Pantheism... An Explanation, Please...

[Cartesiantheater]

Ok, I lable my religion as Panthiesm. The reason I do this is because, while I do not lean towards belief in some sort of magical diety, I do see the Universe itself as the following:

-The entity that exists that goes about it's business "as if" it is intending to.
-The end all be all of all existence.
-A beautiful and magnificent thing to admire.
-The only arbiture of physical law.
-Something that inspires feelings of awe and purpose.

In addition, I often write "Universe" with a capital "U."


Does this make me a Panthiest? Why or why not? And... which "branch" would I be considered if the answer to the first question is yes?


Any input is welcomed in this thread, and any detailed explanation of Panthiesm is most assuredly desired.

[jinxz]

Well, that's basically pantheist. Although ascribing something like intent or being an "entity" to the universe might be more panentheistic... the difference being that panentheists beleive that there's an additional aspect to the divine that transcends what we normally think of as existence. There's another similar school of thought called pandeism, sort of pantheism with a personality (pandeists believe that god turned itself into the universe in order to create it).

[Cartesiantheater]

Well, that's basically pantheist. Although ascribing something like intent or being an "entity" to the universe might be more panentheistic... the difference being that panentheists beleive that there's an additional aspect to the divine that transcends what we normally think of as existence. There's another similar school of thought called pandeism, sort of pantheism with a personality (pandeists believe that god turned itself into the universe in order to create it).

Thanks.

But, it isn't that I actually ascribe an "intention" to the cosmos- it's that I feel that concepts like "intent" "meaning" and "purpose" are all human concepts, and that the universe is neither meaningful nor meaningless. It just does what it does... er... yeah... I appreciate the response.

[jinxz]

Well then yeah, you're just a pantheist, basically.