Being Agnostic Pantheist
Pantheism is often explained as “God is everything, and everything is God”. However, I don’t particularly like that interpretation because it leans too much toward theistic views.
Instead, I prefer to say, “Pantheism is the belief that nothing is supernatural. Thus, there are no supernatural beings or phenomena.”
I started identifying as a pantheist about three and half years ago after identifying as a Christian my entire life. I found that Christianity didn’t align with my values, so I finally gathered the courage to detach completely.
As I explore Pantheism further, I’ve come to see that it has its own variations and "denominations," so to speak. For simplicity, I call myself an Agnostic Pantheist, though more accurately, I align with an Agnostic Apatheist, Naturalist-leaning form of Pantheism. It helps avoid confusion when explaining my beliefs. Labels can be tricky! HAHA.
What does this mean?
Agnostic – I don’t know if a supernatural being or beings exist. I have no proof to categorically say they do or don’t exist.
Apatheist – I don’t think it matters, and I don’t particularly care.
Naturalist-leaning Pantheist – While some pantheists revere the universe as a god-like entity, I do not. I revere it just on a physical level, appreciating its beauty and function.
So, when I am asked, “Do you believe in miracles?” I respond, “Yes, but miracles aren’t supernatural. They’re simply things we haven’t fully understood yet: how they work, how to achieve them, or how to leverage them.” Just as people centuries ago might have viewed an airplane or a video call as a miracle, I believe that if someone were to teleport, it wouldn’t be a miracle; it would merely be a form of transportation that we will understand better in the future.
This belief aligns with my values and has deepened my appreciation for all the work done by inventors, scientists, researchers, and healers and, most importantly, for nature. Because we are nature, and nature is us.
I have taken up gardening recently and developed a profound appreciation for trees, insects, worms, animals, mountains, soil, stone, etc, along with their roles in the universe. We all make the universe exist.
Moreover, Pantheism has helped me stop relying on a supernatural being for things that are already within my reach. Most importantly, it has taught me to enjoy life as it is, using what is available to make my life easier while I still have time here on Earth.
It has truly been a mentally liberating experience.