Pantheism

<p>Pantheism claims that this Creative Principle is Deity; God; or The Absolute—that Deity and Nature are identical— that the Universe is God, and God is the Universe. Herein lies a great error, which true philosophers and true occultists vigorously oppose. The idea of an Absolute—of an Omnipotent,

Omniscient (all‑powerful; all‑wise) Being—being compelled to work Its way up gradually, haltingly, with mistakes and stumbles, is absurd.</p>

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Pantheism at best is but a half‑truth—the other half lies in the recognition of the Absolute Law.<br />

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Pantheism wears many masks and disguises, and is the underlying idea of many modern systems bearing high‑sounding names. Any system which is based upon the idea of an Absolute which manifests as a relative—or of a Supreme Being which manifests as Nature, and natural things, is but Pantheism, though perhaps subtly disguised. Beware of this insidious error of thought. Apply these test‑questions to any system, to puncture the bubble of Pantheism, if such is contained within it: (1) Why does your Absolute Being depart from Its absolute nature, and become relative, manifold, and divisible? (2) How can The Absolute lose its absolute nature and become relative? (3) What becomes of the absolute nature of The Absolute, when the latter transforms Itself into the relative? ( 4) How can the Unconditioned take on conditions and limitations? (5) How can the Immutable and Changeless manifest change? (6) How can the Indivisible divide and separate itself into parts? And if the teaching in question postulates in Absolute Being, the quality of Omniscience or Absolute Wisdom, ask also this question: (7) How can the Omniscient All‑Wise Absolute Being lose Its wisdom, and display the comparative ignorance of the relative forms?</p>

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But the true philosophic conception must be distinguished from that of Pantheism, which at first thought seems to be the same. &nbsp;Pantheism claims that this Creative Principle is Deity; God; or The Absolute--that Deity and Nature are identical--that the Universe is God, and God is the Universe. &nbsp;Herein lies a great error, which true philosophers and true occultists vigorously oppose. &nbsp;The idea of an Absolute--of an Omnipotent, Omniscient (all-powerful; all-wise) Being--being compelled to work Its way up gradually, haltingly, with mistakes and stumbles, is absurd. Cudworth makes this point clear. &nbsp;And to claim that an Absolute Being is trying to "gain experience" in this way, is ridiculous. &nbsp;The idea that the Absolute is "trying to accomplish something" by the universal manifestation, is illogical--<i>for if It has not been able to reach its goal in all the past of Eternity, It can not reach it in all the future of Eternity, for the one is equal to the other.</i> &nbsp;Moreover, the Absolute must of necessity be self-sufficient,&nbsp;and can want nothing to perfect Itself. &nbsp;In short any attempt to postulate The Absolute; God; Deity or other Supreme Thing as being the struggling, striving, evolving Creative Energy, must end in failure or an illogical conclusion. &nbsp;It is only when it is assumed that this Creative Energy is subordinate to and ruled by an Absolute Sovereign Power, that it becomes logically thinkable. &nbsp;Pantheism, actual or implied, is illogical--even the idea of a Personal Deity is far more logical than is pure Pantheism. &nbsp;The Absolute and Nature can never be the same, try as men may to make it appear possible. &nbsp;Nture must always be relative, and subordinate to a superor and sovereign Power or LAW, <i>and the latter must be The Absolute.</i></p>

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Pantheism wears many masks and disguises, and is the underlying idea of many modern systems bearing high-sounding names. &nbsp;Any system which is based upon the idea of an Absolute which manifests as a relative--or of a Supreme Being which manifests as Nature, and natural things, is but Pantheism, though perhaps subtly disguised. &nbsp;Beware of this insidious error of thought. &nbsp;Apply these test-questions to any system, to puncture the bubble of Pantheism, if such is contained within it: &nbsp;1). Why does your Absolute Being depart from Its absolute nature, and become relative, manifold, and divisible? &nbsp;2). How can The Absolute lose its absolute nature and become relative? &nbsp;3). What becomes of the absolute nature of The Absolute, when the latter transforms Itself into the relative? &nbsp;4). How can the Unconditioned take on conditions and limitations? 5). &nbsp;How can the Immutable and Changeless manifest change? 6). &nbsp;How can the Indivisible divide and separate itself into parts? And if the teaching in question postulates in Absolute Being, the quality of Omniscience or Absolute Wisdom, ask also this question: 7). How can the Omniscient All-Wise Absolute Being lost Its wisdom, and display the comparative ignorance of the relative forms?</p>

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There are but two possible logical explanations of the Absolute and Relative, as follows: 1) That the Cosmos <i>has no existence except in the imagination of the Absolute Being</i>--either as a dream, meditation, reverie, or deliberate dramatic representation, lacking all reality; or @) that the Universal Creative Principle or Energy is <i>not</i> Absolute, but is subordinate to a Sovereign LAW. The first is the answer of certain Idealistic schools of Philosophy--the second is the answer of the Arcane Teachers of Atlantis, Chaldea, Egypt and Ancient Greece. &nbsp;Take your choice! But if you choose the former, then you must admit that The Absolute deliberately and wilfully creates the illusion for no reason except its own pleasure (for no real result or gain is thinkable in such case), for it is ridiculous to hold that The Absolute could be subject to Illusion, Ignorance, or Maya, for if such were so it would no longer be the Absolute. In either case Pantheism is "escorted to the frontier." &nbsp;Do not be deluded by Pantheistic subtleties, or casuistic false reasoning. Pantheism at best is but a hel-truth--the other half lies in the recognition of the ABSOLUTE LAW.</p>

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One of the greatest and most glaring of the fallacies of Pantheism or allied systems of thought, is that which assumes that The Absolute or Deity is "trying to" accomplish something--either in the direction of "gaining experience," or "buiding up" some great universe by continual progression. &nbsp;The idea of an Absolute, which must be Perfect, desiring anything other than it has is illogical. &nbsp;The idea of an Absolute Pantheistic Deity who must be All-Wise, tring to "gain experience" or learn something by playing the game of Many Parts, is childlike and ridiculous--surely an unworthy role to attribute to an Omniscient Deity. The idea of an Absolute or Omnipotent Deity "trying to," or endeavoring to build up universes by slow and arduous labor belongs to the category of child-thought. &nbsp;To think of such a Being doing "day work" is ridiculous--and then, what could He gain by it, this Perfect and Self-Sufficient Being? &nbsp;And the fat remains that if all past Time has not been sufficient to accomplish perfect results, then all future Time will fail to accomplish them--for just as future Time has no ending, past Time has no beginning, and existed forever. &nbsp;And then, what did this Creative Being do in all the Eternity before Creation, if it be heheld that Creation had its beginning in time?</p>

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Absolute Sovereign Power, that it becomes logically thinkable.

Pantheism, actual or implied, is illogical—even the idea of a

Personal Deity is far more logical than is pure Pantheism. The

Absolute and Nature can never be the same, try as men may to

make it appear possible. Nature must always be relative, and

subordinate to a superior and sovereign Power or Law, and the

latter must be The Absolute.</p>