Pantheism

The basic theological tenets of metaculture are Pantheism and Universalism.
"I believe in God, only I spell it Nature." -Frank Lloyd Wright
Pantheistic Universalism
The Universalist page describes Pantheistic Universalism in more detail and compares it to other universalist traditions.
It basically boils down to god is the holistic universe.
See Pantheism or read about Pantheism by Pantheists.
Love The Earth But Stay Grounded
Many people that call themselves pantheists lean hard into the nature-loving aspects of it, and refer to it more as Earth-worship or nature-worship. There is also no inherent adherence to science required to identify as pantheist, though it's strongly implied. The definition of pantheism is compatible with science but not all pantheists are rationalists.
The Pinnacle of Nondualism
Many philosophical and spiritual traditions seek to transcend the dichotomies that shape our perception of reality. The term for this is Nondualism or Monism.
Pantheism offers the ultimate in nondualist mentality by resolving the following false dichotomies:
- Creator and Creation
- God and the Universe
- Mind and Brain
- Science and Spirituality
- Sacred and Secular
When you are a practiced pantheist, you can fully disconnect the association between god and the supernatural, and link it to the concept of universe instead. Any time someone talks about god you automatically think universe. Any time someone says spirit you think emergent properties. Metaphor mapping can help with this transition by reframing your existing allegories.
The impact of this change in perspective cannot be overstated. It allows the rational mind to interface with religion in a completely different way. It resolves so much cognitive dissonance. Pantheism will help you make sense of the universe, history, traditions, spirituality, and so much more, all with one simple change of definition.
Other Pantheistic Traditions
Many religions have pantheistic theological traditions, or philosophies about the unity of existence that closely resemble pantheism.
- Buddhism
- Hindu Advaita Vedanta
- Sufi Waḥdat al-wujūd
- Jewish Kabbalah Ein Sof
- Hellenistic Neoplatanism
- Stoic Zeno of Citium
Pantheism is the default mode for most religions and philosophies, with the Abrahamic traditions creator god being the exception not the norm. This is partly due to their reliance on scripture, which tends to be interpreted literally. It is also a result of the power struggle the church faced in the age of enlightenment with the development of science poking holes in their metanarrative and causing political backlash that made the church lean into dualism.
Adopt Materialism Without the Existential Crisis
If you grew up believing in a religion, admitting that the supernatural does not exist represents a fundamental existential crisis. If your morality, community, and happiness are all tied to belief in god, then all of this must be rejected if one is to deny the supernatural and adopt a rational, materialist view of reality.
There's got to be a better way!
Pantheism allows you to reframe your deeply held convictions within a materialist framework. You can still believe in god, you just no longer define god as supernatural. Instead of rejecting religion in favor of atheism, you simply add detail, definition, and evidence to that which you already believe.
Pantheism resolves cognitive dissonance without existential crisis, and provides a rational path to meaning, happiness, and enlightenment.
Not Just Immanent, Transcendent Too!
Traditional pantheism also tends to deny the transcendent aspect of god, but metaculture asserts that the laws of logic, self-organization and the fractal exist outside of the material universe but still determine how it functions. Therefore they fulfill those transcendent properties of god while still being part of the overall system of nature.
That is why metaculture is based on secular fractal pantheistic universalism not just pantheism. It may not be easy to say, but it's all needed to fully capture the metaphysics and theology of metaculture. Also, the goal is to be able to just say metaculture but nobody knows what that is yet.
That's Not Transcendent Enough
If the fractal doesn't quite satisfy your personal god concept and you still need to hold on to belief in the supernatural, as long as it doesn't impact your view of science as the source of all practical truth and scripture as allegory then you can still join the in-group.
Christian Pantheism
Christian theologians that are still committed to literalism tend to reject pantheism and see it as heresy. Here are a couple of examples that will be cited in this section. [1][2][3][4][5]
Not all Christians believe pantheism is heresy, and many consider it a way to resolve the cognitive dissonance between materialism and spirituality. Some example of these are here. [6][7][8][9]
As mentioned above, the fractal view of transcendent self-organization and logic goes beyond the classic definition of pantheism and offers many more satisfying interpretations of scripture than one that focuses exclusively on material reality. Add in some perspectives on consciousness and the evolution of our moral instincts, and you have the basis for a personal god, salvation, and other Christian doctrines.
God is Distinct from the Universe and Eternal
Fractals, mathematics, logic, the laws of physics, and the universal cosmic complexification that drives evolution are all non-material things that determine everything about how the universe is created, and how creation continues to unfold.
Logic also exists outside of time and is therefore eternal, resolving the conflict between god's eternal nature and the universe's finite age. That which is transcendent is still not necessarily supernatural.
Technically this is Panentheism not Pantheism, but just like with the difference between utilitarianism and consequentialism, using the more commonly recognized term is preferable when attempting to communicate to a wider audience. Most Christian theologians that espouse pantheistic ideas identify as panenthists. Richard Rohr is a popular modern example. Teilhard de Chardin, Hegel, and Schelling are also considered panentheists. However, it doesn't really seem like the distinction is meaningful other than how well it aligns with a more literal reading of scripture. See the metanarrative of everything page for more about this view.
Pantheism Doesn't Provide Meaning
No, not intrinsically. However, it serves as a good starting point for building a meaningful belief system that is compatible with scientific materialism. You can do that with Christianity, any other religion, or with secular humanism.
metaculture interprets the inherent meaning of existence to be one that is revealed through consciousness and intelligence. We evolved a brain with an instinct to connect with the universe, our communities and loved ones. This is how the universe reveals meaning to us. Scripture is an attempt to interpret this revealed meaning with allegory; it is not the source of it.
No Personal Relationship with God
The anthropomorphic version of god makes it easier to envision them a friend who loves you and can carry on a conversation. This can be a valuable psychological tool for helping you make decisions that align with your moral foundations over your desires for short-term gain, as well as creating a parasocial relationship with god that can prevent loneliness and depression.
It may be a little harder to do this with pantheism, but it's just one extra step of realizing that god is part of everyone, so you can just envision god as someone you admire as a paragon of virtue; the best version of the kind of person you want to be. Or just some hottie, it really doesn't matter. This is your parasocial relationship with the universe, do whatever works for you!
If you need your inner monologue to be a dialogue, there's no reason Pantheism should stop you.
There is No Fall of Man or Salvation
These concepts are ways of interpreting the nature of human psychology and overcoming some of its common failures. We have a natural tendency towards temptation that causes us to choose short-term pleasure over long-term consequences. When we don't resist those temptations and it causes consequences for ourselves and others, we feel guilt. The salvation of Jesus provides a remedy for this guilt using a placebo ritual based on the ancient tradition of the sacrificial lamb.
The story is no less revealing about our human nature, and the belief is no less effective at delivering salvation. We just know how it works in the brain now.
No Miracles in Pantheism
Are the miracles really the reason for your belief? Jesus makes some of the most radically love-embracing moral teachings the world has ever heard, and you think his walking on water and endless bread sticks are the important part? It's obvious to any modern person that miracles are just how you get ancient people to embrace the truly important parts of your message.
You can also believe in miracles that don't require divine interventions that violate the laws of physics. These are often due to the nature of complex systems, which often exhibit strange and unpredictable emergent behaviors based on the interactions of trillions of variables. Spontaneous cancer remission is one such thing that is seen as a miracle. The placebo effect is often interpreted as miraculous. Procreation and birth are as natural as anything, but many see it as a miracle. The emergence of consciousness is pretty darned miraculous, too. None of these things violate the laws of physics, but they are all both awesome and unlikely. (Technically, procreation and consciousness are inevitable, but they seem unlikely!)
The Nature of Omnipresence
While being the entire universe seems to satisfy the condition of omnipresence, some draw a distinction.
In Christian theology, God is everywhere present with His whole being at all times. His omnipresence does not mean that he is diffused throughout the universe or penetrates the universe. [10]
How can god be present in its whole being at all times in all places? Fractals!
Pantheism Videos
These videos get more into the history and theological traditions of pantheism in philosophy and religion.