Defending Pantheism

[Belacqua]

When we refer to a specific thing, say, the desk in front of us, we say: "That is a desk." And in doing so we negate it's being because in fact it is not a desk, but rather "God" or "the infinite substance" that stands before us.

There's a long tradition of the "Fall into Division," which is along these lines. In Platonic and mystical Christianity, in Blake especially, this is the Fall. It has nothing to do with disobedience or moral issues, as in more literal readings of the Fall. (Though moral issues follow on; the illusion of division is what enables our bad choices.) 

All of that stuff in Blake about 

To see a World in a Grain of Sand 
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower 
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand 
And Eternity in an hour

comes from this tradition. I have never found any indication that Blake knew Spinoza's work, though it's possible. Mostly he is in solid (if non-mainstream) Christian tradition. It would be interesting to work out what exactly differs in Spinoza from the Christian versions.