At the Cusp of Forever: Growing Beyond "Panentheism"

We talk about consciousness being the underlying fabric of the universe from which all things emerge (M-theory, string theory, Unified Field Theory, etc). Consciousness has been known to be the ground of being. So not only is the universe conscious like a brain, it is growing like a brain as well. But here’s a question…a brain to what? Is it possible we exist as a thought within the mind of some Super Intelligence? Are we just brain cells operating within a Cosmic Mind? Maybe, maybe not, but it’s fascinating to think about.

-- The Mind Unleashed.com

Computer modeling has allowed us to discover many things, and it has also opened the door to many other questions in humanities search for an answer to God's existence.  Organized religion demands that the lack of solid proof requires an unyielding belief in that for which there is no proof.  They demand an unyielding faith in their own interpretation of God.  But, can we grow beyond what "organized" religion demands?  Is it possible to grow beyond the narrow view of the atheist which demands a lack of faith and, therefore, a lack of hope?  Is it possible for each of us to meld our view of God with the very science which would deny God's existence?  Personally, I think so and I'm willing to fully vest my faith in this very theory.  Why?  Well, to me, it makes sense of the universe and a universe of sense.

Pantheism:  The belief that the physical universe is equivalent to god, and that there is no division between a Creator and the substance of its creation.

Panentheism:  Like Pantheism, the belief that the physical universe is joined to a god or gods. However, it also believes that the divine pervades and interpenetrates every part of the universe and also extends beyond time and space.

In my quest to define my personal faith, I recently came across "pantheism" while doing research for a previous post, Growing Beyond Denomination.  In considering "pantheism" I was still left feeling like my personal definition of God was still left wanting.  Further research took me to "panentheism" and a way to move the omnipotent power beyond the universe which, for anyone believing that God is all that, makes perfect sense.  I find myself having to be mindful that we really don't know because there is nothing more than theories in the proof column and, as I stated previously, faith is nothing more than belief in something for which there is now proof.

I drew the following on a whiteboard, for my weekly groups at the medical center, but I will endeavor to put the concept into words:  Quantum particles interact to beget larger particles which interact to beget matter, which interacts to beget worlds, which beget solar systems, which beget galaxies, which beget universes (universes plural, for those who didn't catch it).  What lies beyond our universe might be multiple other universes, separated by voids, which are parts of an even larger multiverse which, in turn, are parts of an even larger multi-multiverse, and so on.  Taken as a whole, I had to ask myself what the possibilities were for this "reality" ultimately defining a "mind" of what we would refer to as "God."  It places our view of God into a context which truly depicts this power as being infinite and everything, and much larger than our narrow view of an insignificant, piss-ant universe might allow.  What if all of these infinite bits and pieces came together at some point and to spark an infinite consciousness?  It bodes the question, then, of what created all the infinite bits and pieces.

I consider our reality as nothing more than a "thought" of this larger process, and hopefully not an afterthought.  I have always touted that if you simply think something then it, therefore, exists.  For instance, by considering a concept of "nothing" and giving "nothing" a name and defining it, then we give substance to nothing and nothing, therefore, exists.  It is what it is, and is what it ain't, and even if it ain't... it is.

Is it even possible to grow beyond panentheism?  If panentheism touts "that the divine pervades and interpenetrates every part of the universe and also extends beyond time and space," then this definition would seem to cover any bases left open.  God is everything, and everything is God.  If everything is God, then we strive to become that which we already are.  Perhaps we would be better served to simply recognize this fact, embrace it, and learn to accept our place as part of the greater glory.

Now I find myself, once again, at the Cusp of Forever, staring into the abyss and wondering: What if our being was nothing more than some creative afterthought, an omnipotent "brain fart" of an infinite mind of a "God" in which everything is part and parcel?

Brain fart?  Smells like roses to me!

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.

Old Age

"Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

-- Dylan Thomas (1914-1953), poet

Come another morning, and the body feels every moment of the questionable decision making which was my youth. I manage to find my way to the shower. Never one to linger, the shower takes but a few minutes. When done, I look at the squeegee and reluctantly acquiesce to running it over the marble walls. Feeling more awake, I take a fresh razor in hand and consider the aged landscape staring back at me from the mirror. This is not a squeegee. I put the razor down and opt, instead, to brush my thinning pate. Better. I look relatively civilized. The guy in the mirror smiles at me. Retrieving the razor, I continue where I left off. I carefully trace the blade over contours of a landscape which, for whatever reason, has fewer valleys and canyons, save the cleft in my chin, than one would expect for a man my age. When done, I step onto the scale which informs me I’m still fighting 175. I convince myself the fat is turning to muscle due to the treadmill and weight machines used at the gym three times a week. That's my story anyway. I slip into a white tee-shirt, blue jeans, and cheap tennis shoes. The guy in the mirror nods an approval, which lets me know I’m acceptable if only to myself.

I turn on the computer as I walk by the desk and wander into the kitchen.  A cupboard beckons to me for the ibuprofen within.  I down three pills with a half a pot of coffee.  I've eaten some breakfast by the time the ibuprofen calms the aches and pains which are the constant reminder of my past sixty odd years of bodily abuse which I figure started at five when I found out what trees were good for.  I was not Tarzan.

I contemplate what new abuse awaits me today as I sit down in front of the laptop with another cup of hot coffee.  I close my eyes, monitor my breathing, relax, and empty my mind of everything but my favorite place to think.  I'm at the abyss.  I'm only there for the moment between breaths.  I open my eyes and begin to type.

In about an hour I've written my next post for this blog site of the Congregation for Religious Tolerance.  In another fifteen minutes, it will be proofed for grammar and spelling, have pertinent quotes added, and will be finished by attaching my disclaimer to the bottom and hitting "publish" to send it on.  This is my usual morning.  I have done this 748 times, to date, since the middle of June 2013, when I was all of sixty.  There's obviously nothing wrong with my mind, not that anybody but me should be concerned about, and I'm working on squeezing all I can out of my physical shell, this "ugly giant bag of mostly water" as it was referred to by the energy beings in an old Star Trek episode.  But, then, beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, right?  I just know the guy in the mirror is frowning.  I also know he knows I'm flipping him off.

You're only as old as you think you are.  My body wants me to feel sixty-five, even though my doctor says I have the body of a person fifteen years younger.  If it weren't for all those reminders constantly haunting me, I'd feel half my age.  My high school classmates started dropping like flies at least twenty years ago.  I was concerned because I'd come to understand we were all supposed to be living longer.  My dad just celebrated eighty-eight, and I know I'm in better shape than he was at sixty-five.  I plan on making it to ninety.  

Before I'm ready to shake off this mortal coil, I want to watch us walk on Mars, launch a manned mission to Europa and, hopefully, see the first contact with an alien species.  I figure I'll be ready to move on to the next great adventure at that point.  

Until then, the "grim reaper" can bite me.

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.

A Blind Place

"If one can only see things according to one's own belief system, one is destined to become virtually deaf, dumb, and blind." 

-- Robert Anton Wilson

I'm blind.  Oh, my vision is corrected so I can see clearly enough, but I am blind.  I choose to be.    Everyone should have a "happy place" where they can park their mind.  I also have a "blind place" where I go to ignore stupidity, ignorance, and members of the League of the Perpetually Offended.  It isn't that I don't see their point of view, I just become tired of them jamming it in my face like I'm the one who intentionally offended them.  Sometimes I think they do it because they're pissed off that I'm not the one.  But, I think everyone should find their own "blind place" so they can escape frustration when necessary, like just before your brain explodes from listening to the mindless drivel spewing from a perpetually offended pie hole.  An example would be white racists touting the values of black racists, or like Sheppard Smith, on the FOX news channel, who demands that only black lives matter to the point he twice admonishes a person being interviewed for continually saying all lives matter. Shep is one of those mindless followers of the League who feels that "all lives matter" is politically incorrect and, therefore, seems to evidence a belief that his own life must not matter. 

I feel a rant coming on.  

Sheppard, being a gay white man from the south, is seemingly confused supporting an anarchist group which called for the death of all white people.  They're racist anarchists, Shep!  Even intelligent people of color see through their crap.  You're white and gay! Of all people who should understand that all lives matter, I would think you'd be all over this.  Wakeup!  This is like Jews who helped the Nazis kill the Jews during WWII. 

I used to like Sheppard Smith and would make a point of watching his news program.  I liked the humorous videos of bears he would occasionally share.  Then he started sharing his slanted personal commentary which slowly morphed into commentary which made little sense or had no basis in truth.  Confused ignorance, like Sheppard Smith, is why I have a blind place.  It is also why I own several semi-automatic weapons for personal protection.

You can't hate racism and support reverse racism.  It's still racism!  You can't love everyone, "except."  You can't support free speech from everyone except those people with ideas contrary to your own.  You can't run away from the horrors of your own country and then try to turn your adopted country into the horrors you escaped.  You can't love a country where you have so much freedom if you're using that freedom you cherish to turn the said country into the very totalitarian nightmare you escaped.  Morons are the reason I have a "blind place."

I have no problem confronting the League of the Perpetually Offended, but their numbers are staggering.  Sometimes you just need to escape and give it a break before you find yourself being perpetually offended.  You learn to give your opinion and simply walk away.  My dad taught me that opinions are like assholes, everybody has one.  If you can't discuss opinions like rational people, then you should walk away from the "discussion" before all people hear is two jackasses braying at each other.

You learn to recognize those offended people with a chip on their shoulder.  They don't hide it, they can't.  They carry it like a weighty yoke that crushes down most of their humanity.  They perceive some wrong perpetrated upon them and make everyone constantly pay for the offense they feel.  They're already pissed off at you before they even meet you because they expect you to judge them, so I judge them.  I don't judge them for what they expect, I judge them because they're perpetually offended and they've already judged me as being just another bigoted SOB they have to deal with.   This is why I have a "blind place."

This might sound like I'm just another coward in denial of what happens around me, and nothing could be farther from the truth.  I speak my mind and have my say, I just get tired of battling folks who just spew the party line because they're incapable of thinking for themselves, like people who deflect questions because they have no real answer. It's like they don't understand the words coming out of your mouth so they answer a question no one asked, instead.  Admitting you don't know would make you seem like less of a moron.

No. having a "blind place" isn't about sticking your head in the sand and denying the world around you, it's about not going postal when you find yourself wallowing in the mindless lunacy of people who thought it appropriate to open their pie hole and let the vinegar-laced filling dribble out.  It's about walking away from morons who refuse to have a cogent thought of their own, much less engage in intelligent conversation.  The trick is to find your "blind place" and don't stress over the moronic bullshit surrounding you.

The League of the Perpetually Offended suck the energy from you just like they suck the energy from any room they're in that isn't packed with fellow members of their league and, yes, even this self-imposed lack of diversity will offend them.  Perhaps if we all just ignore them they will go away or change.

Yeah, right.  Let's go with that.

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.

Growing Beyond Pantheism

Pantheism is the belief that reality is identical with divinity, or that all-things compose an all-encompassing, immanent god. Pantheist belief does not recognize a distinct personal anthropomorphic god and instead characterizes a broad range of doctrines differing in forms of relationships between reality and divinity.

There are a variety of definitions of pantheism. Some consider it a theological and philosophical position concerning God.

Pantheism is the view that everything is part of an all-encompassing, immanent God. All forms of reality may then be considered either modes of that Being, or identical with it. Some hold that pantheism is a non-religious philosophical position. To them, pantheism is the view that the Universe (in the sense of the totality of all existence) and God are identical (implying a denial of the personality and transcendence of God).

-- Wikipedia, Pantheism

In my last couple of posts, I contemplated religion, religious denominations, religious sects, religious faith, and my own spiritualist view at the time; the very real possibility that I am a pantheist. A recent comment to one of those posts gave me kudos for "still expanding, exploring your own beliefs and have managed to move past some of the ingrained dogma most of us grew up and are still constantly bombarded with." The comment went on to say, "Pantheism as wedged into one of the "main religions" is not, IMO, the pantheism of nature and natural law."  As I read this, I agreed with the statement but was confused by the reason for it until I read the definition of "pantheism," once again.

Oh my, yes!  The definition states, pantheism "characterizes a broad range of doctrines differing in forms of relationships between reality and divinity," so it would seem we are opening the door, once again, to interpretation as it continues with "There are a variety of definitions of pantheism. Some consider it a theological and philosophical position concerning God."  When we fall back into a "broad range of doctrines," have we not fallen back into the trap which leads us, ultimately, to religious fervor based on confusion?

"Fifteen hundred years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was flat. And fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."

-- Agent K, Men in Black (1997)

We absolutely do not fully understand the power of the universe,  It is, as Albert Einstein once stated, a "universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws but [we] only dimly understand these laws."  As most of my readers can attest, I try to shy away from concrete statements made by the intelligentsia which we duller tools might mistake for fact.  Things can only be as true when put into the context of how we, at any one moment, understand them; in the next moment, it must be understood, our understanding may change.  The earth was definitely flat until we discovered it was not.  But, if we don't understand the universe fully, understanding it "only dimly," then we might be getting ahead of ourselves by not accepting a possibility of conscious, intelligent design.  We very simply do not know, as usual.

I ascribe to no religious doctrine or dogma, per se, although I do attribute much of how I view myself to the information I glean from great prophets and teachers, like most of the philosophy and teaching of Jesus Christ.  Does this make me a Christian?  If one finds it necessary to label me as something which they find easier to comprehend, then yes.  I also rejoice in ancient Greek philosophy, Taoist philosophy, and Buddhist philosophy, not to mention several philosophies dealing with psychology and transactional analysis.  So, what does this make me, a Renaissance man? Maybe it just makes me human.  Why does any of this have to define me at all, in the eyes of others?  I certainly have no concern over how others view me, any more than I think it prudent to judge others for their own self-view.  

You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.

-- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), Indian Hindu monk

When I address my weekly PTSD group at the medical center, I do not discuss belief and faith as it pertains to religion, but rather as it pertains to themselves.  You cannot truly love anything until you love yourself; you cannot truly have faith in anything until you have faith in yourself.  I always quote the airline's safety briefing, before each flight, in case of emergency, "Put on your oxygen mask first, before assisting the person next to you with theirs."  Save yourself first, then try to save everyone else.  Is having faith in one's self such a bad thing?

I was asked why I add "faith" and "belief" into the mix of my post.  Faith is simply a belief in something for which there is no concrete proof.  I agree that these terms can have negative connotations, particularly if left to the purview of my favorite group, the League of the Perpetually Offended.  Perhaps we should try assuming "positive" before we take the low road.  I have faith that we all have it in us to rise above negativity, and I'm not sure why this "faith" I have should be considered negative unless you have an alternate faith which states your life is shit, and this is exactly why we should never have faith in anything negative.  If you perpetually think your life is shit, viola, your life becomes shit, and it will probably stay shit until you believe it is something better.  Faith opens the door, even just a smidge, to what is possible and, occasionally, even what is impossible.  If you think it, it exists.  Think positive thoughts, and strive to rise above adversity.

Perhaps I have grown beyond pantheism to an understanding that, whatever "it" is, "it" is.  In the book of Exodus, when God  is asked by Moses how he should describe him to the people, God instructs Moses to tell the people, "I AM."  In Taoist philosophy, when asked to describe the eternal Tao, the master responds, "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; The name that can be named is not the eternal name. The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth."  Well, perhaps this is all there is.  We cannot prescribe God to pantheism anymore than we can to any other theory.  God, whether it is a being or simply an ultimate power, an energy, making up the "marvelously arranged universe," my faith tells me - it simply is.

Perhaps, for me, for now, this is enough.  I will continue to grow and to question.  I will soon get the itch to move beyond that which I moved beyond.  I think, sooner or later, most of us in this life or in the next, will come to understand this is who we are and, very probably, why we are.  But, then, who really knows... Popeye?

"I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam."

-- Popeye the Sailor

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.

The Universe Marvelously Arranged

"I'm not an atheist, and I don't think I can call myself a pantheist. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn't know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God. We see the universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws but only dimly understand these laws. Our limited minds grasp the mysterious force that moves the constellations."

-- Albert Einstein

I find Albert Einstein to be very intelligent when it comes to theoretical physics, though he came off as something of a horndog, and he seems wanting when writing his personal thoughts and allowing interpretation by those who would read much into them.  For instance, when he states "our limited minds grasp the mysterious force that moves the constellations," I have to balk.  If we truly "grasp" the mysterious force, it would no longer be mysterious.  In truth, our limited minds constantly attempt to grasp at much we find mysterious and, as he also states, "We see the universe marvelously arranged and obeying certain laws but only dimly understand these laws."  So, which is it?  Do our "limited minds grasp" anything, or do we "dimly understand these laws" through what we see?  Of course, I would never read anything into what Albert says (yeah, right) any more than I would deign to interpret what God really meant to say in the Ten Commandments by egotistically picking and choosing from scripture, written by men, and then combining those chosen into a biblical text we can proclaim as "holy" and the definitive "Word of God."

Pantheism is the view that everything is part of an all-encompassing, immanent God. All forms of reality may then be considered either modes of that Being, or identical with it. Some hold that pantheism is a non-religious philosophical position. To them, pantheism is the view that the Universe (in the sense of the totality of all existence) and God are identical (implying a denial of the personality and transcendence of God).

-- Wikipedia, Pantheism

Scholars would say he admits to being an atheist, yet he denies atheism.  He also states he doesn't think he's a pantheist, but I find this doubtful as his thinking seems to be spot on with pantheism.  He leaves us wondering at where his spirituality truly lies while he admits to seeing "the universe marvelously arranged."  By whom, pray tell?

By way of introduction for the next several paragraphs, I have included an excerpt from Benedictus de Spinoza's "Ethics," a philosophical treatise published in 1677.  This is taken from Part I, "Concerning God," Definition IV, and his Explanation:

IV. By God, I mean a being absolutely infinite-that is, a substance consisting in infinite attributes, of which each expresses eternal and infinite essentiality.

Explanation-I say absolutely infinite, not infinite after its kind: for, of a thing infinite only after its kind, infinite attributes may be denied; but that which is absolutely infinite, contains in its essence whatever expresses reality, and involves no negation.

Written in two letters, twenty-five years apart, we might see a hint of Einstein's thoughts as to God.  In 1929 he writes to the author of a book, "There is No God," this response: "We followers of Spinoza see our God in the wonderful order and lawfulness of all that exists and in its soul as it reveals itself in man and animal."  Then, in 1954, he writes in another letter: "I do not believe in a personal God and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly."  Taken at face value, trying to read nothing into it, he is not stating that he doesn't believe in God, but that he doesn't believe in the concept of a "personal" God, while he, at the same time, denies the impersonal God of pantheism.  Well, which is it, Albert?

Personally, I think God can have it both ways and shame on anyone who thinks an omnipotent power can't make that happen.  However, it sounds to me as though Albert is an agnostic, "a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God."  It seems to me Albert takes the cowards way out by sitting on the fence.  Perhaps he should have considered politics.

"If the multiverse turns out to be the best explanation of the fundamental physical constants, it would not be the first time we have been flabbergasted by worlds beyond our noses."

-- Steven Pinker, cognitive psychologist

I have learned one important fact from researching this post:  I am, in all probability, a pantheist.  Like Einstein, I also see the universe as marvelously arranged, so much so that I cannot see it as a toss of the dice, created by chance.  There is too much "ooey-ooey" when we look into stories of near-death experience and the pantheon of belief, of faith, in life after death and multiple planes of existence, part of a theoretical multiverse.

Our theories of God, for all the faith we pour into them, are all still unproven theories which rely on our faith to stay relevant in the lives of humankind.  Personally, I see God every time I consider the universe as a whole.  The universe is, in fact, a marvelously arranged collection of energy which acts as a living organism which inhales and exhales, creates new cells and shed old ones.  

For all the mystery of our reality, we can see in within it a complicated, well-planned design, and ask ourselves, "Designed by whom, or what, and... why?"

“The scripture worshippers put the writings ahead of God. Instead of interpreting God's actions in nature, for example, they interpret nature in the light of the Scripture. Nature says the rock is billions of years old, but the book says different, so even though men wrote the book, and God made the rock and God gave us minds that have found ways to tell how old it is, we still choose to believe the Scripture.”

-- Sheri S. Tepper (1929-2016), science fiction novelist

Editor's Note

Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.

Growing Beyond Denomination

A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.

-- Wikipedia, "Religious Denomination"

"...says THE LORD JEHOVAH: I shall put my law into their minds, and I shall write it upon their hearts," and God did this because the written Word was susceptible to so much misinterpretation due to the ignorance of man. Christians might argue this, which would only further evidence the point. If the Word of God, as written in biblical scripture, were so straightforward as to not be open to interpretation, why are there so many Christian sects arguing over who is correct and practicing the most righteous path to salvation? This is the very reason God, in the second covenant with man, wrote: "not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."

Thus starts the post I wrote, back in May of 2016, concerning Holy Scripture, the Bible, and the Ten Commandments.  Since it has some bearing on this post I thought it might be a good idea to revisit it and see if my thoughts have changed. God endowed us all with the freedom of thought and, with this freedom, we also have the right to change our views as we learn and grow. If you’d like to critique your own thoughts about the written Word, please join me in reading the previous post, attached, prior to continuing this one:  A Word from Our Sponsor?

*******************************************

Rumor has it, per information found on several online sites; there are 10,000 distinct religions worldwide.  As to the Christian religion, there is much discussion as to whether Christianity can claim over 33,000 separate sects under its own umbrella.  On his blog site, The Complete Pilgrim, author-researcher Howard Kramer explains this large number thus: 

The fact that there are 33,000 Christian Denominations is quoted on many websites, frequently with the tone that this is a good thing. Personally I think that it suggests that Christianity is hopelessly fractured along more dogmatic fault lines than can be reasonably allowed for in a single faith. But that’s just my opinion.

In any event, a deeper look at the numbers shows that Christianity is not nearly so divided as the number 33,000 might indicate. For one thing, it includes that there are multiple denominations for many churches based on how many countries that church is present in. For example, the Roman Catholic Church, which is a single entity under the authority of the Vatican, counts 242 independent denominations, which is, of course, not really factual.

Not surprisingly, Protestant Christianity makes up the bulk of different denominations, counting 9,000 mainstream and 22,000 independent for a total of 31,000. The vast majority of these ‘denominations’ are in fact stand alone congregations, many of which share essentially common beliefs but with no mutual association with one another.

Worldwide, Christian denominations might number, roughly, 200 to 300. Unlike denominations, however, Christian "sects" probably make up for the daylight between the 200-300 number and 33,000. A sect is generally a subset of a religion or a religious denomination, though sects are not necessarily denominations. In Christianity, for instance, a sect can adhere to the beliefs of a particular denomination or can simply be another Christian sect identifying with no set denomination.  In his explanation, above, Kramer is addressing Christian denominations not sects and, and during my own research, I found most information available fails to garner my respect by also trying to justify the 33,000 against known denominations.  It would seem no one wishes to give these Christian sects any credence, and yet, there are 33,000 of them.  

Without even researching I can envision most world religions probably have sects which number many more than they would care to admit.  It bodes a question as to why so many, and I have to answer with my favorite quote from comedian and social critic Lenny Bruce (1925-1966), "People are leaving the church and going back to God."  The numbers might evidence that what Lenny Bruce quipped as a social critique over 55 years ago, still holds true today, that many people are simply disenchanted with organized religion.  Not a thought when one considers the only two things asked of us is that we love God and love each other.

Religion may be defined as a cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that relates humanity to supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual elements. However, there is no scholarly consensus over what precisely constitutes a religion.

-- Wikipedia, "Religion"

For the Abrahamic faithful there is only one true "Word of God" which is literally written in stone - the Ten Commandments.  Building churches is not a "commandment" and neither is tithing or judging.  The Commandments are not open to interpretation as they are black and white, yes or no, do or do not.  Most great teachers and prophets in the world have touted similar ethical behaviors for those who choose to follow a particular spiritual path or go in search of their own.  I question scripture as being the "One true word of God" as it was not written by God.  Scripture was inspired by God and written by man.  I can't help but think God would have better considered the audience before writing something for the common man which requires so much scholarly interpretation.  No, I think the Ten Commandments say everything we need to know in the simplicity one would expect from a father to a child.  So, why scripture?

“Protestantism has the method of Jesus with His secret too much left out of mind; Catholicism has His secret with His method too much left out of mind; neither has His unerring balance, His intuition, His sweet reasonableness. But both have hold of a great truth, and get from it a great power.”

-- Matthew Arnold, poet and critic (1822-1888)

Matthew Arnold hit the nail on the head when he wrote the statement above.  Organized religions have hold of a great truth, and they work that truth to their utmost benefit; it is one of "great power" over the minds and money of the faithful.  Why do religions hold so much sway over the faithful?  

Philosopher and political theorist Karl Marx (1818-1883) wrote, "Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people."  Marx saw the world as it should be, all things being equal.  Unfortunately, all things are not equal, and can never be.  I want to digress for just a moment...  

There must be balance in the world.  Marxist philosophy, socialism, does not work because humans demand freedom of thought.  Utopian socialism, small socialist enclaves, only seem to work within the framework of non-socialist societies with whom they peacefully interact.  Socialism, as a whole, only works until it runs out of other people's money or the masses get tired of waiting in long lines for toilet paper which may not be there when they finally get to the counter.  Socialist and utopian societies cannot exist without democracy, capitalism, and dystopia in the mix.  The League of the Perpetually Offended will ultimately be offended at itself when they have rid the world of everything to be offended over, and the last member will ultimately commit suicide over the offense which he has wrought which has left him the sole survivor of humanity.

This is just my take on socialist philosophy.  I like the concept, but I feel it is unrealistic and has never been proven to work as a large social order without becoming totalitarian.  I also accept what Marx said about religion, as a reminder:  "Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people."  It is the "expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering" and the mere fact that people believe they are suffering should give any intelligent person pause.  Religion "is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions."  Oppression, heartlessness, and soulless conditions?  I would ask that everyone research all of the failed attempts at socialism, and look to why these governments were eventually overthrown, to answer this question.

Was Marx considering personal spirituality in this statement, or was he addressing religion as an organized philosophy of the masses, working contrary to the mind control which socialist dogma would ultimately demand in order for socialism to survive?  I am not a political theorist, but it makes me wonder.  I think Marx is correct when he states why religion exists.  I also think organized religion is not much better than the mindless socialism it decries.  Neither understands that one cannot exist without the other, and a free mind would make both obsolete.  

A free mind would be able to explore the meaning of life, the marvelously arranged universe and the possibility of a power greater than ourselves which created and controls it.  God?  Maybe, or maybe not, there is no proof either way.  It is something the majority of us take on faith, that belief in something for which there is no proof.  Have faith in the teachings and philosophies of those you think make the most sense, not in the religious ceremonies and bugaboo which came after them.  I would certainly steer away from any faith which states you must follow their teachings or be put to death in a Holy Crusade or an Islamic Jihad.  Why would anyone place faith in a people who praise the death of peaceful innocence simply because they embrace a peaceful faith which differs from their own?  The interpretation of a religion is the purview of the leadership of said religion.

I identify with Christianity because I appreciate the teachings of the prophet Jesus.  I also appreciate the teachings of Buddha and Lao Tzu.  I have also learned much from the prophet Muhammad, and Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.  So, what am I?  I am, and this is what I offer up to the greatest power in the universe.

I think we have to unshackle our minds from the idea of fidelity to a particular religion and go seek our own peaceful, ethical, and righteous truth; an undying faith in ourselves which will steer us toward an undying faith in things greater than we can imagine.  We need to grow beyond religious orientation, indoctrination, and denomination and become truly spiritual beings.  I truly believe, with all faith, that this is the only way we can connect with that greatest omnipotent power in the universe.

But, then, I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

"Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life." 

-- Buddha

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.

At the Cusp of Forever: Where Everything Is Not

"Horror vacui."

(Nature abhors a vacuum.)

-- Aristotle (384-322 BC), philosopher 

As you stand at the edge on the Cusp of Forever, staring into the blackness which is the void, have you ever considered the complete nothing of it? The void, for all the mystery we endow it with, is simply a completely empty space, a total vacuum bereft of everything, where everything is not. It is a total vacuum. A total vacuum? The statement is like saying a woman is very pregnant; you’re either pregnant or you’re not. If a vacuum is not total then it also is not a vacuum. But, then, a total vacuum is a concept for which we have no reference, right? After all, what we refer to as a vacuum still has quantum particles moving through it which we can't measure and, therefore cannot allow for with any accuracy if we include a necessary "vacuum" in any equation. The best we can do is a "partial" vacuum which, again, is like saying a woman is “sort of” pregnant. It really isn't a vacuum but is simply the best we can create. The cosmic web is said to consist of the glue which binds everything to reality. But, what exists in the blackness, the void throughout the web, where everything is not?  Is it a total vacuum?  Is it possible to remove God from somewhere?  If we can't remove the ever-present God, is it still a vacuum?  Do we simply write God out of the equation or do we create another variable to deal with the deity effect, the "ghost in the machine" so to speak? 

Perfect vacuum is an ideal state of no particles at all. It cannot be achieved in a laboratory, although there may be small volumes which, for a brief moment, happen to have no particles of matter in them. Even if all particles of matter were removed, there would still be photons and gravitons, as well as dark energy, virtual particles, and other aspects of the quantum vacuum.

-- Wikipedia, "Vacuum"

I love statements like the description of a "perfect vacuum," given above.  "Even if all particles of matter were removed, there would still be photons and gravitons, as well as dark energy, virtual particles, and other aspects of the quantum vacuum."  This is an example of why I have trouble in college, arguing with my professors about minutia.  But, then, I'd be the first to admit I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed.  The best I can hope for is to inflict a bit of blunt trauma to their thought process.

This description of a perfect vacuum, however, doesn't refer to dark energy as dark matter, though it is, and dark matter, theoretically, makes up 85% of the universe.  The description was probably not changed because whoever wrote it either didn't understand what they were writing or wanted to baffle us with bullshit.  I read that those "photons and gravitons, as well as dark energy, virtual particles, and other aspects of the quantum vacuum," are all particles of matter which we cannot, as yet, remove from a "perfect" vacuum.  So, it would seem, according to this description, the best we can hope for is a "quantum" vacuum.  But, having stated this, the description goes on, if I read it right, to prove itself false by the statement, "even if all particles of matter were removed" which is admitted in the description as impossible because the quantum matter would still be there.

"But", some say, "there will always be a difference between 0.9999... and 1." Well, sort of. Yes, at any given stop, at any given stage of the expansion, for any given finite number of 9s, there will be a difference between 0.999...9 and 1. That is, if you do the subtraction, 1 – 0.999...9 will not equal zero. But the point of the "dot, dot, dot" is that there is no end; 0.9999... is infinite. There is no "last" digit. So the "there's always a difference" argument betrays a lack of understanding of the infinite.

-- purplemath.com, "How Can .999... = 1?"

Point nine, multiplied by infinity, equals one.  I think the argument purplemath.com puts forth, above, to those who would say "there's always a difference," also betrays the same lack of understanding of the infinite.  My answer to the author?  Well, the condescending attitude notwithstanding, I don't think you can present a valid argument based on faulty logic simply by stating the faulty logic makes it true.  How very professorial of you.  Point nine times infinity will never equal one unless you can account for the point one infinity that you've conveniently ignored.  By the way, the point of the "dot, dot, dot" was to remind everyone that if you're tied to a chair and forced to listen to an inane argument, while I incessantly tap on your forehead with the eraser end of a pencil, you'll be forced to agree with me before I wear the eraser down to the metal fitting and begin to draw blood.  Personally, I think it would be more proper to put the infinity symbol after .999 if you want to impart infinity to everyone, but that's just me.  Dot, dot, dot?  Really?

I have witnessed some educators arguing, ad nauseam, that what they teach must be correct simply because it was what they were taught.  This perpetuates the theory of "crap in, crap out."  Some educators would also excuse the crap they teach by saying the information is valid simply because, as of the moment they teach it, the information is the best we have to go on even if the information we have, by our very description of said information, is wrong.  I have heard arguments which state that the obviously wrong is right, and I have heard them use a mathematical equation to "prove" what they say is right, even though it is so obviously not correct to the point that what they say makes them sound like idiots, in my view. 

Obviously questionable statements made by educators and scientists, make my head hurt.  It makes me weep for the state of, what we refer to as, "higher education."  It also makes me not want to be anywhere close to something scientists create, using this kind of faulty logic, for fear it will destroy any matter close to it, including me.  It also makes me hope what they create won't destroy all matter.  Remember that those symbols used in equations, like x and y, are called "variables" for a reason.  Beware anything created from an equation which includes too many variables lest we witness, for a split second, the destroyer of worlds.  I think we should be very afraid that scientists, in their zeal to do anything, will press a button, loudly fart, and make us where everything is not.

Even where everything is not, however, there would seem to be a theoretical something.  There is a void because everything that was there was drawn out by forces which curve the geometry of spacetime creating what we refer to as gravity,  But, even these forces of gravity, at work within the void, are due to the interaction of "virtual" gravitons, hypothetical particles, in the void.  Why are they hypothetical?  Because we don't know.  These particles, truth be told, are the x and y of what we think we know.

One thing is for certain, x and y are variables of a theory, and theories should not exist where everything is not... theoretically.  And, what of God?

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.