Pantheism/Panintheism

Intro Video-

As we deal with Pantheism, I want to remind you that we are talking about Worldviews, not religions. Different religions can share a general worldview even through they disagree on the particulars. A Hindu and a Buhdist are greatly different in belief, practice, and hopeful after death existance, yet they are far more similar to each other than the Jew, Muslim, Christian or even Atheist.

Pantheism as a worldview is the prevailing worldview in Eastern Asian Countries, but its influence on the Western world is growing leaps and bounds. As Sean mentioned Star Wars introduced it on a grand scale, and it is gaining ground in America because it has an appeal to the human heart.

Misconception: Everyone and Everything holds something divine within it / Has a divine spark within it.

One reason pantheism appeals to the human heart is it gives a sense of prideful empowerment. I am divine, I just need to live out the best of myself to enlightenment. Or as Bhagavad-Gita said in the Son of God, “There is no truth superior to me. Everything rests upon me, as pearls are strung on a thread.”

Another Reason it appeals to the human heart is it provides connection to everything around us. Because everything is divine, you can feel the connection of others and nature.

Play Yoda Clip: The Force

The third reason it appeals to the human heart is because it spiritualizes everything in contrast to Naturalism. “All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts.” Dhammapada Naturalism holds that everything is part of the divine, but you have to reach out for it through your thoughts and spirit.

Here is the problem, if Everything is divine, then nothing is divine. Your life is still an act of random chance, because there is no distict person in this divine energy to have a will to act upon. When you pray to the universe to answer, it can’t help you.

Illumination: God is a personal being distict from creation

Acts 17:22–23 (ESV)

So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

Acts 17:24–25 ESV

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.

For divinity to mean anything it has to be a distict person otherwise its not a God at all. As cool as star wars makes the Force sound, by itself without Jedi or Sith the Force can’t do anything. In the Bible we find out about one supreme intety that is beyond all and above all. He created the rest from his own power, it doesn’t define him, he defines it.

God is above Creation, or else he isn’t God.

Isaiah 64:8 (ESV)

But now, O Lord, you are our Father;

we are the clay, and you are our potter;

we are all the work of your hand.

As creator God has the authority to shape his creation. He makes us special, for a reason.

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV)

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God is personal, meaning he is seperate from us

Psalm 119:73 (ESV)

Your hands have made and fashioned me;

give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.