pantheism

Have you noticed...

Everything in the universe has purpose

'Purpose' is what drives us. It's what we think about, it's what defines us, it's what we do if you leave us alone, and if someone tries to stop us we will resist.

People all have the same long term purpose: for our families and societies to thrive. For this we need food, shelter, friendship, etc. We feel these needs inside us, there are the reason we do everything we do. Animals have similar needs: their long term purpose is the same as ours, for their families to thrive.

If living things had no purpose we'd stop eating and die of starvation. Without purpose we would not exist.

Even rocks have purpose

Even rocks and dust and air have purpose. Rocks and dust don't have brains, so their purpose is very simple: to keep on doing whatever they're doing. It's called inertia. Try to stop a rock from doing what it's doing (whether it's moving or sitting still) and it will react against you with an inertial force. If rocks had no inertia then they'd have no mass. With no mass they would not exist.

Similarly, everything will resist being destroyed. Even a rock will resist you if you try to break it up.

So everything in the universe has built-in purpose, or else it would not exist.

Everything in the universe has moral rules

Societies that work together survive better than those that don't. So societies that cooperate eventually replace societies that don't. SO people have rules about not killing each other, so that we can work together. We have similar rules about telling the truth (so we can do business together) and keeping promises (so we can plan for the future) and so on. So the need for survival creates moral rules. The better the morality, the better we survive.

Animals have rules too - from instinct. The morality of the cycle of life is a topic for another time, but each species has its own idea of what is right for it, and any species that destroys its environment will become extinct.

Even rocks have morals

Even rocks and dust and air has the laws of physics. Maybe you can say that the laws of physics aren't like moral laws, but why not? Moral rules are those that aid long term survival, and this applies even to rocks. The usual interpretation of quantum physics is that there are endless universes, and ours only has stable matter because the laws were just right. So even physical laws are laws necessary for survival - moral laws.

If everything has moral laws, why does evil exist among humans? It may be the price we pay for consciousness. Consciousness exists in order for the brain to process hard decisions. If there were no hard decisions then there would be no consciousness. The universe decided that it was better for us to be conscious, even though that means we will sometimes choose the wrong thing. But over the long term the society that cooperates (i.e. is more moral) is more efficient and will thus replace the society that does not.

Individual rewards and punishments after death are discussed below.

The universe will answer our questions

Einstein once said (I'm paraphrasing here) the most amazing thing about the universe is that it's understandable. It's wonderful thing. you want to know anything? Anything at all? Then do some science and find out! Want to find what happens in distant stars? Build a supercollider. Want to know how to be happy? Study happy people, make notes, compare results, suggest possible rules, test those rules to see if they work. All knowledge is available for the asking! Or course, some knowledge takes longer to find, but it's all available if we're willing to ask the right questions. Isn't it marvelous?

The universe is a wise creator

The universe contains all possible knowledge, and has used this in order to create moral things. The use of knowledge for a moral purpose is wisdom. As humans we can access that wisdom by listening to the moral compass the universe has given us, and using it to obtain the answers we need.

What about intelligent design?

Intelligence is a funny thing. When you look at a genius like Beethoven, how much is due to his genes, to his upbringing, to his unique experiences? It is rude and rather stupid to say "Beethoven you're not so great, anybody could do what you did in the same circumstances." The fact is than nobody else did. Beethoven was unique and that's why we call him a creative genius.

The universe is the same. Most theoretical physicists conclude that there must be infinite alternate universes with slightly different physical laws in which life (as we know it) could not exist. Of all those universes, this universe is the only one that achieved the miracle. Just as Beethoven was a genius, so was this universe. Respect is due!

We are literally children of the universe

It's corny but it's true. We are made of star dust. The heavy elements in our bodies (i.e. pretty much everything except hydrogen and helium) were created in the hearts of dead stars. The universe went to a lot of trouble to create us, so I hope you're grateful and treat your great-great-great (x 1000000) grandmother with respect.

Humans are the center of the universe

The universe has a speed limit: the speed of light. This means that nothing more than a few thousand light years away has any effect on us, and any distant gravity or radiation would be highly diluted anyway. The only parts that have any meaning on us are relatively close (in terms of the universe).

It is highly unlikely that the universe has a hot bright middle anyway. All the evidence suggests that matter is fairly evenly distributed (hence the cosmic background radiation). The middle is likely to look just like any other part.

Besides, how do we measure the middle? The furthest point from the edge? (On earth a nation's middle point is usually some dry farmer's field) The biggest concentration of gravity? The brightest point? Whatever measure we take is arbitrary. What matters is what matters to us.

The most important part of the universe

When considering the universe that affects us - the local hundred light years or so - the point that has the most influence on us, the point that can most quickly decide our life or death - is the planet Earth. This may change if we discover some benevolent aliens on a nearby star, but chances are they'd be merely curiosities (plants, animals, etc.) or they'd be a threat to our survival - not the center of the universe, but a threat to the universe as we know it.

So unless we discover benevolent gods on the next star, the center of the universe (our universe, the universe that has any significance to us) is right here on Earth.

The universe is personal

The universe is a hugely complex machine. When people deal with complex machines (like computers, cars, or airplanes) we talk to them as if they're alive. We say "come along old girl, you can do it!" or "It doesn't sound healthy, I think it's about to die." Even the smartest scientists and engineers do it. It's just the natural way to think.

Many would argue that humans are hugely complex machines as well. But the universe is a moral machine, with purpose, and it created us and feeds us and answers our questions. Surely it deserves the same level of respect.

The matrix argument

The universe may be even more literally personal than we realize. Consider: Every intelligent species needs play - it's how we learn. So every advanced intelligence will create computers and simulations (or the alien equivalent). So the number of simulated universes will vastly outnumber the number of 'real' universes. It is impossible to tell the difference between being in a 'real' universe and being in a complex simulation. So we probably live in a simulation run by a personal being who is deeply interested in us.

The universe loves us

The universe has created us and provides all we need, and is open to give us anything else we could possibly want. It's always there for us and will never condemn us. If that isn't a definition of love then what is?

The same argument for humans being the center of the universe also applies to you as an individual. You are, personally, the center of the universe. It follows that the universe's purpose is your purpose - you and the people around you. We all rely on each other. We're all in this amazing experience together. And the fact that your friends choose you indicates that their universes are better because of you.

The universe intervenes

Think of all the great 'acts of God' in history: earthquakes, typhoons, volcanic eruptions. These are caused by the universe. Well, obviously!) Even Moses' ten plagues can be linked to natural phenomena.

The universe interevenes in more subtle ways as well. Moral laws are simply those laws that allow a society to survive. It follows that when a society breaks moral laws it increase its chances of being destroyed or dying out.

How does praying help?

What about prayer? When praying we: (1) show reverence to a higher power, (2) talk about our problems, and (3) listen for a reply, and (4) promise to act on it.

For example, if my child is sick, I need to (1) calm down and focus, (2) go over all the evidence, (3) if God is the universe then he speaks to us through science, (4) I pay more attention to scientific advice (including visits to the doctor of course).

Each of those steps increases the odds that I will get what I want. So that kind of prayer actually works!

Your spirit lives after death

Your spirit is your influence on other people. When people talk about 'the spirit of something;' they mean the part that really matters to other people. When they say 'that person has has a lot of spirit' they mean that person makes people sit up and take notice.

Your influence continues after death. The better you are as a person, the more your spirit continues. A great teacher or musician will have an influence that expands forever. Jesus and Newton and Elvis Presley are more influential now than when they were mortal. Even a humble parent or teacher creates ripples in time that pass on from generation to generation. Whatever you choose to do, if you do it well your spirit will continue and expand forever.

This is the best kind of life after death

The happiest people are those who never think of themselves or ask deep questions, they only think of others. So don't worry about not actually being conscious after death. When you're dead you won't notice!

And don't worry that life is short. Time is only a dimension, like space. Every moment exists in eternity, forever.

So why be afraid of death? Your spirit will be there, you'll still have influence, you just won't be able to boss people around. Which is a good thing - imagine if past generations could still boss us around!

The universe has human representatives

Everyone is part of the universe, but some more so than others. We saw above that the universe is not neutral, it actively creates and cares for people. Some of those people understand the moral laws, they teach them and strengthen them. Those people help us to understand the laws of the universe better. Some say Jesus was God in human form. Others say Buddha was in touch with the divine. Others say Carl Sagan was a modern day prophet. Perhaps each was the right person for his time and place.

Of course, every church wants to claim God exclusively for itself. But God - the universe - is bigger than all of them.

Conclusion

Everything that describes God also describes the physical universe. It could be that Christians and atheists have been looking at the same thing all along.

Thanks for reading!

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