Pantheist Sanctuary

[ILOVEJESUS]

Somwhere for us pantheists to chat and have some fun

[dashwood]

what like, talk about pots and pans and other kitchen equipment?
count me inO0

[filippo lippi]

Not a place to plan underwear stealage?

[VoodooJoe]

Hi ILOVEJESUS

Perhaps you would like to talk a little about your beliefs to get the discussion going:

1. why do you believe what you believe?, was it something you were brought up with?, was it some kind of revelation?, did you come to this conclusion through philosophising? etc..

2. How would you define pantheism? how do you view your god?

3. Do you work within a religous framework? (im assuming your christian) are you part of a community? etc

4. How does it effect your day to day life?

5.Why have you chosen to join a sceptical forum?

[dashwood]

1. why do you believe what you believe?, was it something you were brought up with?, was it some kind of revelation?, did you come to this conclusion through philosophising? etc..

2. How would you define pantheism? how do you view your god?

3. Do you work within a religous framework? (im assuming your christian) are you part of a community? etc

4. How does it effect your day to day life?

5.Why have you chosen to join a sceptical forum?
well, 1. i came to believe in the reality of what is going on through experience, observation and knowlage.

2.it is impossible to view god in any way, shape or form because by definition god is unknowable.

3. no. i lead a life inspired by love and guided by knowlage, this is something totaly alien to christians.

4. it makes me feel good about myself when i help others and i feel good when i see others doing good deeds.

5. there are some very inteligent people on this site, i would be a fool not to read their unbiest thoughts, and state my own meeger opinions.

someone once said; " bad people will always do bad things, but to make good people do bad things you need religion."O0

[Matt]

Hi ILOVEJESUS

Perhaps you would like to talk a little about your beliefs to get the discussion going:

1. why do you believe what you believe?, was it something you were brought up with?, was it some kind of revelation?, did you come to this conclusion through philosophising? etc..

2. How would you define pantheism? how do you view your god?

3. Do you work within a religous framework? (im assuming your christian) are you part of a community? etc

4. How does it effect your day to day life?

5.Why have you chosen to join a sceptical forum?

As a secular pantheist I feel I can offer my perspective on those questions. I'm not trying to answer on behalf of ILJ just offer an additional view.

I believe what I believe as it has served as a good working hypothesis for empiricism and science for centuries. What I believe about the reality and the universe is unlikely to be much different from you. I doubt the existence of the supernatural but acknowledge that there is much of the natural world that is unknown. However I assert (without any more than inductive evidence) that the universe follows rules which can be determined by observation. Where I possibly differ is in my perspective of these things. Whilst those with a supernatural religion reserve their awe and reverence for the inexplicable and mysterious I find the secular universe to be sufficient focus for such emotion. Even worship if you count a desire to be closer to "God" through greater understanding of it's machinations, as worship.

I wouldn't call this framework a religious one, more philosophical. We're all part of communities, this one here, the UK Skeptics is a place I go for conversations with like minded people. No I’m not a Christian except in the loosest of cultural senses.

I'm not sure how it effects my day to day life. My life is as it is, I have no other baseline against which to compare. The fact that this label seems to fit makes very little practical difference, I don't consult Benedict de Spinoza for instruction on what to think I just happen to know that this accomplished philosopher thought much the same in some respects. Where we differ in other respects is no problem for me. If I were to think differently then obviously that would have an effect but what that effect might be would depend upon which of the many different alternative paradigms I were to adopt.

I've chosen to join a sceptical forum because I'm a sceptic. I believe in scientific scepticism.