One point I wish to contend with tenative: internalizing.
For the Taoist, this is not a viable scenario. What is without is already contained within.
When duality and desire are no longer present, the outer is made inner, inner made outer, in concord of the Way.
The original word -pantheon- is far from that skewed definition. I reject Wikipedia.
[b]pantheon
all deities of specific religion: all the deities of a people or religion considered collectively.[/b]
ie. The Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Pagans did not have a single, all inclusive deity, they had many. The definition you gave is a latter bastardization of the original.
I only posted because I am something of a pantheist, by the definition given by Wikepedia and most every source I know of, from the ancient Greeks (pan and theos meaning everything is God), through Spinoza on forward and, most relevant here, the definition I would imagine was meant by both Ucc and Aspacia. It occurred to me that the matter of the definition of the word was important to the conversation.
Sorry for the interruption. I should have let Ucc and Aspacia speak for themselves.
You are of course free to use whatever definition you wish to use…
I must be leaning towards a foul mood. Everything is starting to piss me off.
Interruption? When does a thread become proprietary to a “clique” or group? Isn’t everyone welcome?
Fuck it, I’m out for awhile, maybe a long while.
I interrupted the flow of the conversation and answered where Ucc and/or aspacia should have answered. It’s not a matter of “proprietary.” I tried to help where it appears help was unwanted. If I’ve contributed somehow to pissing you off I am sincerely sorry. That was not my intent.
My apologies, and to the person who said this.
Regardless, is Tao a form of pantheism???
With regards,
aspacia
M
No. But I’ll leave it at that. 
This is from Websters: pantheism 1. The doctrine identifying the Deity with the various forces and workings of nature. 2. A belief in and worship of all gods.
I tend to accept the first definition and discount the second, as most of my religious studies instructors described the second as polytheism.
Again, is Tao a form of pantheism described in the first definition?
I hope this clears the confusion, I never meant polytheism.
Smiles,
aspacia
but they use woks in china…
-Imp
No, Tao is not a form of pantheism, nor is it a religion, nor is it a doctrine, nor is it an it.
It is very difficult for me to even begin to explain what it is. It is not something that I am capable of describing.
I can only elude to it. It is the thing that makes your heart beat, it is the thing that causes the flowers to grow. It is the thing that gives life to all, yet it is no-thing and it is all. In a human being it is your True Nature or perhaps it is better to say that it is the Source of your True Nature.
Perhaps this chapter from Lau Tsu will help you.
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
The nameless is the beginning of heaven and earth.
The named is the mother of ten thousand things.
Ever desireless, one can see the mystery.
Ever desiring, one can see the manifestations.
These two spring from the same source but differ in name;
this appears as darkness.
Darkness within darkness.
The gate to all mystery.
Now back to the East/West debate…
Ok, I see where you are coming from.
But where do those inherent traits come from?
And why would you try to remould them with environment?
A
The difference of the east and west is.
The east are nerds, and weaklings, but have great faith, and are hardworking, and clever.
The west are barbarians, and uses scientific doubt and debate, they are like gangsters.
While the east steals what is benefical from the west and discard the rest.
The west and the east , there is no differences.
What do you call an eastern man who was raise in the west?
Who studies the western ideas, and listens to the east? He becomes whole. Or he becomes a teacher with no life.
end of discussion
Hum, just perused a bit regarding Tao. It does have many gods, polytheism and stresses balance and that inaction is the best course of action, which, to me is a doctrine of sorts.
This doctrine appears to be in line with many Western thinkers and much of those living on the California beach fronts. There are still several communes there who stress the “Go With the Flow” idea, accepts what life brings and simply attempts to be the best person they can be.
Albeit, many in the West are power hungry, controlling jerks. Generally, much of Tao appears correct in that we cannot control others and we cannot take power and wealth with us.
Globalization may probably end the confusion and possibly bring about understanding and tolerance. The West and East may learn what is acceptable to certain groups, and what is not, laughingly this will probably occur in the pursuit of wealth and trade.
Just my two cents. Please do not become ticked off and remember I am reading The World is Flat which details the economics of globalization.
I understand what you are saying aspacia, I think you are referring to Taoism. A wholly different matter. And fair enough. Carry on.
A
Oops. I will keep researching. 
Aspacia,
I’ve been thinking about it and I’ve come up with this:
Tao is the universal principal that initiates the creation and governs the workings of everything in the universe. Tao is life and life is Tao.
A
Hi liquid,
Thanks, I am really just attempting to understand, and incorporate what you are saying within my knowledge base, and generally linear Western thinking. Basically no god or gods, just a life force from which all life stems, right? In contrast, pantheism argues for a balance in nature, similar to Taoism, but without the many gods. Just the idea that God is in everything, animate and inanimate forms.
Am I on track?? 
Again, thanks for your time and effort.
Well yes. Strictly speaking of course. But understanding what Tao truly is is not really an intellectual exercise. Hence it is very difficult to describe. But also there is God. Tao as the Source of creation and God as the Creator, the mother of our soul. Tao itself is not a religion although Taoism is the religion of Tao if that makes sense. Also it can be argued that Christanity is also a religion of Tao, it is simply described from a different perspective. Remember that Tao is just a word. It means Truth. It also means Way. In the Holy Bible Tao is called the Word. Jesus said; “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”.
If we truly understood what Tao was, I believe we would find that we are gods and goddesses.
A
mm…
I hope the pic thread didn’t scare off Mas… 