandably, we are uncomfortable with concepts such as eternity, infinity and simply not knowing.  This driving need inside of us to know, to understand “cause” and “purpose” is a hallmark of what makes us human. We can all identify with this desire to know.
When primitive people saw a comet (eclipses, shooting stars, lightning or felt the destruction of earthquakes or volcanoes etc..) they assumed that some god(s) was behind such event(s) and that this god must have had a message or a cause that prompted her/him to take such action. Their gods were anthropomorphic (with human-like characteristics). Their need to know the cause and purpose of things coupled with their lack of information prompted them to seek supernatural gods as the cause. These pre-scientific humans made up (and found) their cause and purpose.
Today, our quest goes on. Scientists are more driven than ever to study the origins of life, the beginnings of our universe, as well as the future of the universe and life. In doing so, we continue to seek the (and assume that there is a) purpose and a cause for everything, including the Universe and life.  The Omniverse is eternal, ever lasting, infinite. The definition above does not claim to know its purpose or even if one exist.
Nowadays, many (similarly to pre-scientific humans) assume God is eternal, has a purpose and is the cause for (is the creator of) the universe and life, based on their limited definition of universe and life. However, as I have shown under the label of “Classical Pantheism” a creator God is not needed once one defines the Omniverse.
Pantheists do not assume the existence (nor do they need to) of the Abrahamic God. Once one accepts the notion that there is something that exists that is eternal and infinite (i.e. as people that believe in an Abrahamic God do), it becomes imminently clear how this eternal and infinite thing is the Omniverse itself.  The Omniverse does not need a creator because it is eternal, and is infinite as well. Both Classical and Scientific Pantheists agree that a man-made anthropomorphic creator or Abrahamic God is not needed to explain the Omniverse or universe.
Let’s celebrate our commonalities, not differences of opinion.
Read more about the Pantheist God, here and the Pantheist Universe, here.
* 1 – from http://www.pantheism.net/paul/cause.htm retrieved 02/17/2010
Updated: Dec 19, 2010

But Who Created the Universe?


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:
1)
A Christian is 100% in agreement that God was never created.. that god created the universe (and life in it), in 7 days.
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.
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.. How does that sound so far? peaked your interest? Great!  let’s look at this from a different angle:
2)
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.
3)
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.
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.. ok, is that making more sense now?
Let’s yet again look at this from a different angle:
4)
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.
5)
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.
6)
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?
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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
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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
..
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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
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in love,
Updated: 12/18/2010 – 06/30/2011
A related article: What About Creation?

A Conversation with a Believer


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.

When was the Term Omniverse First Used to Describe Pantheism?


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