What is Pandeism?
Humankind has, for as long as history has chronicled human thought, been both united and divided by religion, and most especially by the idea often called ‘God.’ Vast majorities of peoples in all ages of civilization have subscribed — almost instinctively — to the proposition that our genesis, and the meaning of our existence, lies within the intentional endeavours of a power beyond our immediate abilities of perception. Possibly — if certain of the mystics are to be credited — this power will forever lie altogether beyond our comprehension. But if at last this mystery could be solved, such resolution would go far towards ending human strife, and may even usher in an age of conciliation and peace amongst the many warring tribes of humankind.
Our assumptions as to the past having proved an inconstant barometer, and so we must discard all of them, no matter how long held or strongly felt. We must, instead, begin in the knowledge of pure necessity in the now, and work our way backwards; and once we reach the beginning, work our way forwards again, all the way to the distant destiny of our Universe, the end of time as we know it.
An oversimplified version of Pandeism would tell the story of an inquisitive entity of inestimable power, one which carried on alone in its existence. This entity lacked the knowledge of experiencing interactions with any other beings; at the same time, it was without limit in its power over whatever matter or energy existed. And, as such, it paradoxically lacked some knowledge relating to the limitations on its own power; it was without limit in its knowledge of that which was, and, as such, it lacked the knowledge of experiencing ignorance and uncertainty. As an equally paradoxical extended consequence, it knew nothing of the myriad experiences which flow from existence in such a state, experiences such as anger, fear, restlessness, and sorrow, and so nothing again of overcoming such things and in their place experiencing peace, courage, fulfillment, and joy.
This entity, being all-powerful (at least, relatively) and all-knowing (again, at least, relatively) was, to the best of our traditions, a ‘God.’ And this ‘God’ took the only measure which would allow it to gain all of its missing knowledge — it ceased to be a God.Whatever it was which constituted this being became — for a certain time, though a lengthy one by our means of observation — a Cosmos, a physical Universe of energy and matter, wherein all of the experiences our Creator existing alone lacked would come to manifest, and would necessarily unfold naturally. In order to guarantee that these experiences would be the unadulterated truth of a Universe imbued with limitations, this unfolding would need to be bereft of any sort of guidance or intervention on the part of our Creator.
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This is very much a thumbnail view of the fundamental proposition of Pandeism. It is important to remember that there are many facets and many different points of view as to the implications of such a proposition. But read and ponder and consider what would come of this if we all treated each other is if this were true. Blessings!!