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Originally Posted by zeek
OK so you make no value judgment on pantheism. But, you are speaking in past tense now. Does that mean that my beliefs don't sound like pantheism to you anymore?
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No, they still do sometimes. Sometimes I'm not exactly sure.
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Originally Posted by zeek
If being isn't a quality then why do we ascribe it to things as you said above?
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I never said it wasn't a quality. It simply has no substance apart from things that exist. It's just an idea until things exist. It's like "red." Red doesn't exist somewhere apart from red things. It only
is when red things are. It existed in the mind of God, it was his idea. But it doesn't exist anywhere else by itself. Being is similar. It exists in God and he bestows it on others. But he can bestow being without bestowing himself. He can create things apart from himself.
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What he gives us is Himself. What we participate in is Him.
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We also participate in creation, and creation is not him, or else we're back to pantheism.
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The way I am construing it, only God has the power of being. Everything that is only is insofar as it participates in God. "Temporal being" is to participate in God temporarily--within the confines of time. Only God is eternal. "Eternal life" means to participate in God beyond the confines of time. God's creating power is Being which is Himself.
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Well, I don't see that "being" means participating in God, except in the eternal way. Temporal existence/being does not necessarily participate in God. The whole idea of needing to be born again sends the message that in order to participate in God we need something more than to just be created. Everyone is living, moving and having their beings in the air. But if you don't breathe it you are not participating in it.
The idea you are putting forth is not in line with the Christian message as I read it. It's a nice thought, but I don't see a compelling reason to believe it.