Pantheism

Pantheism is often confused with polytheism-the belief in many Gods-but in fact, Pantheism is neither a theism nor an atheism but is a belief that God is everything.  When one looks at the root of the word "pantheism," he will see that "pan" means all and "theos" means God, thus the word "pantheism" define the philosophy perfectly.  Pantheism is an acient philosophy and has become incorporated in many religions such as Buddhism or Hinduism.  However, Pantheism is more popular than most religions because it offers a way for a person to experience religion without commitment.  In this context, many self-proclaimed atheists are indeed Pantheists.

The central tenet of Pantheism is rougly the same as that of the Stoicis-the belief that God is not a form, but that he is everything and everyone.  Both philosophies proclaim that nature is supreme to all things and that God dwells in every living object; Stoicism and Pantheism agree that God is all and all is God, but despite the similarities, Pantheism is distinct.  The chief difference between Pantheism and any other philosophy is that Pantheists do not recognize nor discredit the existence of God.  To a Pantheist, God does not surpass validity but instead is innate in it.  All reality is in God and beyond him is only illusion.

However, Pantheism is more that believing that God is everything; Pantheism is similar to Romanticism in that its participants feel attachment with nature and believe in the return to nature, either through self-discovery or death.  The Pantheist view on death and afterlife is certainly intriguing because Pantheism is not an overly dogmatic philosophy, but it does acknowledge the possibility of an afterlife.  Many Pantheists believe a person's afterlife consists of being remembered by family and one's body being recycled in nature, but some Pantheists also believe in an afterlife more like the one described in the Bible.  Even though there is no definite definition of afterlife in the Pantheist credo, the acknowledgement of one puts Pantheism in a different category of philosophy.

While the definition of afterlife may be shady, most Pantheists do believe that leading an ethical and wholesome life will account for something in afterlife.  The Pantheist view on equality is vaguely similar to that of the Constitution of the United States in which both recognize the freedom of all people to express their beliefs.  Pantheism also upholds the belief that religion and state should be separated in order to maintain an appropriate view of equality.  While equality is important to Pantheists, so is mutual respect, non-discrimination, sustainable ways of life, and human rights.  This dedication to living conscientious lives is one of the most influential elements of the Pantheist lifestyle.  By honoring rights and respecting each other, Pantheists have set a prime example for himanity at large.

While Pantheists may believe in respect for humans, they also believe in respect for the Earth and all that inhabit it.  The practice of conserving and saving the world is more than recycling, to a Pantheist the act is religious because Pantheists believe that nature and knowledge are one and the same.  This results in a concern for the biosphere, the wild and domestic animals, and humans.  Pantheism insists that by becoming connected with nature, it provides one with an authentic form of meditation and well being.  This connection with nature is believed to be extremely personal and necessary for one to understand his place in the Universe and the importance in leading a meaningful life.

At first glance, Pantheism seems to be a philosophy that is spun from the same fabric of many other, but once one looks deep into the Pantheist mindset, he will see that Pantheism is a truly unique and interesting philosophy.  The influence that Pantheism had had on governments, fellow philosophies, and worldwide religions is vast, and Pantheism will continue to invogorate and instigate.