Why are there so many different gods and religions to choose from on this planet of ours? Can we make overall sense of them … understand their links?
Firstly there are a number of indigenous religions out there through the world that I have not referred to in this article. My early research certainly pointed towards credible spiritual possibilities within them. But the sheer number of followers, belonging to major world-wide religions, led me to concentrate on their details for readers.
And yes, the world’s major religions, when compared, all SEEM to offer logical concepts. We just need to know HOW they link together, AND how they relate to God’s overall relationship to our universe and us human beings.
(I am from a senior auditing background and the majority of my advisory team are Christian clergy. To glimpse the ‘who’, ‘how’ and ‘why’ of this website please click here.)
Please note that if you, the reader, simply want to ‘TEST’ for yourself whether God does actually exist, I suggest that maybe you just begin by reading the article, “How to believe in God”.
2. CONFLICTING VIEWS ?
Now we know the major religions of this world each have millions of followers. And, we should logically be able to turn to those religions for a common answer on, “What is God?” However, they don’t really ‘SEEM’ to agree upfront do they? Well …
Yes, it APPEARS that conflict about, “what and who God is?” MAY at least exist between the two major camps – the “pantheist religions” and the “monotheist religions” – when we first begin to assess them.
BUT, let’s check them out …
3. PANTHEISM
The pantheist religions (including Taoism in its early form, parts of Hinduism and Buddhism) SEEM to have a very different viewpoint from mainstream monotheism, as it is explained under Heading 4 below. Monotheism includes religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
3.1 God’s relationship to reality: God’s immanence
Pantheists, as far as far as they are concerned, simply view the concept of God as the “basis of reality itself”. That is ‘God’, the galaxies etc in outer space, and everything existing here on Earth including ‘us humans’ are all believed to have the ‘one and the same‘ basis. And I will explain.
Yes, within pantheism we APPEAR to have completely separate existences, BUT we do not.
Now, this religious outlook is normally based on the mystical experiences (i.e. arising from religious ‘meditation’) of the founders of relevant religions. And there are two sub-articles linked to that practice, titled “Mysticism explained” and “Mysticism evaluated“, that explain what that stuff is about. That is, the way ‘deep’ religious meditation CAN lead each of us to better understand how God, the universe, ourselves and major religious groups all fit into the ‘big picture’. And trust me, awsome experiences await those of us who delve into those practices.
Anyway, within pantheism, everything IS understood as having a shared ‘one-ness‘ with the basis of reality … which is in fact God. As such, God is considered to be TOTALLY present in/ throughout this world, and the universe as a whole. (The term for God’s presence in that regard is “immanence”.)
3.2 Human relationship with God
As indicated above, pantheists consider the individual and separate nature that we SEEM to have is just not there! For example, in this theory, your basis is God and my basis is also God. And the trees outside my window, as I write this, are also God. Our basis might SEEM to be separate from God … but it really is not … as far as pantheism is concerned.
And look, even though I am a Christian, I ABSOLUTELY understand the basis of the ‘reasoning’ behind that view. And I write that because it stems from experiences of mysticism that I HAVE successfully tested. Yes, as explained in that article, “Mysticism evaluated” I have personally evaluated those overall experiences. So YES again, I do at least know where pantheists “are coming from” with their beliefs.
Planet Earth and indeed the entire universe, within these models, takes on a whole new religious dimension. As you may have guessed, in pantheist systems of belief there is no theoretical God ‘external to the universe‘, or even separate to ourselves, with whom we human beings CAN enter into a personal relationship.
Finally on this subject of “pantheism”, keep in mind from its point of view, it is possible for each of us human beings through mysticism to ‘connect’ our minds (therefore our ‘beings’) with that basis of reality (i.e. God) … to experience ‘it‘ for ourselves … to be ‘enlightened‘ in a religious sense. That is come to test our ‘one-ness’ with everything else that does exist within IT (God), i.e. through meditation/ mysticism.
Now, let’s look at the ‘other religious group’ …
4. MONOTHEISM
Yes, let’s now study the ‘other side of the coin’ that is monotheism. And stick with me … because I will get to its hidden ‘link‘ with pantheism!
The monotheist religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam have a common heritage. (For an understanding of Christianity’s basis have a look at the article, “Christianity explained simply”.)
4.1 God’s Transcendence
Somewhere around three thousand plus years ago I believe that God ‘orchestrated’ or organised a particular title for himself, present in the Christian Bible, that obviously intrigues me. It provides some understanding of his actual ‘being’. And God did this through that name he chose for himself there, “I AM” (yes, as used in the ‘title of this website‘). It appears firstly in the Christian Old Testament [Exodus 3:14) and is repeated again in a very profound way within the Christian New Testament [John 8:58]. The Jewish religion ALSO accepts the wording in Exodus 3:14. Of course the New Testament belongs only to the Christian religion.
The name “I AM” indeed hints that: God ‘exists’, God ‘IS’, although not necessarily in a physical sense like us. It also hints that he himself is ‘uncreated’ and ‘self-existent’. Essentially, God just is! Indeed, unlike us humans etc, God is NOT reliant on any other force for his existence. The name “I AM” also indicates God’s transcendence (absolute superiority), when compared to us human beings and everything else that does exist.
In essence, each of the three great monotheist religions maintain that there is only one God. There is also a very strong emphasis, within monotheism, on the ‘transcendent’ nature of God that I just mentioned above. That is: all three religions understand God as all-powerful, all-knowing and COMPLETELY beyond our ability to understand the basis of his existence.
4.2 A personal relationship with God
Again, with regards to any relationship we may hold with God, there is a VERY different outlook here in the monotheist religions to the ‘pantheist’ view as explained above. (But the hidden ‘link‘ still exists … and again, YES we will also get to that.)
As already stated, with regards to monotheism, God theoretically transcends us, our universe AND even our ability to fully perceive or understand him.
Unlike pantheists, ALL monotheists understand that God and each of us humans ARE separate beings. YES, our individual human existences may rely on God’s ongoing and underlying ‘creative force’, BUT each of us are distinct individual ‘beings‘. In effect, as the Monotheist religions explain, that is the way God HAS created us to be.
AND all monotheist religions believe that God is capable of, and indeed WANTS to have, a personal ‘one-on-one’ relationship WITH every human being. As a result, most monotheist followers tend to think of God as a kind of ‘super person‘. The term, “personal God” also arises from this outlook. So as to understand a bit about the Christian-based ‘personal relationship with God’ that awaits each of us, you can read the article, “How to build a relationship with God“.
4.3 God’s relationship to reality: God’s immanence
There ARE also verses, in both the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible, that suggest we and everything else in the Universe ARE continually dependent on God for our existences. And they CLEARLY mean that God is ‘immanent‘, as well as being ‘transcendent‘. And I offer those Biblical explanations of God’s relationship to reality under the next heading.
And yes, God’s immanence IS the common link between monotheism and pantheism!
Within most of Christianity, and other monotheist religions, this element of God’s nature termed, “immanence” (i.e. God’s presence ‘pervades’ the entire universe) is definitely acknowledged by their theologians (qualified experts in religious study). Remember, pantheism ‘is all about‘ that aspect of God. But pantheism DOES NOT include ‘transcendence‘ at all in its theology.
And as we read those Bible verses that follow in this article, we get the impression that reality IS ‘held together‘ or ‘empowered to exist‘ by God, and it also probably exists ‘within him’. As explained earlier, God is ‘uncreated’ and ‘self-existent’ in a transcendent sense.
As such, it seems indeed likely that as well as being transcendent, God also contains everything that DOES exist – our present universe, us and eternity – within himself as he empowers it all to BE. Have a look under Heading 2 in the article, “Why is God invisible?” for a further explanation on this outlook.
How can we think of God’s ‘existence’ in this monotheist context, then? Could God be described as a ‘spiritual force’ … or a ‘super-powerful mind’? Well, we CAN firstly accept that God has no need of ‘structure’ or ‘form’ as we know it.
SO, I personally do NOT think that God is an old white haired gentleman, dressed in wonderful robes, sitting on a golden throne! Nor do most other Christians, Muslims or Jews. Mind you, a small group of Christian Churches do literally accept some early verses in the Bible’s Old Testament relating to that outlook. Please read under Heading 2 in the article, “Are science and religion in conflict” if the matter interests you.
4.4 The Bible and how it does all fit together
Firstly, I need to explain that the Bible’s “Old Testament” (which was written way before the Jesus bits: the New Testament) certainly does offer some explanations to us human beings about ‘the existence of reality itself’ through its imagery. That is the universe, and all within it, is continually dependent on God for its existence. So bear that in mind that the following verse from the Old Testament refers to God’s immanence.
Do I not fill heaven and earth?
[Jeremiah 23:24] (Written as the words of God.)
BUT when it comes to the “New Testament” (the Jesus bits) the Bible offers MUCH ‘clearer’ explanations of God’s immanence AND his transcendent and sustaining nature. So, a couple of example verses, from the New Testament, state:
God did this so men would seek him
and perhaps reach out for him and find him,
though he is not far from each of us.
‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’
As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’
[Acts 17:27-28]
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
[Colossians 1:17]
There are a number of other verses in the New Testament, particularly in the Epistles (letters) of Paul, that relate to the subject. A couple are quoted by me, under Heading 2, again in the article, “Why is God invisible?“.
So, to me, it is pretty clear that, in addition to God’s transcendent nature, the Bible absolutely intends us to KNOW that God IS also immanent: his (invisible) presence and power ‘pervades’ reality, as we know it. And as such, God makes ‘everything’ be! That is: within God’s own existence and presence.
5. THEORIES OF AFTER-LIFE
The theories of ‘life after physical death’, or ‘after-lives’, of the two religious ‘schools of thought’ differ radically. Not surprisingly, their theories are related to their different viewpoints on God’s nature.
5.1 Pantheism and death
Pantheism, due to its LACK of a God with ‘separate‘ (yet creative) existence to the universe and each of us, cannot offer us ‘personal’ relationships with God after death. (There is no state of ‘Heaven’, in that religious system, to share with God and each other after death.)
Commonly, pantheist religions offer either ‘rebirth‘ or ‘reincarnation of our consciousness‘, through life after life in human form, here on earth (i.e. they do NOT believe in ‘eternal life’ after just one life on Earth, as monotheist religions do). And in some cases, pantheist religions just offer a peaceful end to the ‘ongoing suffering lives caused through reincarnation’.
And look, pantheist religions historically just didn’t have access to monothiest holy books, like the Christian Bible, to access details of Heaven etc. Essentially, their relevant beliefs come solely from extensions of religious experiences, e.g. meditation/ mysticism.
5.2 Monotheism and death
Within monotheist religions on the other hand, God’s ‘being’ IS transcendent and (figuratively speaking only) he is elevated way above all else that exists. His separate ‘basis’ pre-existed the universe, at the least. God is NOT reliant on the universe’s existence for his own. No, the universe continually relies on God’s creative/ sustaining power. It all simply exists within God, as its ongoing creative basis. As do us little ‘Itty-Bitty’ individual human beings.
And because he has personal relationships with each of his ‘faithful followers’ during their lives, then life after death CAN be with him in a state of ‘eternity‘ that he also presumably creates for us, again within himself (what the Bible refers to as “Heaven”).
6. EVALUATING THE DIFFERENCES
But, before moving on with this article, let us look at how we CAN reconcile two ‘apparently’ opposing views of God’s existence: pantheism and monotheism? These differences fuel the arguments of atheists and even cause some doubt in the minds of ‘faithful’ thinkers. Obviously these thinkers, within their own systems of faith (pantheism and monotheism), wonder how can the god of another ‘faith’ differ so much from their own.
I guess, you have already worked it out? From my own understanding, it is just a case of ‘differing aspects‘ of our one God being RECOGNISED within the experiences of the two religious groups. As is the case when two individual people ‘beg to differ’ on any logically based opinion, one view MAY be more important in the scheme of things BUT that doesn’t stop both opinions having a logical basis.
‘Monotheism‘ BASES its fundamental beliefs on methods of ‘personally‘ engaging with God. That is by deliberately entering into a ‘one-on-one personal relationship‘ with a transcendent God who we believe HAS created us for that purpose. Trust me on this, that relationship ‘can be proven‘ to be VERY real for each of us. And again, please see the article, “How to believe in God” as a starting point.
‘Pantheism‘, on the other hand, bases its beliefs on the outcome of ‘experiencing our unity‘ with God, as the spiritual ground of being, e.g. through the practise of mysticism. And mysticism, as I see it, REALLY highlights God’s immanent aspects. That alone (i.e. pantheists do NOT have access to the holy books of Judaism, Christianity or Islam) leads them to concentrate on a relationship that I guess we CAN describe as an amazing ‘connection‘. But it is NOT a ‘personal relationship’ as such. Again trust me, it IS possible to come to accept their point of view as well.
Essentially, it is clear that both pantheism AND monotheism share their differing experiences with the SAME God! That is they both rely on that spiritual basis (usually named “God”) that dwells beneath and through reality as we know it!
7. CHOOSING PANTHEISM OR MONOTHEISM?
So, as far as I am concerned both those major streams of religion, ‘pantheism’ and ‘monotheism’, do have substance. As stated, I believe that they are both based on the relative religious experiences of their followers. Yes, they are BOTH connecting with the same God! Although most of us are NOT aware of that fact!
And I feel at this point that I need to offer an explanation of why I have personally chosen a monotheist religion (Christianity) for myself. Firstly though, before going on, let me make it clear that God loves us all, regardless of our chosen religions. In the words of South Africa’s Archbishop Tutu, “God is not a Christian.” The late Desmond Tutu went on to declare that, with regards to us humans, “None is an outsider … all are held in a divine embrace that will not let us go – all, for God has no enemies.”
7.1 Considering the alternatives
As explained, I seriously trialled mysticism for myself – as openly practised by Christians at least since the 2nd Century onwards – to experience God’s immanence by connecting with it. I could have left it at that, but due to my additional experiences of a loving ‘personal God’, I had also come to have a practical understanding of other aspects of him.
These additional experiences of mine support the Jewish/ Christian/ Muslim view of God’s transcendent nature, and his potential ‘personal relationship‘ with each of us human beings. That includes through praying to God, looking for God’s guidance in life and yes, trusting God to help us even during our tough times. And that understanding differs SO much from pantheist beliefs. Look … the majority of this website concentrates on ‘engaging/ connecting with God’, in a Christian sense, within our lives and the Church, guided by the Bible I must add. And yes, I am positive we all CAN come to ‘rock-solid belief ‘ in God’s existence through personally engaging with him in that way.
Indeed, theories about the nature of God’s ‘existence’ (immanence and transcendence) within holy books have little relevance to the average monotheistic believer (Jew, Christian or Muslim). They generally have NO need to even think about it. AND, ‘on the other hand’, I can see the pantheist’s point as to why they solely concentrate on a totally immanent God; why they accept the option of reincarnation as another human being following physical death.
BUT YES! When it comes ‘to the crunch’ for Judaism, Christianity or Islam, the transcendent and personal aspects of God HAVE to be there. Otherwise, we cannot have the God who loves and cares for each individual one of us. That is a loving God who can: listen to us, strengthen us, guide us and assist us, even offer each of us an eternal life … IF we choose to ‘go for it’!
AND ‘Christianity‘ as a monotheist religion certainly adds the GREATEST emphasis to one of God’s personal characteristics, “love” of us.
7.2 Monotheism is my choice
So, by comparison to monotheist religions, the follower of a pantheist religion will experience a VERY different relationship with God. Their religious experiences will lead them to what is best explained as a sense of DEEP contentment that IS very meaningful and holy. They CAN, through their practises, detach themselves from all the worries of this planet AND enter into a peaceful yet ‘non-personal’ relationship with the ‘Universe‘. That is, a spiritual relationship with a God who, to them, is solely the ‘ground/ basis of all being’ and nothing more. Bear in mind though their overall experiences CAN be very rewarding for them.
HOWEVER, from my experience of both types of religion, the loss of a relationship with the personal God of Jews, Christians and Muslims – which unfortunately occurs through the pantheist religions – is a BIG trade-off. There are in fact, truly POSITIVE life-changing outcomes available to us through a monotheist relationship. For more on this, again please read the article, “What does faith offer us?”
Bear in mind that I still have a deep respect for those people who CAN commit to a long term meaningful relationship with God as the basis of the Universe (and nothing more). There are rich rewards for them. It is a ‘beautiful thing’, BUT to my point of view it is NOT the ‘whole thing’.
8. WHERE TO NEXT?
By all means access the writings of the world’s great religions to learn more of God’s theoretical being, and relationship to humankind, if you wish.
The caption, from Psalm 46:10 in the Bible, “Be still, and know that I am God” in the image at the beginning of this article, carries a strong message from God for all monotheist religions. It is about realising that God is indeed real, and we should actually acknowledge him; engage with God as our religious books explain. The verse also carries a tone of I AM‘s ‘might’. Yeah, God DOES deserve our respect as such!
Of course God has other characteristics, as far as monotheists are concerned. For example, as I have mentioned already, us Christians recognise God’s deep loving nature; the way he has and still does bestow his ‘grace‘ upon us. So, if you feel that you would like to begin a relationship with the great I AM and ‘test the waters’, then access the “Journey of faith” section of this website, beginning with the article, “How to believe in God”.
Methods to build ‘Christian faith’ and come to believe in God (i.e. by recognising his presence ‘in the Church‘ and ‘in your life‘) are also introduced in that section of the website. AND let’s not forget the Bible itself either! Please have a read of the article, “Our amazing Bible” to get some idea about it and indeed how to understand its wisdom.
The final section of this website explains the basics of Christianity. The first article, “Christianity explained simply” is sub-titled “God’s Beloved” for a good reason. It provides an overview of the religion:
- How God is to be understood within it;
- How we should connect/ engage with him ‘personally’;
- How we should treat our fellow human beings etc.
It certainly includes descriptions of God’s ‘personal’ nature, i.e. the ‘who is God’ stuff, as opposed to the nature of God’s being that has been the primary subject of this article.
And please note that the next article in this “Deal with Doubts” subsection of this website is, “Why is God invisible?“. It delves more deeply into subjects such as God, the “Ground of Being”, i.e. his state of “immanence”.