Panendeism.org

Environmentalism for the Twenty�First Century

Thu, 08 May 2008 20:41:31 GMT

This is a good article.

Quote:A Brighter Shade of Green:

Rebooting Environmentalism for the Twenty�First Century

Environmentalists have long seen the march of human progress as the source of our planet�s ecological woes. But is Mother Nature really better off without us? Meet the heralds of the next great environmental revolution, who dare to say that the brightest promise for a radically sustainable future lies in harnessing the power of human creativity�and technology�to remake ...

Deist Answer to Absurdity

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:00:32 GMT

In my recent dialogues with Atheists, one general theme seems to always underly any particular arguments. The world is imperfect, absurd, and contingent, hence no signs of creation by a perfect, intentional, designer. Even some Deists seem to be resigned to the irony of an absurd creation. So, just for the sake of discussion, I ask:

What is the Deist answer to Absurdity?

As I understand it:

Theists have faith that God will ultimately resolve the absurdity of Evil in a perfectly-designed ...

The Argument from the Laws of Logic

Mon, 12 May 2008 19:08:22 GMT

The Argument from the Laws of Logic

The Laws of Logic exist

Examples of laws of logic are:

A cannot be A and not A at the same time.

Something cannot bring itself into existence.

The Laws of logic are conceptual by nature

Logic is a process of the mind

Logical absolutes are conceptual conventions.

The Laws of logic are not the product of the universe

Logic is not a process of the universe

Laws of Logic are not found "under rocks", or "inside atoms," ...

Dickipedia! A wiki of dicks

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:33:24 GMT

I thought this was really funny.

http://dickipedia.org/dick.php?title=Main_Page

Here's an example...

Quote:Pat Robertson

Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson (born March 22, 1930) is an American televangelist, the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network and the Christian Coalition, the host of The 700 Club, and a dick.

Early Childhood

At a young age, his brother nicknamed him �Pat,� and he later took this as his official alias, believing that his given first name was �too ...

The man who grew a finger

Thu, 01 May 2008 14:34:47 GMT

Pretty amazing stuff.

Quote:The man who grew a finger

By Matthew Price

BBC News, Ohio

In every town in every part of this sprawling country you can find a faceless sprawling strip mall in which to do the shopping.

Rarely though would you expect to find a medical miracle working behind the counter of the mall's hobby shop.

That however is what Lee Spievak considers himself to be.

"I put my finger in," Mr Spievak says, pointing towards the propeller of a model airplane, ...

Antony Flew Interview

Sun, 11 May 2008 15:58:18 GMT

I don't agree with his reasons for converting to Deism but I find this fascinating. I also think it shows Flew is not senile as Dawkins and others would like us to believe.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SNkxpTIbCIw

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XQ2VuQyAeRM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NeCt1rK9MEc&feature=related

Wuji

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:42:21 GMT

As you can probably tell I've been looking into Taoist thought quite a bit lately. I find that it agrees very well with my own metaphysical view of things.

I came across the term "Wuji" which is pretty much what I've been calling "the Unmanifest".

From wiki...

Quote:Wuji (無極) is the primordial state of non-being, a state of Nothingness and boundlessness or that which is without Bounds or Limits. Wuji like Tao, is and lies within all of the universe and in the human ...

PAUL CARUS

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:06:29 GMT

I've just read the first few pages of 'GOD, AN ENQUIRY INTO THE NATURE OF MAN�S HIGHEST IDEAL AND A SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM FROM THE STANDPOINT OF SCIENCE' and have to say I really like it!

And it's very accessible too considering it was written 100 years ago.

Here's a link to the book...

http://www.cimmay.us/pdf/carus.pdf

And here's an excerpt...

Quote:PART I.

A NEW CONCEPTION OF GOD.

THE PROBLEM.

The conception of God is the most important idea of philosophy, science, ...

Nick Drake - Northern Sky

Mon, 05 May 2008 17:49:13 GMT

Great song by an under appreciated artist.

I never felt magic crazy as this

I never saw moons knew the meaning of the sea

I never held emotion in the palm of my hand

Or felt sweet breezes in the top of a tree

But now you're here

Brighten my northern sky.

I've been a long time that I'm waiting

Been a long that I'm blown

I've been a long time that I've wandered

Through the people I have known

Oh, if you would and you could

Straighten my new mind's eye.

Would ...

Nondualism versus monism

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:27:39 GMT

This isn't a topic that normally comes up on deist forums but I thought I'd bring it up anyway. I thought that this was a good explaination of the difference between Monism and Nondualism.

Quote:The Western philosophical concept monism is similar to nondualism. But monism holds that all phenomena are actually of the same substance. Nondualism proper, on the other hand, holds rather that different phenomena are inseparable or that there is no hard line between them, but that they are not ...

The Four Horsemen

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:07:08 GMT

Here is a fascinating discussion between Dawkins, Dennet, Harris, and Hitchens AKA the "Four Horsemen". Of course as a Deist I disagree with their underlying objectivist materialist views that underpin their Atheism but its surprising how much I do agree with them on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuyUz2XLp1E&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PhmUyFUFyk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq4Q42ZjVNA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlzuS1_Gyog&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV7GCeDEZ9Q&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQx7xQuVfQg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSC7avFs-sM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGvT8j411mk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlGgB63ZBbE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m04weVowbIA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slVMRv3GDe0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShzphSB7E5A&feature=related

Dawkins rap

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:03:46 GMT

First I have to say I am a hardcore evolutionist and think that while religions should be taught about in social studies they should be kept out of the science classes. That said I love this video and even though I disagree with its premise I think there is a tiny, very tiny, grain of truth to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaGgpGLxLQw&feature=related

American roots Deism

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:07:12 GMT

What do you think of this guy?

Deist Video Podcasts

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:17:44 GMT

I came across this channel on YouTube and thought it might be of some interest.

Quote:

Deist Reality Channel

"To conceive God as a person is a simile, and to think of him as a father is an allegory. The simile is appropriate, and the allegory is beautiful;

but we must not forget that parables, although they embody the truth, are not the truth.

The fact is, God is not a person like ourselves;

He is not a father nor a mother like our progenitors;

He is only comparable to ...

Do you feel your email is ever entirely private?

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 16:37:25 GMT

I would say no.

Elephant Paints Self Portrait

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:41:04 GMT

This is pretty crazy.

What am I?

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 15:14:20 GMT

Like so many, I am a searcher and am learning about Panendeism and the realm of belief and thoughts of people who identify with that word.

I'm a little stuck on what to call myself. I believe in a God (though that word has been corrupted in so many ways) that is manifest both in everything we see and experience but that also extends far beyond that. To my understanding this is the "Panen..." part of the picture.

The Deist vs. Theist is hard for me. I believe that the nature ...

Methodological Individualism vs. Holism

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:19:40 GMT

This is a pretty good essay that describes the differences between Methodological Individualism and Methodological Holism. It's written from a psychologist's perspective but the main ideas hold true.

This essay is pertinent because these two methodologies are at the base of most people's conception of god as well as their world view in general.

In the end the essay offers a suggestion of how these two seemingly contradictory methodologies can be integrated in a way that preserves ...

Tao te Ching Chaper 51

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:57:22 GMT

For the sake of discussion "the Tao" represents god or deity.

Quote:51

translation by, S. Mitchell

Every being in the universe

is an expression of the Tao.

It springs into existence,

unconscious, perfect, free,

takes on a physical body,

lets circumstances complete it.

That is why every being

spontaneously honors the Tao.

The Tao gives birth to all beings,

nourishes them, maintains them,

cares for them, comforts them, protects them,

takes them back to itself,

creating ...

Argument From Infinity

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 16:54:52 GMT

The argument from infinity is an argument for a panend(th)eistic god. Simply put, it states that if god is totally infinite, then it must include the manifest universe. If it didn't then god would not be truly infinite.

What are your thoughts on the argument from infinity?

Emotion

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 23:06:28 GMT

Hello All

Does Panendeism recognize objective emotional quality?

We seem to recognize objective intellectual quality as in mathematics or chess for example and recognize superior mathematicians and chess players. Does Panendeism recognize a comparable scale of emotional quality? If not, what is the purpose of emotion and what does it indicate according to Panendeism

Tao Te Ching Chapter 6

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 22:47:12 GMT

Quote:Chapter 6

The Tao is called the Great Mother:

empty yet inexhaustible,

it gives birth to infinite worlds.

It is always present within you.

You can use it any way you want.

I really like this passage. Any thoughts?

History of the April 22 Earth Day

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:48:10 GMT

Since it's earth day I thought it might make sense to look into the history of it a little. This is what I found on a quick internet search.

From wikipedia..

Quote:In September 1969, at a conference in Seattle, Washington, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on the environment. Senator Nelson first proposed the nationwide environmental protest to thrust the environment onto the national agenda.� ...

Early college high school

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:41:17 GMT

With the ever increasing importance of education in the world today, having at least an associates degree has become a minimum. I was thinking about a way to reduce some of the time and costs that go into education from the perspective of both the citizen and the government and thought combining the two might be a good idea. Some universities offer 5 year Bachelor�s/Master's degree programs for instance that help to "cut some of the bull" and speed up the process. So I thought it might be ...

"Inalienable" Human Rights

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:03:16 GMT

This topic was raised in another thread and I thought it might makes sense to discuss it further here.

From wikipedia...

Quote:The term unalienable rights (or inalienable rights) refers to a theoretical set of human rights that by their nature cannot be transferred from one person to another. They are considered more fundamental than alienable rights, such as rights in a specific piece of property.

Inalienable rights may be defined as natural rights or human rights, but natural ...

New member

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:34:42 GMT

Hello World =]

I am God, a fraction thereof.

As you All believe me to be.

I'd say "hello World, I am a new member" but I have already done so, 42 times.

The Transcendent Unity of Religions

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:28:53 GMT

In trying to comprehend God, whether in a personal sense or as in Panendeism, it is natural to assume that comprehension occurs on our level of understanding. It seems unnatural to assume that comprehension is not a matter of learning more knowledge but of acquiring the being necessary for understanding.

Frithjof Schuon's book "The Transcendent Unity of Religions" describes how comprehension which I believe is closer to Panendeism becomes complete when man reaches transcendent ...

Rational Reasons for the existence of God

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 21:22:15 GMT

On the Freethought Fellowship Forum a new thread has been started by a non-theist freethinker to allow the Theist/Deists among us to defend their "irrational" belief in God with whatever "simple-minded" reasons they can muster. I'm kidding, but they can be pretty aggressive in their counter-arguments.

http://freethought-fellowship.org/forums/index.php?topic=2598.msg35226;topicseen#msg35226

Posted warning: (This is not bait for Theists, Deists, or believers to be picked ...

Will we drop the ball?

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:45:42 GMT

This article from the Religious News Service had a couple of interesting points.

Quote:

... there is sociologist Christian Smith's study in which he finds today's young people practicing an aberrant form of Christianity that he calls "moralistic, therapeutic deism" - nice people having their personal needs met by a God who is there in case of emergency, like a parachute on an airplane. This is not Jesus' version of the faith.

I see that m/t deism is still making the rounds ...

Moses has left the building...

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:23:14 GMT

No one could ham it up like Charlton Heston. A true original actor has exited stage right.

Quote:Charlton Heston's epic acting style defined an era

By Mike Clark, USA TODAY

Because movie blockbusters that maintain their popularity are indelible, Charlton Heston probably will endure more for his chariots and quoted Commandments than for his political activism.

But it says something that Heston's political image even comes close to matching Ben-Hur and other classics, cinema equivalents ...

Choice

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 22:39:41 GMT

This truly inspred excerpt from Simone Weil describes both what I believe to be human evolution into choice and the lack of choice normal for our scattered "being." It makes me woncer what it would mean to acquire consciousness leading to a higher purpose within which choice exists:

Quote:�The sea is not less beautiful to our eye because we know that sometimes ships sink in it. On the contrary, it is more beautiful still. If the sea modified the movement of its waves to spare a boat, it ...

Free will and Panendeism...

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 20:26:51 GMT

How do you view the idea of "free will"? Do you think it's compatible with a Panendeistic God?

Cosmology and Panendeism

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 04:23:56 GMT

Hi All

Are cosmology and Panendeism compatible? It would seem so according to the description in your homepage

Quote:Panendeism is a sub-category of Deism. It is based on the speculation that the universe is a part of god, but not all of god and literally means "all in god". Some panendeists have established numerous additional beliefs, some of which are quite detailed, and use more specialized terminology to describe their beliefs. However, any deist who believes that ...

I'm outta here

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 06:07:11 GMT

Okay don't get your hopes up.

I'm just talkin earth day, 8-9 p.m. Saturday.

This computer will definitely be turned off, along with every non-essential piece of electricity in the house.

This will be another example of trans-border brother hood and sister hood for a greater cause.

As deists, especially as deists, folks let's observe earth hour. Let us show the power of people. This year we affect change on a small scale. Just a practice run, bigger things to come, let us be ...

Kite Runner

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:19:03 GMT

I was wondering if anyone has read or watched the Kite Runner?

I just saw the movie and I must say that I loved it. I reminded me of my youth in Pakistan (although I spent most of my adolescence in the Persian Gulf). The movie is based in Kabul, while the memories of my childhood were mostly made in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad. But on my father's side I'm from Peshawar (North West Frontier Province) and an ethnic Pashtun. I remember the close friendships that were developed back then ...

Deep Ecology

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:07:27 GMT

Michael E. Zimmerman, Professor of Philosophy at Tulane University, defines deep ecology as...

Quote:Deep ecology is founded on two basic principles: one is a scientific insight into the interrelatedness of all systems of life on Earth, together with the idea that anthropocentrism - human-centeredness - is a misguided way of seeing things. Deep ecologists say that an ecocentric attitude is more consistent with the truth about the nature of life on Earth. Instead of regarding humans as ...

Monty Python Philosophers Song

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:08:43 GMT

I don't know why I'm on this youtube kick right now but what the *&%$.

Dependent Origination

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:53:03 GMT

Here's another concept from eastern philosophy that's closely related to Non-dualism and dialectical monism. It's the Buddhist conception of "the dynamic web of life".

Quote:Dependent Origination (Pratītyasamutpāda) is an important part of Buddhist metaphysics. Common to all schools of Buddhism, it states that phenomena arise together in a mutually interdependent web of cause and effect. It is variously rendered into English as "dependent origination", "conditioned ...

Pain and Pleasure as Least Common Denominators

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:15:25 GMT

Ken Wilber [Sex, Ecology, and Spirituality] makes the following argument:

Quote:This is why, as Taylor points out, the instrumental and interlocking order theorists (from Locke to Bentham) always had recourse to a hedonistic theory of motivation. In an empirical-sensory world, there is only empirical sensory motivation (what else could there be?). Since we are all strands in the great empirical web, we must all share something in common, and what all living beings have in common �the lowest ...

Quotes

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 19:56:44 GMT

"We are each a part of our divine maker and creation itself, and when we accept that divine connection, we have begun upon the path of enlightenment." Christy Turlington

"Nature is visible Spirit; Spirit is invisible Nature." Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling

"God is the possibility of possibility..." Rabbi Marc Gafni

The Jefferson Bible

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:46:05 GMT

I never knew this, though most of you probably did, but Thomas Jefferson - in an attempt to correct what he thought was wrong with Christianity - rewrote the bible.

Really it was just a cut-and-paste edit. "Thomas Jefferson did not believe in Jesus' divinity, the Trinity, the resurrection, miracles, or any other supernatural aspect described in the Bible (from WIKI)."

The "Jefferson Bible"

The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth

WIKI PAGE

Just ...

Open Pandeism

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:12:43 GMT

This is an excerpt from a book by Charles Blaise titled 'Life Itself as a Modern Religion'. In the book Blaise outlines his concept of a scientifically credible religion based on the divinity of life and nature. He calls his theology "Open Pantheism". The way it's described below sounds like a type of Agnostic Panendeism to me.

Quote:A SCIENTIFICALLY CREDIBLE DEFINITION OF GOD

Is there a scientifically credible way to define God? Let�s posit the concept of Open Pantheism. ...

Testing God

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 05:52:16 GMT

Excellent video from the BBC. If you have an hour check it out. -stret

Series 1

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7NQlZae4FIU

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rxgNAkty1GA

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LCMtVKhHtGE

http://youtube.com/watch?v=AKEK4Patats

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2cfWmb01YLs

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1De8P1Lnsls

But it never comes out and asks the obvious question; "Why is there something instead of nothing?" or "what is it about nothingness ...

The Trouble With Atheism

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:08:34 GMT

Thought you guys might find this interesting:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6aCClfmSsw0

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CZKVtt0CQWk

http://youtube.com/watch?v=H841_rIMv7k

http://youtube.com/watch?v=B-DhTEJI7Ks

http://youtube.com/watch?v=S5T2vVTRjrI

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gNoHnbz3BGg

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3zrY_8YAwdM

More atheism addressed.

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:24:59 GMT

This was my response to an atheist who believed that there was no God or the supernatural because:

"As far as we can determine:

* There is a physical universe apart from our perceptions

* It operates under natural laws, which are absolute"

I responded:

Quote:I accept absolute natural law, but it can be traced back only to the Big Bang and no further. Beyond that we have no information at all nor any inkling of its cause. To specify, based on this total lack ...

The Non Creator God

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:27:58 GMT

One of the most common questions asked of Deists who doubt divine intervention is how can a God incapable of interferring in the world "create" that same world? The short answer is God doesn't create the world.

This does not mean the world is not contingent on God. I have written before why I think a Deistic God probably exists so I won't go over it again here but I will elaborate a little on why I think it unnecessary to think of God as an active "creator".

I call ...

IP Glossary: manifest

Fri, 25 May 2007 05:17:21 GMT

manifest: capable of being readily and instantly perceived by the senses or its extensions; not hidden or concealed; being the part or aspect of reality that is directly observable

IP Glossary: unmanifest

Mon, 28 May 2007 10:48:37 GMT

unmanifest: incapable of being readily and instantly perceived by the senses; hidden or concealed; being that part of reality that isn�t directly observable; accessible only by methods of contemplation or meditation

Any Advantage to Being a Deist or Pandeist?

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 00:22:08 GMT

What say ye? Does Deism add something valuable to your life, beyond the "advantages" of Non-Theism??

quote from a FreeThinker forum:

Just as Gurra100 is curious about the relationship between atheism and meaningfulness, I am wondering just now whether there are specific advantages in being a Deist and Pandeist. Are there? Do either of these -isms add something valuable to a person's life?

Here's my response:

As a recent "convert" to Deism, I have been asking ...

The Major Tenets of Stoicism

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 18:55:24 GMT

I found this list of basic Tenets of Stoicism and thought I'd share it here.

Quote:The Major Tenets of Stoicism

Stoicism teaches...

1. One to live in accord with Nature; worldly Nature and human nature.

2. The Unity of All; all gods; all substance; all virtue; all mankind into a Cosmopolis (Universal City).

3. That the external world is maintained by the natural interchange of opposites (poioun / yin, paskhon / yang)

4. That everyone has a personal, individual connection ...