Defending Pantheism

[vulcanlogician]

If pantheism doesn't entail worship of the divine in nature, it's an empty word in my opinion.

See my William James quotes above. Many concepts can go out the window when one considers what is essential to the religious experience. Worship is one of them.

What if Shiva suddenly descended from the skies and announced that he was real but then ordered everyone on the planet not to worship him. If they do, they suffer an eternity in Hindu hell. Then you'd have a bunch of people who believe that a god exists... but very few worshipping him. You see? It's possible...

According to Google:

"pantheism (noun)
1. a doctrine which identifies God with the universe, or regards the universe as a manifestation of God.
2. worship that admits or tolerates all gods."

But these are two different definitions of two different concepts. "A worship that admits all gods" doesn't describe what I'm talking about at all.

"God (noun)
1. (in Christianity and other monotheistic religions) the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.
2. (in certain other religions) a superhuman being or spirit worshiped as having power over nature or human fortunes; a deity."

Well, sure. But a pantheist is one who rejects both of these and bestows the title "God" upon something more deserving. And something that's real.