Poffo Ortiz

“Biopantheism” is a Nature-based, Life-centered, ethics-driven, biologically-focused, codification of Pantheism, with a comprehensive ontology that includes a speculative, Pandeistic explanation for the origins of the Universe and a practical, real-world application that involves communion with Nature, ecological awareness, sustainable living, environmentalism, wildlife conservation, animal rights and holistic health.

A unique doctrine, that places its emphasis on science, cosmology, life in the physical world and all things relevant and meaningful to the human condition, with a particular emphasis on living organisms and the evolution of consciousness.

By combining Religious Naturalism, Deep Ecology and Biocentric values, together with classical Pantheistic philosophy (Substance Monism) and a poetic, Pagan aesthetic in terms of symbolism and metaphor, “Biopan” represents the quintessential balance between science and religion, as it is both a philosophical/ethical worldview AND a tangible, realistic form of spirituality.

A movement that embraces both ancient wisdom and modern scientific knowledge in a meaningful and practical way, Biopan not only teaches science and biology, but also leaves room for the numinous and the mystical/transcendent experience, without abandoning critical thinking, logic or reason. Rejecting the traditional notions of Theism and the conventional doctrines, dogmas and theologies of the Abrahamic faiths, Biopan stands as a healthy, Earth-based, Nature-centered alternative to the harmful and destructive fundamentalist religions that seek to dominate our world.

We are a sanctuary for all those who have been wounded and oppressed by religious indoctrination, valuing objective truth and evidence-based thinking over superstition, emotionalism, and any unsubstantiated false claims of the supernatural. Unreservedly, we seek to bridge the gap between Atheism and Naturalistic Spirituality, by cultivating a deep and abiding love and respect for the Universe, Nature and all Life forms, with a contemporary, Pantheistic awareness of the immanent and emergent Divinity of Bruno, Spinoza, Einstein, Sagan and Watts.

To us, “Pan” means Nature, Pan means forests and trees, mountains and caverns, oceans, rivers, lakes and streams, plants and animals, earth and sky, body and mind—these things are holy, sacred and worthy of the highest reverence. The earth is our home and all things are related, interdependent and connected. The Universe is a living organism; an incomprehensibly massive, collective intelligence, of which we are all a significant and ever-evolving part.

Our goal is to foster and promote these ideals and spread this worldview, by encouraging unity, compassion, altruism and love. To educate, enlighten, influence and inspire, both ourselves and others, to live up to our highest potential, by recognizing and acknowledging our immanent godhood and tapping into and harnessing our divine creative power, as individuals and as a species.

Now and forever, in Nature we trust.

www.biopan.space

www.facebook.com/groups/Biopantheism

Pantheism asserts that all physical things are divine, not that all ideologies and religious beliefs are accurate or true. The “all” in Pantheism denotes all energy/matter… as in, all objects and elements, i.e. all ‘things’ in Nature. Nature Itself is what we view as sacred and holy, not all religious systems (which each contradict themselves and have caused immeasurable harm in their own way). The “all” in Pantheism means all of Nature… the natural world, all living organisms, the Universe Itself, etc. All physical matter and energy, this is what we believe God to be—the physical Universe Itself.

Pantheism is not the belief in all beliefs. It’s the belief or awareness in an immanent Divinity permeating all things… and that God exists not as a separate, anthropomorphic deity, but as the Universe Itself. And furthermore, that this intelligence and power and creative intent is inherent in all energy/matter. The “all” in Pantheism means all things in the physical Universe, i.e. all of Nature… and that this vast and magnificent natural world actually represents one, all-encompassing, immanent, Divinity… NOT that all belief systems are accurate or even healthy to practice and adhere to.

Do a little research into Pantheism and you’ll quickly find out what its most famous proponents like Bruno, Spinoza, Einstein and Carl Sagan actually believed. Most of these men were vehemently opposed to Christianity and openly spoke out against it. One was even burned alive by the Church for his views. Therefore, it is a gross misnomer to think that all religions and all faiths are acceptable and that the embracing of all ideologies and doctrines somehow constitutes what Pantheism means, because this could not be further from the truth.

As stated, this is a common misunderstanding that a simple Google search could easily remedy. And just to reiterate for the sake of any who may still be confused, the “all” in Pantheism means all of Nature, the natural world, all living systems, i.e. the Universe Itself—as in, all matter and energy, etc. It’s not the ‘belief in all beliefs’, because that would actually be Syncretism, Baha’i, or Omnism. No, it’s the belief or awareness of the immanent and emergent Divinity, that exists in all things and is manifested in omnipresent form.

It’s the knowledge and awareness that God exists not as an anthropomorphic deity, but as the Universe Itself—or more locally, as the forces and powers of Nature in all of Its various manifestations. This includes all environments, all ecosystems, all plants and animals, etc. This means that intelligence and power and creative intent are inherent within all energy/matter (“immanence”). Not outside of It, not in abstract form, not in false doctrines or traditional ideologies, but IN Nature. Furthermore, all religions do not lead to this Pantheistic understanding of God.

On the contrary, most actually reject it, because different beliefs contradict one another. Every belief system says something else about the Universe. Most teach and promote dualism, not Monism. For example, a Christian, Muslim or Jew believes that a separate, personal, all-knowing, all-powerful, (usually male) deity, created the Cosmos and dwells outside or apart from it in his own invisible eternal realm (this is Monotheism). In this model, creator is separate from creation—and in this way, most religions are dualistic. But Pantheism is a form of “Monism” which means Creator and Creation are one and the same.

It means everything is made of the same substance and there is no duality and no separation, i.e. all is one. Not that all is one in terms of all beliefs, but that all is literally one in terms of its substance—the tree, a car, your house, your clothes, your body, your pets, your parents, your friends, the ocean, the stars, the sky, etc. These things all came from the same Source and they are all manifestations of one Divinity—the Universe Itself. This, is Pantheism. Not all is one in terms of all beliefs, but all is literally one in terms of Its substance or fundamental essence. It follows the notion set forth by Spinoza and so many others that is generally known as, “Substance Theology.”

In order to understand this, you must first understand that on a subatomic level, everything is really made up of trillions and trillions of vibrating particles of energy. What we interact with and observe and what makes coherent sense to us comes in the larger forms and structures of this energy, which is vibrating at a slower rate, making it denser, causing it to appear to be solid… but in the quantum world, nothing is really solid and empty space actually holds the most influence and power (i.e. Dark Matter and Dark Energy). Understand these things comprehensively and you’re halfway there.

As I said before: the tree, the bird, a car, your house, your clothes, your body, your pets, your friends, your parents, the ocean, the stars, the planets, etc… all of these things came from the same Source (the pre-Big Bang Singularity), and they all represent manifestations or expressions of one singular Divinity. And so, Pantheism asserts that the Universe Itself IS God; it posits that all things in this Universe are connected and all physical things are really just differentiated, subjective aspects of this all-encompassing, immanent Divinity. THIS, is Pantheism. Not the erroneous belief that all religions and theologies fall under one giant category called, “Pantheism.”

This kind of thinking represents “Omnism”, or something more along the lines of “Perennial Philosophy”, as outlined by Aldous Huxley. Although there is some scintilla of truth to the notion, there are also many, many things wrong with this perspective as well. For starters, Perennialism is not Pantheism. Instead, it represents a kind of religious syncretism, attempting to reconcile all religious traditions and derive relevance and meaning by minimizing the differences, highlighting the similarities, and ‘drawing-out’ what is acceptable and applicable to you.

Now, at first glance this might seem like a good thing, but what it really represents is a subtle naivety, as well as a strong desire to reconcile and mend what is otherwise a very convoluted and sordid establishment (religion), in an effort to make sense out of all the disparities that exist within and find some consistency, by oversimplifying the situation and reinterpreting religious texts and traditions in a way that is favorable and appealing to them. This is all very close in purpose and intent to Omnism, which states that all religions are equally valid and that each one has just as much intrinsic value as another, because they are all based on the same, ‘universal’ truths, etc.

In contrast, Pantheism deals with the divine quality of Nature Itself, not the universal similarities or ‘perceived’ underlying truths that others ‘think’ exist within all religions—which, in reality, tend to be filled with false assumptions, archaic superstitions and anachronistic ideas. It is true that one can maintain Pantheistic beliefs while still being a Perennialist or an Omnist, but their Perennialism or Omnism should not to be confused with Pantheism. Compare these two modes of thought for a moment—most religions lead to delusional thinking and erroneous concepts like belief in the supernatural and an afterlife, etc. While Pantheism on the other hand, leads to a deeper appreciation for Nature and a stronger and more poignant connection to the natural world.

Do the research yourself and find out about all of these related “isms.” They are all very similar, but the fact remains… NONE of these things equates to Pantheism:

Omnism

Syncretism

Baha’i Faith

Universalism

Religious Pluralism

Perennial Philosophy

I cannot stress enough how important it is that we make these distinctions. Pantheism it is NOT a catch-all word for anything and everything anyone foolishly chooses to practice and believe. It is a specific attitude, awareness and mindset, in relation to the natural world and the quality of physical existence itself. It is a statement about the essence of the Universe and by extension, all living organisms and Life forms that have evolved and arisen through natural processes. Incidentally, this is why I created Biopan—to distinguish ourselves from the broad, amorphous community of those who seek to turn Pantheism into whatever they want it to be.

The last three years of my life have been dedicated to trying to organize and establish Pantheism as a real world movement… so definitions, terminology and peoples’ general perceptions are very important to me. I’m not asking anyone to change anything they believe, but just to educate themselves on what Pantheism actually means, so that others who are new to the philosophy aren’t misled and confused. I only care about human progress and uniting us as a species. I care about Nature, animal rights, protecting the environment and finding inspiration in communion with the natural world. Living in harmony with Nature and living up to our full potential as highly evolved, sentient beings.

We are all expressions of Divinity. We are all becoming, “God.” Life and biology needs to be our main focus. That’s the key, that’s the most critical aspect: living organisms, our shared biology and the interconnectedness and interdependence of all things. This, is Pantheism. And this is what I write about and what I teach and promote daily. The world is already in chaos, we are already stratified and separated in so many different ways. What we need is unity and cohesion, and a deeper awareness of the sacred found in all things. We know that the earth is a living system—ancient, primordial, sacred and holy. And as such, it should be treated with reverence and respect. Likewise, our bodies should be sanctified in terms of how we eat, what we put into our systems and what we do with our time. Health, wellness, our overall mental/emotional stability, AND our physical fitness and physiological well-being—these things should be our top priority.

Biopantheism is a philosophy and belief system that takes into account the whole person and the whole spectrum of human existence. What matters in life, what is relevant to the human condition and what is meaningful and applicable to our species and the welfare of every other living organism on the planet. Our biology is what binds us; it stands as the common thread we all share that shatters all barriers and distinctions, penetrates the chaos and confusion of false and irrelevant ideologies and ‘perennially’ unites us all. As stated earlier, Pantheism is a form of Substance Theology called Monism. This is what Spinoza taught and what it states essentially is that we are all part of one massive, colossal organism (the Omnia).

This mode of thought also represents non-duality, or differential existence within the unity of the whole (“Dialectical Monism”). Nevertheless, I am an Anti-theist and Biopan is an Anti-theistic philosophy. That means I reject and oppose all forms of corporate religion. The reason these false beliefs can and should be challenged and confronted, is because they encourage the continuation of a host of fallacious and destructive ideologies and beliefs that can and have, caused immeasurable amounts of harm and atrocity throughout history (e.g. Christianity, Judaism and Islam).

I make no apologies for this and I will not tip-toe around the subject: I seek to dismantle and expose the Abrahamic faiths for the frauds they are. I will do this by continuing to teach the truth about science, history and human psychology. I long to do this to ease the suffering and confusion of so many; to free individuals and cultures from all of the guilt, fear, indoctrination, brainwashing and oppression that religious doctrines and dogmas create. I must do this in order to institute a new kind of religion, one that is solely based on reality—a new philosophy that is fundamentally grounded in science and reason, that combines the rational, Humanistic values of the Atheist movement with the rustic, Nature-centered aesthetic of Paganism and the healthy, sober attitude of Religious Naturalism, that leads to a reverence for all Life, environmental ethics, and a shared, Biocentric morality.

Living in this constant state of awareness through mindfulness, contemplation, and regular observation and interaction with the natural world is what changes you. It allows you to see the interdependence of all things and the interrelated aspects of Life and existence. Once you begin to truly focus on this connection with a singular, committed intent, you cannot help but be humbled, awestruck and reverent, of everyone and everything. This creates a deeper appreciation, a love and respect for all sentient beings—and indeed, all of the variant forms of Life that surround us.

If others are not familiar with this form of enlightenment, it’s simply because they are not experientially engaged in activities and meditations that allow this kind of consciousness to permeate and pervade their thinking. In other words, you have to cultivate and really foster this kind of awareness. The more you do, the more it influences your character and behavior in a positive, progressive, and prolific way.

“Neo, sooner or later you’re going to realize just as I did, there’s a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.”

– Morpheus, The Matrix

We know that Nature is actually responsible for most of what religious people attribute to God- the perpetual creation, formation and maintenance of all Life in the Universe (i.e. the Deistic creative quality).

We also know that Nature is everywhere, pervading all things at all times, just as God is described as being (Omnipresent) and we know that the Omnia likewise exhibits a supernal, almost all-knowing level of intelligence (Omniscience), albeit it is an unconscious, or wholly ‘programmed’ one.

This is of course inherent in all energy/matter and manifested internally and externally as the unchanging “Laws of Nature.” We also know that It has a “will” (of a kind), to self-organize, replicate, reproduce, sustain Itself, adapt, survive, multiply, grow, develop, heal and evolve.

We know that Nature is also all-powerful, just as God is claimed to be (Omnipotence), as it is obvious that the Universe (and by extension, Nature) is the largest, most expansive, most vast and complex and impressive and majestic and all-encompassing thing there is.

We can also say, that as far as we’re concerned, It is perpetual and immortal… or at least, older and more extensive and enduring than anything we can comprehend (13.8 billion years and counting, with no end in sight!), so this would constitute another characteristic or quality of God (being eternal or infinite, etc). Now, besides these, can you think of any other qualities or attributes that the Universe/Nature actually shares in common with the concept of a theistic deity?

We know that the Omnia heals our wounds and protects us from harm just as God would (through our own immune systems and by keeping the memory of what we are supposed to look like and how our bodies should function locked deeply in our DNA), but… can we actually ‘pray’ to It? (or should we??)

Can It hear us? Can we trust It? Is It self-aware? Does it judge or condemn us as a theistic god would? Does It punish and reward? Is It concerned with goodness and mercy? Conversely, is It offended by evil and wrong-doing?

To answer all of these questions before anyone begins to think I am actually implying any of this… no, It does not seem to be intelligent in a cognizant, personal way, and It does not think and reason the way a human would, but instead appears to maintain a kind of instinctual knowledge inherent within the very fabric of reality… i.e., It is ready and willing to teach us right from wrong, through the laws of ’cause and effect.’

Moreover, outside of our own developing self-awareness, I do not believe It is conscious as one singular coherent entity, although I do postulate that this is what It was at one time (before the Big Bang), and what It will be one day again, as we universally come together, unite and coalesce as a species.

And here’s a big one: should we worship Nature as others worship God? No, I don’t believe so… although I do feel (and with a strong conviction I might add), that It does deserve the highest respect, admiration and consideration, as well as a healthy and sobering acknowledgement…

But this is not so much for Its sake as it is for our own, so that we can evolve, live symbiotically and peacefully with all of Its other constituent parts and manifestations, and thereby speed the process of self-acceptance and unity.

Aside from experiencing reality as a trillion scattered, subjective and differentiated forms… this, I do believe is the goal and the purpose for being (to achieve Singularity). As others have noted, we are ‘collectively’ the manifestation of God, together with all the plants and animals and every other living and non-living thing in existence that makes up the physical Universe.

We are not “God” in the traditional sense, we are not all powerful right now, or all-knowing and “God” is not a conscious, coherent, singular being, as is so commonly thought throughout the world of religion. This is because “God” is not awakened, except through sentient beings like us.

Right now, the physical laws of the Universe act as a kind of ‘latent’ programming or unconscious memory of God, allowing all things to be and acting as the driving force behind gravity, electromagnetism, entropy, evolution, spontaneous self-organization and awareness and consciousness in biological life forms.

There will not be true peace on Earth until human beings unite to form a colossal, symbiotic relationship with one another and become the Singularity that once existed before the Big Bang. All the details about ego, ascension, elevating our consciousness and finding balance, enlightenment and peace are part of the process of becoming whole again.

We ARE all God, but we are the differentiated, dispersed, individualized units or scattered pockets of energy that make up the potential form of God. The mind and intellect of God will not exist as a conscious, moral agent until we collectively develop OUR sense of logic and reason and establish a firm grasp of right and wrong on a global scale… this will ultimately lead to a shared morality, which will eventually end all violence and suffering and create peace.

How do we help this process? By loving and accepting one another as unique representations of the Divine and embracing one another based on our commonalities, not our differences. The illusion of distinction is so minute it pales in comparison to that which we actually share- as Earthlings, as Homo Sapiens, as Primates, as Mammals, as Animals and as Carbon-based Life forms… we are all one Being, scattered and split up into trillions of subjective forms.

We are everywhere, as God is thought to be, but we are not operating in unity and cohesion right now… likewise, only a part of God is all-knowing and intelligent and that part is relegated to the genius of DNA and the internal programming that allows all Life to self-replicate, adapt, evolve and survive, with bodily functions that operate autonomously to maintain all biological systems that grow, heal, reproduce, etc.

In all other ways the mind of God is asleep and unconscious… ‘until’ we manifest love and act with compassion and show altruism, kindness and empathy. When we do this we are in essence, becoming the ‘mind’ of God, which intrinsically ‘wants’ to love and accept Itself… though It is just now beginning to learn how, through us.

“God” is not what you think… and in order to understand why we (as God), are powerless to prevent tragedy and bring about world peace on a global scale, we must first understand the true nature of God… which is one part ultra-intelligent and prominent genius, one part ignorant and powerless mute. One part morally superior, with the highest ideals and sentient awareness possible and one part primitive, barbaric and instinctual. One part holy, sacred and divine in its beauty, intelligence and complexity and one part asleep, blind, deaf and dumb in Its current, catatonic and comatose state.

This is the Nature of the Omnia- It is growing and developing in terms of morals, ethics and ideals, even as WE grow and progress in our morals, ethics and ideals. We are a fundamental part of God, because we are the cognitive, intellectual and moral aspects of Nature… and Nature, as I have demonstrated and explained, is the one true God.

There is to be found in Nature, an incredible, all-encompassing life-force or power, which I call the “Omnia” (Latin for ‘all’ or ‘everything’). This word not only denotes all energy/matter in the physical Universe, but also the innate quality of that matter, through the laws of Nature, to self-organize, replicate, move toward complexity and (in the case with organic life) push and pull all species to evolve, adapt, reproduce and survive.

These things are not only verifiable through modern science, but also critical in the understanding of our shared philosophy, crucial in our ability to progress as a species and central to the Biopantheist idea… i.e. that we humans represent the cognitive and moral aspect of a massive, collective Being. As such, I will now explore the most common and ubiquitous thought in Pantheism– that we are all, literally, the physical manifestation of God. The most common understanding of Pantheism states:

“Pantheism is the belief that the Universe (or Nature as the totality of everything) is identical with divinity, or that everything composes an all-encompassing, immanent God. Pantheists therefore do not believe in a distinct, personal or anthropomorphic god.”

Most Pantheists will claim it readily enough and repeat it frequently (sometimes ad nauseam), but do they actually consider what it means? Many will spout out bold assertions of their own divinity, making statements like:  “God is everything” or “We are all God”, etc. Yes, we are all God, but we are not “God” in the traditional sense… i.e., we are not all powerful right now and “God” is not a conscious, coherent, singular being, as is so commonly thought throughout history and currently in the world of religion.

As others have noted, we are ‘collectively’ the manifestation of God, together with all the plants and animals and every other thing in existence that makes up the observable Universe. But “God” is not awake and perceptive on a cognitive, intellectual level… except when He/She/It is ‘awakened’ through sentient beings like us. Right now, the physical laws of the Universe are acting as a kind of ‘latent’ programming or unconscious memory of God, allowing all things to be and acting as the driving force behind gravity, electromagnetism, entropy, self-organization, awareness, consciousness and evolution in all biological life forms.

As the Deists rightly contend, God cannot ‘intervene’ to help us and there will not be true peace on Earth until human beings collectively unite to form a colossal, symbiotic relationship with one another and become the singularity that once existed before the Big Bang. All the details about ego, ascension, elevating our minds and consciousness and finding balance and peace, are part of the process of becoming ‘whole’ again. We are all God, but we are the differentiated, dispersed, individualized units or pockets of energy, that make up the ‘potential’ form of God. The mind and intellect of God does not exist as a conscious, moral agent with discretion and discernment, until we collectively develop our sense of logic and reason and establish a firm grasp of right and wrong on a global and perhaps even universal scale.

This will ultimately lead to a shared morality, which will end all violence and suffering and eventually create a lasting, unified peace. How do we help this process? By loving and accepting one another as unique representations of the Divine and embracing one another based on our commonalities, not our differences. The illusion of distinction is so minute, it pales in comparison to that which we actually share– as Earthlings, as Homo Sapiens, as Primates, as Mammals, as Animals, and as Carbon-based Life forms… we are all one Being, though scattered and split up into hundreds of trillions of subjective forms. We are everywhere, as God is thought to be, but we are not operating in unity and cohesion right now.

Likewise, only a part of God is all-knowing and intelligent and that part is relegated to the genius of DNA and the internal programming that allows all Life to self-replicate, adapt, survive, evolve and reproduce, with bodily functions that operate autonomously to maintain all biological systems that grow, heal and reproduce, etc. In all other ways the mind of God is asleep and unconscious… until we manifest love and act with empathy and compassion and show altruism, kindness and solidarity.

When we do this we are in essence, becoming the ‘mind’ of God, which intrinsically ‘wants’ to love and accept Itself… though It is just now beginning to learn how, through us. “God” is not what you think… and in order to understand why we (as God), are powerless to prevent tragedy and bring about world peace on a global scale, we must first understand the ‘true’ nature of God… which is one-part ultra-intelligent and quintessential genius, one-part ignorant and powerless, autonomic mute.

One-part morally superior, with the highest standards, ideals and sentient awareness possible, and one-part primitive, barbaric and instinctual, with only a basic, animalistic drive. One-part holy, sacred and divine in Its beauty, intelligence and complexity, and one-part asleep, blind, deaf and dumb in Its current, catatonic, comatose state. This, is the nature of the Omnia… It is growing and developing in terms of morals, ethics, values and ideals, even as we grow and progress in our morals, ethics, values and ideals.

We are becoming what we were and evolution is not blind or random, but guided by the laws of Nature (or the “will” of the Omnia, to be more specific). Let me see if I can put this in simplistic terms that everyone can understand and relate to, since these concepts are so profound:  As conscious forms of energy/matter we are evolving, growing, changing and shifting, to become what we once were—an infinite, omniscient Mind… capable of anything.

Right now, in our own, limited awareness of time, no god exists (except in terms of an unconscious, internal programming that maintains the Universe through the laws of Nature), but right now in the distant future (and in the distant past), we are already there… unified, coherent and complete. We are actually everywhere at once, but we are only able to perceive the present moment, because our awareness is limited to our physical senses, which cannot remember, or foresee, our original form.

Some, can perceive more than others (and this is where psychic phenomena, ESP, clairvoyance and pre-cognition come in). The goal is to enjoy and experience the present moment, while understanding the trajectory and our ultimate future destiny. In Pantheistic terms, everything is God, but no Pantheist can tell you why. I say, it is because everything was once God and everything will be God again in the future (this is the ontology of Biopan).

Everything is not the all-knowing, all-powerful god of myth, because right now It is actually scattered and differentiated, broken up into trillions of constituent parts, simultaneously expanding and spreading out everywhere (just like a Torus), and simultaneously contracting and condensing back into Its singular form. You see, that “God” of myth and legend actually existed before time began and will exist again in the future. Or similarly, it could be said that It exists right now, outside of linear time as we know it.

We are unable to interact with Its Intelligence and Its conscious mind (as Theists would falsely have you believe), because It is not yet whole and coherent as a unified Being in our perception… but we can see the ‘remnants’ of divinity– the unconscious, inherent programming that exists within us and all around us, as expressed through Nature, and it is astonishingly complex and exceedingly intelligent… far beyond our individual intelligence. But, (and this is the key point) It is not moral. It has no capacity to judge or discern anything as a cognitive mind would… and this is why there is pain and suffering in the world and why on a certain level, all the Atheists are right– “God” does not exist.

As Nietzsche famously said, “God is dead” (the conscious mind of God anyway). In this sense, the Deists are also correct– God does not intervene… It does not because It cannot, in this current form. And yet, the more conscious, coherent and intelligent we become as highly evolved expressions of this divine Being, the more we develop our ability to love and show kindness and compassion and empathy towards all of the other, differentiated parts of God and the more the Omnia accepts and embraces Itself, the closer we get to becoming that all-loving god who acts morally on our behalf and cares for all sentient Life.

Since we are all God, God can only act and behave morally at the level that we act and behave morally. This is why morality and ethics are such a vital part of Biopantheism, because it is literally up to us to manifest everything we wish to see in the world. The Omnia exists and It has brought us this far through evolution and the laws of Nature. Now, as Its mind becomes more and more aware and conscious of good and evil, right and wrong (through us), It will grow and develop in tandem… and as we collectively unite, we literally ‘become’ the god of myth and legend. This is what we are all doing here and this is the crux of what my philosophy is all about—the awakening, or resurrection of “God.”

Some would ask, “where does ‘love’ fit into the equation?” Is not love the driving force behind God? When it comes to the concept of love, I would say “love” is simply the unconditional acknowledgement and acceptance of self. In this case, we know as Pantheists and Pandeists that ‘self’ implies other (everything else that exists in the physical world), since we are all connected and ultimately, we are all God.

Once one realizes how beautiful, complex and miraculous every part of this grand design is, admiration, appreciation, reverence and respect are the only natural responses… and subsequently, coherence, organization, cohesion and collective action ensues. I don’t know if you realize what this means, but it could be compared to all of the nerve endings, muscles, tendons and ligaments of a body, working together in unison to move an arm or a leg… in this case, the owner of that appendage is none other than God, a.k.a. the living Universe or Omnia.

Biopantheism is anthropocentric to be sure, but not in a selfish or hostile way toward Nature, it is not impudent or lacking in humility when it comes to our place in the grand scheme of things ecologically or cosmically. On the contrary, we recognize specifically our role as human animals on a planet populated by billions of other animals and life forms deserving of the same love, admiration, dignity and respect as ourselves.

Biopantheism is absolutely and irrevocably FOR Nature in every sense of the word… and yet, it doesn’t espouse or promote the worship of ANYTHING (even the Omnia Itself) only the respect, consideration, appreciation and acknowledgement, of all Life and the natural forces at work in the Universe. The “theism” in “Biopantheism” could easily be replaced with “deism” in that there is no active, conscious, discerning deity present… but instead, a residual, physical, penultimate, or internal/external force, and Its grand manifestation (the Universe), essentially running on autopilot… or what we call the “Laws of Nature.”

In my interactions with the hundreds of other Pantheists I’ve met online, I’ve encountered an extreme medley of diverse and sometimes contradictory beliefs, with distinctions that cover the whole spectrum of thought and views that run the gamut between the extremely open-minded, New Age or Eastern-influenced mysticism, to the empirical, evidence-only materialist or reductionist Atheist.

Based on their upbringing, environment and personal experiences, there are some who naturally lean more toward the abstract and the spiritual, and are much more inclined to see things in an impractical, mystical, or pseudo-religious way. While at the same time, there are others (like myself), who conversely embrace the more philosophical, scientific and biological aspects of this ontology.

One person wants and desires to see the spiritual highlighted in conversation and another fights vehemently to see it removed, etc. A huge part of this disparity often comes down to language. Some cannot comprehend it when I say there is no ‘spiritual world.’ What I am of course referring to is the traditional, conventional concept that most mainstream religions espouse and cling to in terms of a transcendent, invisible, supernatural realm, that is generally inhabited by demons, angels, disembodied spirits and so on.

Yet what I said stands true- no such alternative world has ever been definitively proven to exist, and this has been the mistake of religion historically and it continues to this day. For the vast majority of those with religious inclinations still insist on attributing naturally occurring events and phenomena to just such an invisible world… but it is always due to a lack of scientific knowledge and a failure to examine things realistically and incorporate logic and apply critical thinking.

On the other side of things, from a Pantheist perspective, I can also see that everything is actually spiritual, sacred and divine, in terms of its profound complexity, grandeur and beauty. All things are naturally imbued with wonder, mystery and magic- no supernatural world required. Everything that exists is a part of Nature, therefore everything is intrinsically ‘natural’ ..even that which we’ve yet to fully understand. In fact, it was only because the Universe was so grossly misunderstood and so little was known about the real causes behind things, that anything was ever initially considered ‘spiritual’ or ‘supernatural’ at all.

So you see, ‘spiritual’ is really just a word for something we’ve yet to fully grasp and comprehend. Now then, when it comes to synchronicity, meaningful correlations, coincidences and little understood phenomena of consciousness and the human psyche, I will concede… all of these things do in fact appear outstandingly mystical, extraordinary and unnatural (because they are exceedingly rare and uncommon), but that does not make them “supernatural” ..only profound and otherworldly in outward appearance, because of the unusual circumstances under which they manifest.

But I guarantee you, whatever it happens to be, in the end, you will most assuredly come to find out, they were all naturally occurring events and processes- numinous and mystical experiences, no less wondrous and awe-inspiring, but still a significant part of Nature and the natural world. Unconventional and rare, but nevertheless a subsequent attribute of God’s own experience as the Universe. In response to those who would rail at me for using the word “God” and shout: “We are Pantheists, there is no God, only Nature!” Please, cool your heels and calm yourself. You are absolutely right, as I have meticulously explained in the preceding articles, “God” does not exist.

That is to say, the traditional, anthropomorphic idea of God as a personal, separate, supernatural, creator/judge deity, who is divorced from Nature and residing elsewhere, detached from us, in an ideal heavenly realm (as is commonly taught among the various schools of theology in nearly all of this world’s religious groups), is 100% false and inaccurate… a gross misconception, an ignorant fable and a dualistic lie. And this is what I oppose and reject as an Anti-Theist, because I have seen just how harmful and damaging it can be to a person’s psyche to wholeheartedly believe this notion exists at this current time.

No, when I say “God” I mean something entirely different than what a Christian, Jew or Muslim would perceive in their minds when they hear the word. I don’t mean a Theistic god at all (this should be obvious by now). I don’t mean a god that can hear your prayers or intervene and suspend the laws of physics on a whim, or is even conscious in a coherent way at this time. It’s true, I use the word interchangeably with the Universe… and some might stumble over this, but by their own admission, this is usually because of their own negative, pre-existing, former associations with the word.

Nevertheless, when I say “God is the Universe” I mean in it every sense of the word, because the Universe is literally the greatest, most powerful, most beautiful, most awesome, majestic, compelling, complex and intelligent thing there is… that also just so happens to be everywhere at all times, existing perpetually and forever- omnipotent, omnipresent and eternal <–notice, these are all the characteristics and qualities typically attributed to “God.” And this is what many Skeptics, Atheists and more scientifically minded souls must come to realize.

Likewise, when I say, “God is the Universe” I also mean that the Universe is more than just what is commonly thought. It is more than what a reductionist, materialist, scientific Atheist would consider It. It is not just the physical locale we inhabit. It is also a massive, incomprehensibly enormous, collective Entity, made up of trillions of scattered, differentiated parts, that are all entangled and interconnected and essentially comprised of the same energy/matter that ultimately originated from the same primordial source- the pre-Big Bang singularity.

This is not abstract theory, it is scientific fact. Research the terms: “Dark Energy”, “Dark Matter” and “Anti-matter” and you will see exactly what I mean. Dark Energy, Dark Matter and Anti-matter and Matter Itself, are all similar aspects of the same thing. Lay down comfortably, close your eyes and think of nothing. Relax your body to the point where you reach a meditative, hypnagogic state and you are no longer aware of any physical sensations (this is the state of sleep where you are semi-unconscious, but have not yet begun to dream).

Thoughts will arise, but there is no identity, no point of reference to base anything on and no real or imagined material to contrast with and allow a normal perception of existence. You may think and be vaguely aware of something, but these are not concrete, coherent and consistent thoughts—they are simply possibilities, non-manifest potentialities, etc. And infinite world of the most subtle and immaterial imagining. They have their own will, their own desires, their own “life” if you will.

They have force and effect, but there is no weight or substance to them until they are brought into fruition (when you begin to dream), or in the waking state, through conscious thoughts and actions. This is what existed before the Big Bang and it’s what underlies the very fabric of our Universe. What those aforementioned terms essentially describe are the infinite potentialities and possibilities of an unconscious Nature… or if you don’t mind speaking in anthropomorphic terms, the “thoughts of God.”

These abstract, incoherent and nebulous ‘thoughts’ coalesced into a singular vision, 14 billion years ago with one generalized intention– to exist and experience subjective reality. Thus, the Universe began and “God” (aka Nature) was born. The “Laws of Nature” are simply the latent, unconscious memories of the desire for this infinite Being to exist and It has brought us to this point, where all energy/matter is collectively becoming cohesive, self-aware and unified—i.e. becoming “conscious.”

We are the mind of God, waking up from eons of primordial slumber and remembering who we are and where we came from. This is the true message of Pantheism and the reason why ‘all’ things are considered “divine” but most Pantheists never grasp it. Scientific Pantheists deny it. Atheists can’t comprehend and the religious fundamentalists call it blasphemy… but every legitimate mystic and enlightened soul knows it to be true. The Universe is not conscious or self-aware on an anthropomorphic, humanoid level, but It is self-organizing, self-replicating, spontaneous and ‘alive’ in a certain way to be sure.

The laws of Nature could be seen as Its unconscious memory, running on ‘autopilot’ as it were… moving all objects and transforming energy according to certain fixed patterns of being, using gravity, electromagnetism, nuclear fusion, entropy and so on. All of Its subjective, constituent parts do not move together in cohesion like a living organism, but they do coalesce into innumerable pockets of energy that each maintain all the creative potential to become conscious, sentient, manifestations of Life through evolution.

This driving “Life Principle” is what I call the “Omnia” and It is representative not only of the action and intent of the Universe as a whole, but also of the physical substance, or dynamic energy/matter of which It is entirely composed. In this way, Creator and Creation are one in the same (Substance Monism). Another factor that would be helpful to understand here is that in a sense, when I write, I am actually accustomed to speaking to the traditionally religious crowd, so by using their own terminology, while at the same time expanding and redefining parochial meanings, I’m better able to explain Pantheism to them in ways they can relate to, and hopefully embrace and understand.

The problem is, whenever I talk to Pantheists who’ve come out of Theistic religion and freed themselves from its oppressive concepts, many are still very reactionary, with a natural attitude of rebellion towards anything and everything that sounds like what it was that offended them so deeply in the past. This is of course tragic and completely unnecessary, but hopefully with proper explanation and the introduction of new words like “Omnia” we can avoid this kind of thing in the future.

In short, our standard definition of “God” is inaccurate. By definition, a personal, supernatural, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, anthropomorphic being that exists apart from us, outside of time in some other dimension, does not exist (although I do believe this is what we are all evolving into and what we will become in the future, i.e. one universal consciousness). What does exist however, is everything we know of as the Universe, which includes all matter and energy, ourselves and Nature.

And now that we have the benefits of scientific knowledge, we know that all of the properties and actions normally attributed to God are really the laws and properties of Nature. So we need to redefine our definition of God and update our definition of Nature. Most Pantheists and Pandeists understand all of this intellectually and that’s fine, but how many people really comprehend and consider the notion that everything is God? It flies in the face of everything we’ve been traditionally taught about what God is.

Everything is divine, but people generally have a hard time understanding and accepting this truth, because in their minds, “God” is supernal and perfect, without weakness or flaw. Certainly it’s been beaten into our minds that this is what qualifies as divinity… and I know personally, just how hard it can be to rid ourselves of this enduring idea. But just consider it, does anything really seem perfect and complete in this world? Isn’t it really a mix of both? So it’s not that difficult if you shift your focus away from idealized notions and just view reality as it is.

We don’t generally consider pain or starvation or suffering to be good, noble things. We don’t consider pollution or garbage or virulent diseases to be aspects of Divinity… because in the idealistic sense, they are not. But they are properties of Nature, which in actuality is really a massive collection of interlocking systems and Life forms that are steadily evolving and moving toward balance, equilibrium and perfection. Taken as a whole, It could all be considered divine… but in Its present state, It only shows hints and clues and potential of being perfect, especially in terms of human potential… with all of our talents, gifts and abilities (especially our ability to adapt).

Our body’s incredible ability to heal and regenerate itself, the programming in our DNA to replicate and reproduce itself infinitely (as long as our telomeres persist) and the movement in Nature as a whole toward greater complexity and higher intelligence, consciousness and awareness, leading to more rational and civilized behavior, with the hallmark traits of reason, morality, compassion and empathy, etc. All these things are what I consider “divine” and they are not hard to imagine as such.

Not everything in the whole of Nature is ideal and divine in the traditional sense, and that is because our understanding of God as a perfected being is fundamentally flawed. Instead, we should see ourselves, the Universe, and everything in It, as a collection of systems that contain divine programming, with divine potential, which will eventually become what we commonly think of as “God.” As such, at this point in time God still suffers, God still has imperfections, flaws and defects, because God is not yet one.

Although the programming and potential and momentum are all there, it is not until we as humans live up to our highest standards and progress as individuals… and, ultimately, unify ourselves as a species, that we will see the Divine as is commonly thought- for as we do these things, we undoubtedly hasten that singularity, and move closer toward perfection in the traditional sense… but as it stands right now, there is still chaos and a multitude of imperfection in God. The reason for this is simple- God is still evolving.

People have a hard time with Pantheism and Pandeism because it undermines their preconceived notion of God. A notion that religions have done an excellent job of perpetuating and upholding. Hopefully, with the spread of Biopantheism and other similar, more developed, Pan-related philosophies, this will eventually change and metamorphosize, as society as a whole finally begins to recognize the divinity present in all things… and as they do, they will likewise begin to update and change their definitions of Nature and discard these old, outdated and inaccurate concepts of God.

Some may disagree, but I believe it was the crowning achievement of evolution and Nature to develop and attain a brain capable of morality, with the ability to think and reason and judge between what is life-supporting and health-promoting (good) and what is destructive, harmful and chaotic (bad). It is completely up to us, so that means we can change the way society works, it just takes unity, cohesion and a solidified purpose. You have to remember, things only appear chaotic and broken now, because the rest of Life has not yet evolved to the level of consciousness and awareness that we have (or the best of us have), that’s why there is still pain and death… and among societies, selfishness, evil, greed and suffering, etc.

When people talk about the Darwinian laws of Natural Selection and the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, entropy, atrophy and all the rest of those unsavory qualities of existence, I’m not sure they realize that it is these, and not strictly mankind’s own “evil” that are the true causes for all the pain and suffering in the world. All of these things, including sickness, aging, death and disease, are literally a part of Nature… and therefore, ultimately, a vital and significant part of the process of subjective experience. And experience, as my Pandeist friends will rightly tell you, is the entire purpose for our existence.

The words, “spiritual” and “spirituality” mean different things to different people, but in the Pantheist community, it generally means a heightened awareness of reality, a deeper consideration for the natural world and our place within it; a more pervasive, expansive and preeminent knowledge of self and the interconnectedness and interdependence of all things.

And adding to that, a deeper respect and appreciation for Nature, a greater understanding of biological processes and a more intimate knowledge and awareness of biology, physics and cosmology, with a very strong emotional reaction to the size, scale and vastness of Cosmos, all of which leads to humility and an overwhelming sense of mystery, wonderment and awe.

These things also intrinsically motivate inspiration, contemplation, creativity and a heightened sense of idealism… with a more holistic outlook and a higher level of ethics, morals and values that are sure to follow. All of this, is what I define as “spiritual.” It has nothing to do with a supernatural world, or with any archaic concept of ghosts, devils, demons, angels, disembodied spirits, an afterlife, or the fanciful notions of heaven or hell.

No invented, man-made gods or mythological fairy tales of supernatural entities. Spirituality is communion with Nature, pure and simple. It is connecting with the forces and powers that already exist in the real world, minus any false delusions that religions have created in peoples’ minds and projected onto reality for centuries. Hence, Biopantheism is a completely Naturalistic philosophy.

Look outside at the trees, look at plants and flowers, look at other people, look at LIFE. Look at the moon and stars, see the gigantic ball of fire over your head, creating heat and energy to fuel the earth, allowing all things to thrive and grow. THAT, is what I believe in. Now, look in the mirror at this incredibly complex and subtle organism that functions autonomously and self-regulates and heals and grows and thinks and breathes and is intelligent, cognizant and self-aware… THAT, is what I call “divine.”

Why? Because Nature and the physical Universe represent the highest source of inspiration, the most powerful and profound and complex and intelligent thing in existence- inherently supernal and more extraordinary than what is commonly thought. It is what has created us, given us life and It is what pushes and pulls us to evolve. It is all-powerful and should be honored (not worshiped). The Universe is more than what is commonly thought and Nature is really what people throughout history have mistakenly worshiped as God.

Scientists, like most Atheists, cannot answer the really big questions. No scientist can honestly tell you WHY the Universe exists to begin with, all they can offer is the “how.” Likewise, no Atheist can explain WHY all plants and animals evolve and adapt and intrinsically move toward greater and greater levels of complexity and self-awareness. No scientific theory can account for what initially caused the Big Bang, or why the Universe appears to be a spontaneous, self-organizing, interdependent system, with the precise laws that are necessary for producing and sustaining Life.

It is the propensity toward coherence and the miraculous consistency of natural laws, which bring about order and give rise to extraordinary ecosystems and environments, that eventually become the backdrop for the evolution of all energy/matter into conscious and sentient Life forms. It is these^ things which make the Universe and Nature much more than just what is commonly thought… it is these things that make It “divine.”

Just to reiterate, when I say Nature is “divine” I’m not implying something supernatural. No, “divine” in a Pantheistic context means ‘supernal’ NOT supernatural- it means the greatest, most intelligent, most impressive and powerful thing there is… and only Nature and the Universe fit this description.

Consider how extraordinary DNA is and the autonomic healing abilities of our bodies. DNA is the most complex and incredible system of information encoding in existence—you can literally create a new human being, via one strand of hair (plants and animals are all fractal in nature, so one part simultaneously represents the whole and vice-versa). The self-regulating nature of living organisms and how every biological entity unconsciously seeks physiological homeostasis. All of these things and more are what make Life “divine.”

And just to clarify, when I say, “Nature is divine” I don’t mean It is “a” god, I mean It IS God… in the sense that It is the most powerful, most complex and beautiful thing there is (Omnipotence), that just so happens to be incomprehensibly large and everywhere at all times (Omnipresent), imbued with supernal intelligence (Omniscience) AND, due to Einstein’s Law of Conservation (energy cannot be created or destroyed), is essentially eternal… all attributes typically attributed to God.

Pantheism essentially is the belief that all of Nature is divine, that the Universe as a whole is an interconnected system, made up of one substance (energy/matter), stemming from the same source (the Big Bang). We believe that Nature is divine and we are all a part of Nature. We believe the Universe Itself is God, but not in the sense that It is a personal, conscious or coherent entity.

It’s a completely Naturalistic philosophy that denies traditional beliefs in the supernatural and posits that there is no afterlife or spiritual realm, but that the earth and Nature are the most important aspects of the Universe that exist in relation to us, with a natural progression of thought that says we should care for and protect the environment and value Life and living organisms above all else.

In order to achieve this understanding, we must ask ourselves the most pertinent question: As a whole, what is Nature doing? The answer is obvious. It is self-organizing, coalescing, designing, establishing and maintaining living, cognizant beings; these are Its feelers—Its arms and legs and eyes and ears and hands and feet. When you study the real world, when you study biology and the sciences, they all point toward Pantheism. If you are a Pagan, you are much closer to this concept than most. If you are an Atheist or an Agnostic, I suppose it’s because you’ve yet to see the big picture.

As a Wiccan, Neopagan, or New Age Syncretist, you can call It whatever you like and invoke the names of a thousand Hindu, Sumerian, Egyptian, Celtic, Nordic, Greek and Roman deities to better relate to Nature or grasp Its incomprehensibility, but in the end we are not just talking about a nostalgic idea, or an ancient personification, or a poetic metaphor. Nature is a very real and very powerful force that supersedes all things and binds all things, in an interconnected web of inescapable unity.

When I speak of God, I’m talking about the laws of Nature and the Universe- the ever-expanding, self-regulating, self-organizing, autonomic system that you and I and every other living thing are all a part of and cannot be separated from, except through false perceptions of self-delusion and cognitive dissonance.

Nature and the Universe are the divine Omnia… much more than just a physical locale we inhabit, more than just a mechanistic program without purpose or intent. It is a dynamic, self-sustaining, biological, emergent intelligence that is immanent and inherent at every scale, pervasive on every level, permeating in and through all things, and awakening and developing progressively, through us.

This process started roughly 13.8 billion years ago and it has continued on, throughout all of time, with no end in sight. Even though this physical manifestation of the Universe had a beginning, the potential for everything that exists, was already present in the Singularity that existed before the Big Bang… so in this sense, the Universe and Nature are actually eternal.

All these things and more are why we consider It “divine.” It is not just because we are naively responding to the Cosmos and Nature with reverence and awe (as Scientific Pantheists would claim) but because, as I have demonstrated, It literally IS divine- meeting all the criteria for an all-powerful, all-knowing, eternal and omnipresent Life force responsible for all things.

So, in summary… true spirituality is simply the awareness and experiential knowledge of everything that I have been talking about. A knowledge which, once properly understood, naturally leads to a strong Biocentric attitude, with an overwhelming desire to deepen this awareness and commune with all of the forces and powers aforementioned. THIS, is what it really means to be spiritual. THIS, is true spirituality.