According to Wikipedia:
"Pantheism is the belief that the universe (or nature as the totality of everything) is identical with divinity,[1] or that everything composes an all-encompassing, immanent God.[2] Pantheists thus do not believe in a distinct personal or anthropomorphic god.[3] Some Eastern religions are considered to be pantheistically inclined.
Pantheism was popularized in the West as both a theology and philosophy based on the work of the 17th-century philosopher Baruch Spinoza,[4]:p.7 whose book Ethics was an answer to Descartes' famous dualist theory that the body and spirit are separate.[5] Spinoza held the monist view that the two are the same, and monism is a fundamental part of his philosophy. He was described as a "God-intoxicated man," and used the word God to describe the unity of all substance.[5] Although the term pantheism was not coined until after his death, Spinoza is regarded as its most celebrated advocate.[6]"
Take in mind that while I am for all effects and purposes a de-facto atheist, things like religion and philosophy intrigue me. I am more of an anti-theist or even an I-theist...worshipping the Self and Ego instead of externalizing my "higher power." One day, a friend asked me a question that could be considered irrelevant to my philosophy. But since I was his friend I humored him. The question was this:
"If there was some sort of external god, what would you (I) rather it be?"
Being an androgynous person, I latched onto the word "It" instead of "He" or "She." So "It" it was. I always thought that people modeled their god after them...so it was fitting that I would say this...but anyways, I told him the external "It" would have to be the Universe Itself.
I still wouldn't believe in the Supernatural, mind you, but I have entertained the idea of the Universe being Its own creator and ours as well. It would not be "sentient" and it would lack personality...It is indeed indifferent...and we would still be an "accident" for lack of better terms. I don't know about you, but the idea that I may not have been, but still have been, is far more exciting and joyous than thinking something "pre-ordained" my birth. I mean, really: to defy the odds or to be because something else said so? I like the odds of being the little fighter-rebel who beat out others to be here. Now one can argue once you remove the supernatural, "God" as a word becomes weak/unneccisary: but I am a symbolic person and so can understand the meaning behind the word "god" even if the word "god" isn't something we agree on the meaning of. I have also entertained the thought that if we cannot decide what "god" really is, can we really say "there is no god?" If god is what you make of Him/Her/It, then "god" can exist as a symbolism or word of reverence, even if there is no theology/religion/supernatural entity behind it.
Which brings me to ignosticism, as described by Wikipedia:
"Ignosticism or igtheism is the idea that every theological position assumes too much about the concept of God and other theological concepts; including (but not limited to) concepts of faith, spirituality, heaven, hell, afterlife, damnation, salvation, sin and the soul.
Ignosticism is the view that any religious term or theological concept presented must be accompanied by a coherent definition. Without a clear definition such terms cannot be meaningfully discussed. Such terms or concepts must also be falsifiable. Lacking this an ignostic takes the theological noncognitivist position that the existence or nature of the terms presented (and all matters of debate) is meaningless. For example, if the term "God" does not refer to anything reasonably defined then there is no conceivable method to test against the existence of god. Therefore the term "God" has no literal significance and need not be debated or discussed.
Some philosophers have seen ignosticism as a variation of agnosticism or atheism,[1] while others have considered it to be distinct."
So, if we cannot decide on what "god" really is, can we even say there is none? To what standard are we saying "there is none" of?
Backtracking to I-Theism: if I believe I am my own god and there is nothing external to worship, can I really be called an atheist? Depends on what you define "god" as. I may not be a true atheist to some if I believe there can be symbolic gods. Hence my position as de-facto atheist. (Look up de facto if you must.)
And oh, my head hurts now!
I find all this to be silly, mind you, but I am boored. Spin the brain on this one for now if you are boored like me, and you may find that you'll have more success with a Rubik's cube.
