Modern pantheism is often misunderstood. It has nothing to do with "pantheon" or "polytheism" (belief in many Gods). It is neither theism nor atheism, but transcends both. Its central tenet is that the universe is the ultimate reality, the ultimate object of reverence, while nature is a sacred part of the totality.

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 While quantum physics may be a modern development, pantheism is in fact an ancient spiritual path that holds everything in the Universe to be sacred. Eastern philosophies, Native American, pagan and Hawaiian beliefs that view all of nature as divine and interconnected can be said to be pantheistic. "God" here is not a bearded white man in the clouds, but more like "the Force" in Star Wars; the sum of all that is, and every aspect of existence at the same time. To pantheists, God is holographically everywhere at once.

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Adherents feel that naturalistic pantheism might best be understood through the teachings of Spinoza and Taoism historically, and the Universal Pantheist Society (UPS) and World Pantheist Movement (WPM) today. Although the UPS is the older of the two, it has seen decreased activity in recent years. The WPM (founded by former UPS vice-president Paul Harrison), on the other hand, has expanded more considerably due to its promotion of "scientific pantheism", which many critics claim is essentially no more than "atheism for nature lovers" ...

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Naturalistic pantheism, Naturalistic pantheism - Adherents, Naturalistic pantheism - Criticism and response, Naturalistic pantheism - Semantics, Naturalistic pantheism - Mysticism, Naturalistic pantheism - Spirituality

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Animal Rights: God of All Things

All creatures, big and small, are beautiful creations of God. Very often, however, we tend to either ignore the "small" or exploit them for selfish reasons. This is where religion and spirituality can help - to restore to us a holistic perspective so that all of God's creations are given due respect.

Religious thought and spirituality serve a larger purpose only when they find positive expression in action. Theory without implementation is of no use. I fear that the concepts of religion and spirituality are being hijacked by humans for their own selfish purposes, leaving out all the other, equally if not more valid forms of life.

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Religion (see etymology below) —sometimes used interchangeably with faith or belief system—is commonly defined as belief concerning the supernatural, sacred, or divine; and the moral codes, practices, values, institutions and rituals associated with such belief. In its broadest sense some have defined it as the sum total of answers given to explain humankind's relationship with the universe. In the course of the development of religion, it has taken ...

Including:

• Religion - Etymology
• Religion - Religion and science
• Religion - Philosophy and metaphysics
• Religion - Esotericism and mysticism
• Religion - Spirituality
• Religion - Myth
• Religion - Approaches to the study of individual religions
• Religion - Methods of studying religion subjectively in relation to one's own beliefs
• Religion - Methods of studying religion objectively in a scientific and religiously neutral fashion
• Religion - Development of religion
• Religion - Religion today
• Religion - Approaches to relating to the beliefs of others
• Religion - Exclusivism
• Religion - Inclusivism
• Religion - Pluralism
• Religion - Syncretism
• Religion - Universalism
• Religion - Systemization
• Religion - Religion and other approaches to forming beliefs about the nature of the universe
• Religion - Related philosophical stances
• Religion - Compare with

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The origins of the word "religion" have been debated for centuries. Some explanations for the origin of the word are: re-reading--from Latin re (again) + legio (read), referring to the repetition of scripture. treating carefully--from Latin relegere (Cicero's interpretation) re-connection to the divine--from Latin re (again) + ligare (to connect, as in English ligament). This interpretation is favoured by modern scholars such as Tom Harpur, but prob ...

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Religion, Religion - Etymology, Religion - Religion and science, Religion - Philosophy and metaphysics, Religion - Esotericism and mysticism, Religion - Spirituality, Religion - Myth, Religion - Approaches to the study of individual religions, Religion - Methods of studying religion subjectively in relation to one's own beliefs, Religion - Methods of studying religion objectively in a scientific and religiously neutral fashion, Religion - Development of religion, Religion - Religion today, Religion - Approaches to relating to the beliefs of others, Religion - Exclusivism, Religion - Inclusivism, Religion - Pluralism, Religion - Syncretism, Religion - Universalism, Religion - Systemization, Religion - Religion and other approaches to forming beliefs about the nature of the universe, Religion - Related philosophical stances, Religion - Compare with

Read more here: » Religion: Encyclopedia II - Religion - Etymology

Religion - Methods of studying religion subjectively in relation to one's own beliefs. These include efforts to determine the meaning and application of "sacred" texts and beliefs in the context of the student's personal worldview. This generally takes one of three forms: one's own — efforts by believers to ascertain the meaning of their own sacred text or other traditions, and to conform their thoughts and actions to the principles enunciated in those traditions. For most believers, this involves ...

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Religion, Religion - Etymology, Religion - Religion and science, Religion - Philosophy and metaphysics, Religion - Esotericism and mysticism, Religion - Spirituality, Religion - Myth, Religion - Approaches to the study of individual religions, Religion - Methods of studying religion subjectively in relation to one's own beliefs, Religion - Methods of studying religion objectively in a scientific and religiously neutral fashion, Religion - Development of religion, Religion - Religion today, Religion - Approaches to relating to the beliefs of others, Religion - Exclusivism, Religion - Inclusivism, Religion - Pluralism, Religion - Syncretism, Religion - Universalism, Religion - Systemization, Religion - Religion and other approaches to forming beliefs about the nature of the universe, Religion - Related philosophical stances, Religion - Compare with

Read more here: » Religion: Encyclopedia II - Religion - Approaches to the study of individual religions

There are several models for understanding how religions develop. Models which view religion as untrue include: The "Dogma Selection Model," which holds that religions, although untrue in themselves, encode instructions or habits useful for survival, that these ideas "mutate" periodically as they are passed on, and they spread or die out in accord with their effectiveness at improving chances for survival. The "Opium of the Masses Model," in which "Religion in any shape or form is regarded as pernicious and del ...

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Religion, Religion - Etymology, Religion - Religion and science, Religion - Philosophy and metaphysics, Religion - Esotericism and mysticism, Religion - Spirituality, Religion - Myth, Religion - Approaches to the study of individual religions, Religion - Methods of studying religion subjectively in relation to one's own beliefs, Religion - Methods of studying religion objectively in a scientific and religiously neutral fashion, Religion - Development of religion, Religion - Religion today, Religion - Approaches to relating to the beliefs of others, Religion - Exclusivism, Religion - Inclusivism, Religion - Pluralism, Religion - Syncretism, Religion - Universalism, Religion - Systemization, Religion - Religion and other approaches to forming beliefs about the nature of the universe, Religion - Related philosophical stances, Religion - Compare with

Read more here: » Religion: Encyclopedia II - Religion - Development of religion

Adherents of particular religions deal with the differing doctrines and practices espoused by other religions in a variety ways. All strains of thought appear in different segments of all major world religions. Religion - Exclusivism. People with exclusivist beliefs sometimes typically explain other religions as either in error, or as corruptions or counterfeits of the true faith. Examples include: Christian scripture states that Jesus said: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes ...

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Religion, Religion - Etymology, Religion - Religion and science, Religion - Philosophy and metaphysics, Religion - Esotericism and mysticism, Religion - Spirituality, Religion - Myth, Religion - Approaches to the study of individual religions, Religion - Methods of studying religion subjectively in relation to one's own beliefs, Religion - Methods of studying religion objectively in a scientific and religiously neutral fashion, Religion - Development of religion, Religion - Religion today, Religion - Approaches to relating to the beliefs of others, Religion - Exclusivism, Religion - Inclusivism, Religion - Pluralism, Religion - Syncretism, Religion - Universalism, Religion - Systemization, Religion - Religion and other approaches to forming beliefs about the nature of the universe, Religion - Related philosophical stances, Religion - Compare with

Read more here: » Religion: Encyclopedia II - Religion - Approaches to relating to the beliefs of others

Humans have many different methods which attempt to answer fundamental questions about the nature of the universe and our place in it (cosmology). What is reality? How can we know? Who are we? Why we are here? How should we live? What happens after we die? Religion is only one of the methods for trying to answer one or more of these questions. Other methods include science, philosophy, metaphysics, esotericism, and mysticism. Many people use more than one of these methods. Christianity is the religion with the largest number o ...

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Religion, Religion - Etymology, Religion - Religion and science, Religion - Philosophy and metaphysics, Religion - Esotericism and mysticism, Religion - Spirituality, Religion - Myth, Religion - Approaches to the study of individual religions, Religion - Methods of studying religion subjectively in relation to one's own beliefs, Religion - Methods of studying religion objectively in a scientific and religiously neutral fashion, Religion - Development of religion, Religion - Religion today, Religion - Approaches to relating to the beliefs of others, Religion - Exclusivism, Religion - Inclusivism, Religion - Pluralism, Religion - Syncretism, Religion - Universalism, Religion - Systemization, Religion - Religion and other approaches to forming beliefs about the nature of the universe, Religion - Related philosophical stances, Religion - Compare with

Read more here: » Religion: Encyclopedia II - Religion - Religion and other approaches to forming beliefs about the nature of the universe

The origins of the word "religion" have been debated for centuries. Some explanations for the origin of the word are: re-reading--from Latin re (again) + legio (read), referring to the repetition of scripture. treating carefully--from Latin relegere (Cicero's interpretation) 'to go over again' or to carefully ponder. re-connection to the divine--from Latin re (again) + ligare (to connect, as in English ligament). This interpretation is favoured by m ...

See also:

Religion, Religion - Etymology, Religion - Religion and science, Religion - Philosophy and metaphysics, Religion - Esotericism and mysticism, Religion - Spirituality, Religion - Myth, Religion - Approaches to the study of individual religions, Religion - Methods of studying religion subjectively in relation to one's own beliefs, Religion - Methods of studying religion objectively in a scientific and religiously neutral fashion, Religion - Development of religion, Religion - Religion today, Religion - Approaches to relating to the beliefs of others, Religion - Exclusivism, Religion - Inclusivism, Religion - Pluralism, Religion - Syncretism, Religion - Universalism, Religion - Systemization, Religion - Religion and other approaches to forming beliefs about the nature of the universe, Religion - Related philosophical stances, Religion - Compare with

Read more here: » Religion: Encyclopedia II - Religion - Etymology