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Why Is Pantheism Wrong?

Pantheism is the belief that the Universe and Nature is God, that the Universe and Nature and everything in it is the manifestation of God. It's also the admission, toleration and the acceptance of the worship of any or all gods. Let's start by dissecting each of these assertions.

God isn't defined exclusively to be the Universe and Nature alone in the human language. God is generally defined as being wholly transcendent, anthropomorphic, personally loving and good, with a human centered personality.

Pantheism turns this concept on its head, by declaring that God is exactly the opposite of what is typically thought. God then becomes a useless subterfuge or word salad statement which means virtually nothing to anyone who still believes in it. If you admit the toleration and allow the worship of any or all gods, then you might as well I say it's just as valid to worship a bloody thirsty god that demands child sacrifices as it would be fine to worship a god that doesn't.

It's nonsense. If the Universe is a manifestation of God this also demands a high burden of proof, as no amount of scientific evidence lends itself to the God explaination for being the reason why the Universe exists. So yeah so much for Pantheism, its a interesting concept, but it's still none the less unbelievable as any other God concept.

AtheistForLife 4 Aug 14
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8 comments

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0

There is a limit to tolerance. That limit is set by science. In particular if one does not look for or accept evidence as proof, it limits your chances of the whole world agreeing on things. That agreement will take many many years to establish, but setting it as a universal aim is a start,

0

You say,"God is generally defined as being wholly transcendent, anthropomorphic, personally loving and good, with a human centered personality."

I ask, which "general" god are you speaking of?

"...I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." Isaiah 45:7

...creates evil.

Or what about this "personal Jesus "?

Word Level 8 Aug 15, 2021

@AtheistForLife not all gods are defined as you define.

@AtheistForLife here is one list of "gods" that does not specifically fit your defination.
[en.m.wikipedia.org]

Also, see attached screen shot. It recognizes powerful bankers, Daniel Boone and Kit Carson as deity and nothing especially "....anthropomorphic transcendent personal supernatural being that is capable of supernatural miracles and magical abilities and powers" as you claim you definition of god is all about.

1

"God then because a useless subterfuge or word salad statement which means virtually nothing to anyone whose still believes."

Nothing like salmagundi.

2

Yes it is true, that which means everything means nothing.

And in that sort of pantheism, why not just call it 'nature'.

1

There are several pantheisms. Some of them aren't beliefs at all, but perspectives that people can take or leave as appropriate to a given situation. The art of language - metaphor - personification. What poetry or figure of speech can be "wrong"? It's just a point of view, that doesn't have to be an explanation for anything. Allegory. Art.

skado Level 9 Aug 15, 2021
1

So essentially, god is whatever people want him to be? Fine by me.

Unfortunately what a lot of people want him to be, is very nasty.

0

id agree that Yah is anthropomorphized, but by people, believers, and not the bible
fwiw

pantheism might be said to be inadequate in that a less-than-complete concept is being paid obeisance, in the case of "acceptance of any gods," iow a Mammon or even Molech worshipper would be accepted

(@Willow_Wisp "today's bible study" tantalizingly close, imo 🙂)

1

I thought of myself as a Pantheist right before I learned about Atheists. Strange how you can start out as one thing and end up another all together.

right?

We all start out as one thing and then end up as another. This goes beyond the physical and gets into our mindset of belief. Look closely at what you believe today and I'm sure you can see a time when your belief was all different. We progress. We evolve. At least we should be doing so.

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