Pantheism v Deism

[toddaa]

I've seen many a DUer claim to be a Deist and I sometimes wonder if the word that they are really searching for is Pantheist. Now, it's entirely acceptable to be both, but I still wonder all the DU deists are closet pantheists and don't know it.

As a pantheist, I desire a world in which we see ourselves as part of a greater whole, and not just a mechanistic Newtonian universe. Deism doesn't give me hope in that respect.

Yeah, I'm a pantheist evangelist. Not wanting to convert anyone, just giving some options.

[Colorado Blue]

1. This morning...

I couldn't sleep, so I got up as the sun rose. I have "buddies" in the bird and squirrel world, so I got some bread and went down to the yard and made crumbs.

In a few minutes, all these beautiful winged creatures appeared. The fat squirrels came too of course - those, you don't have to ask twice:) There was a particularly beautiful pigeon, silver white and perfectly formed. A great black crow swooped overhead, squawked a greeting and soared away.

There are tulips still growing in the shadow of the building, and the air is scented with lilacs.

At moments like that, it's hard not to feel that the whole planet, the sky above, all the animals and plants, don't share in a great divinity.

Whether we see them as part of a great "One" or that each is divine individually - does it matter? We're all part of a great beating heart.

We live in a holy sphere:)

[Zorbuddha]

5. What you described is my Church...

more or less.

God is hidden only in concept.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Ho Metaquiatson

The Lakota spiritual practices teach that all things are sacred, and prayers are made "for all my relations", those being all things. Most esoteric spiritual paths I've explored talk of this pantheistic concept in some way or another. One can feel the connection between oneself and animals, plants, and even rocks, if one becomes still enough.

[Tux]

3. One can be both

But many Deists believe God isn't in the Universe but separate somehow. I think what the spiritual connection people feel when they connect to the "greater than us" perception is a combo of brain activity and ki interconnecting us with i of the Universe.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

4. If it's any consolation,

The mechanistic Newtonian universe is looking less and less viable.

I'm one of the last die-hard Laplacian determinists, but I was shown Bell's inequality last week, and even I have to admit that it looks as though I'm probably on a hiding to nothing, and the universe really is random (or guided by a deity not bound by physical or mathematical laws, if you prefer).

Which I think is a shame. The notion that a sufficiently great intellect could predict the future with not merely arbitrary but perfect accuracy is one that I find appealing; it lays all my "if only" worries to rest, because I would know that there was no way it could have been otherwise.

[Zorbuddha]

6. Perhaps the Universe

IS that intellect?

[onager]

7. Have a look at...

...the recent tsunami, along with many other such events, and try to convince yourself of that.

The Universe is totally indifferent to us.

[Zorbuddha]

8. Only from our perspective.

The big picture is beyond us.

edit- It's interesting that you separate us from the Universe, instead of seeing us as components.