God, which one?
Most monotheistic religion share the term God, different words in different cultures. Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the three major monotheistic religions, all originated in what is known today as the Arab World. Monotheism literally means "the belief in only one God". Over time monotheistic religion became the forced rule of the land.
Early, indigenous peoples had no word for 'religion' because spirituality imbued every facet of their lives. This can be defined as Animism, also called the religion of infants. Similarly, contemporary Pantheists don't confine religion to Sundays and certain holidays, but instead embrace the tenets of their religion as a way of life.
"The truth can only be held in your heart; God is Nature,
Nature is God. That is very simple. We have know it from
before time."
As a Pantheists, when I refer to God, it is not a monotheistic one. I believe in, the sacredness of the Earth. My church is Nature, the outdoors. My God is the universe and everything in it. Communion with Nature brings us in touch with divinity. Union with the divine links us to the source of our being and brings serenity to our lives. The Earth’s natural beauty further couples us to divinity. No synonym for God is so perfect as Beauty. The loveliness of wildflowers, the majesty of mountains, the delicacy of butterflies, the allure of seashores, and the artistry of snowflakes gladdens our hearts and elevates our spirits.
The Oneness of Nature.
Pantheists perceive the wholeness of Life, the unity of body and mind, the singularity of visible matter and invisible energy. Nature’s creative force, embodied in evolutionary processes, affirms our oneness with everything in existence. We arose from star dust, just basic elements of the Universe; carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Combined in a primordial sea to form living matter. We retain a proportion of salts in our body that resembles seawater. Possibly, reminding us of our intimate connection to the Earth?
The Pantheization of Life
A profound relationship with Nature simultaneously takes us deeper into ourselves and further outside ourselves. Inwardly, we gain a sense of personal identity and self-understanding by viewing ourselves as a part of Nature. Outwardly, we gain a sense of responsibility and selflessness by caring for creation. From a pantheistic perspective, communion with Nature and warm human relations are ultimate sources of happiness.
Pantheists live in the present moment, immersed in the world, as fully, as consciously, and as imaginatively as possible. Everyday wonders like a bee’s sweet honey, a friend's warm smile, a rainbow, heighten our happiness. We glory in Nature, and joyful amazement fills our days. From the vagaries of sub-atomic particles to the vastness of space, we stand slack-jawed before a universe filled with unfathomable mystery. Science reveals objective facts, but many questions science cannot answer. Non-rational modes of thinking, intuition, and imagination help them to rationalize their existence.
Placing Ultimate Trust in Nature
Most organized religions want the same thing. To control the masses. Civilizations come and go, but Nature abides. The sun rises, the seasons flow; Nature works. Nothing in human society is so dependable. Nature’s steadfast rhythms foster hope with the promise of each new day. We believe in Nature.
Faith in wildness, or in Nature as a creative force, puts our ultimate trust, NOT in human intelligence, but in whatever it is that created human intelligence, and is, in the long run, more likely than we to solve our problems. By aligning ourselves with Nature, by having faith and trust in its creative forces, we join hands with infinite power and find our greatest peace. A god did not create religion, a man did.