Thou Art God
Encyclopedia
Thou Art God is a statement of divine
immanence
that is popular within Neopaganism and other religions. The phrase is also stated numerous times in the pages of Robert A. Heinlein
’s science fiction novel, Stranger in a Strange Land
and in the Yello
song "Domingo."
When addressed to human beings in a polytheistic
or secular context, the statement references a philosophy that we are each Gods of our own reality possessing the divine ability to combine universes with other Gods on a consensual basis.
When addressed to human beings in a monotheistic
, pantheistic
, or pandeistic
context, the statement references a religious philosophy that all things are part of a singular God presiding over a singular reality. Examples of the statement "thou art God" are found in the Bible
at 1 Kings 18:36, 1 Chronicles 17:26, Psalm 86:10, Psalm 90:2 and Acts 4:24 (KJV). When addressed to the God of Israel
, the statement asserts that He is the universal transcendent Creator and only true God. These passages contain implicit assertions of monotheism. The context of the 1 Kings 18 passage is of the prophet Elijah's denial at Carmel that the pagan god Baal
has any reality because divinity belongs to Yahweh alone.
In this sense, the phrase Thou Art God could be said as a form of panentheism
(from Greek πᾶν (pân) "all"; ἐν (en) "in"; and θεός (theós) "God"; "all-in-God") the belief that God exists and interpenetrates every part of nature, and timelessly extends beyond as well. Panentheism is distinguished from pantheism
, which holds that God is synonymous with the universe
In the Hindu
tradition, the saying Tat Tvam Asi
; "That Art Thou", refers to the principal unity between the uncreated element in the human soul (Atman
) and the transcendent reality itself (Brahman
); one without a second ("Thou Art").
Within the context of the book Stranger in a Strange Land
, the statement "thou art God" stems from the novel's premise that beings can grok
, or become integrated with each other on a fundamental level that includes shared knowledge, senses, neural processing and capabilities. In key passages of the book, the protagonist of the story, Valentine Michael Smith, explains how: "Thou art God, and I am God and all that groks is God," God being that which is in all things (even the "happy blades of grass") and having "no choice" but to experience all things. In order to know and appreciate something fully, the characters of Heinlein's best selling novel became part of that thing. In grokking God, the characters claimed to actually become God. Throughout the book, Smith and his followers say "Thou Art God" as a greeting, in recognition of this claim.
Divinity
Divinity and divine are broadly applied but loosely defined terms, used variously within different faiths and belief systems — and even by different individuals within a given faith — to refer to some transcendent or transcendental power or deity, or its attributes or manifestations in...
immanence
Immanence
Immanence refers to philosophical and metaphysical theories of divine presence, in which the divine is seen to be manifested in or encompassing of the material world. It is often contrasted with theories of transcendence, in which the divine is seen to be outside the material world...
that is popular within Neopaganism and other religions. The phrase is also stated numerous times in the pages of Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction writer. Often called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was one of the most influential and controversial authors of the genre. He set a standard for science and engineering plausibility and helped to raise the genre's standards of...
’s science fiction novel, Stranger in a Strange Land
Stranger in a Strange Land
Stranger in a Strange Land is a 1961 science fiction novel by American author Robert A. Heinlein. It tells the story of Valentine Michael Smith, a human who comes to Earth in early adulthood after being born on the planet Mars and raised by Martians. The novel explores his interaction with—and...
and in the Yello
Yello
Yello is a Swiss electronica band consisting of Dieter Meier and Boris Blank. They are probably best known for their singles "The Race" and "Oh Yeah", which feature a mix of electronic music and manipulated vocals, as does most of their music....
song "Domingo."
When addressed to human beings in a polytheistic
Polytheism
Polytheism is the belief of multiple deities also usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own mythologies and rituals....
or secular context, the statement references a philosophy that we are each Gods of our own reality possessing the divine ability to combine universes with other Gods on a consensual basis.
When addressed to human beings in a monotheistic
Monotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
, pantheistic
Pantheism
Pantheism is the view that the Universe and God are identical. Pantheists thus do not believe in a personal, anthropomorphic or creator god. The word derives from the Greek meaning "all" and the Greek meaning "God". As such, Pantheism denotes the idea that "God" is best seen as a process of...
, or pandeistic
Pandeism
Pandeism or Pan-Deism , is a term describing beliefs incorporating or mixing logically reconcilable elements of pantheism and deism Pandeism or Pan-Deism (from and meaning "God" in the sense of deism), is a term describing beliefs incorporating or mixing logically reconcilable elements of...
context, the statement references a religious philosophy that all things are part of a singular God presiding over a singular reality. Examples of the statement "thou art God" are found in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
at 1 Kings 18:36, 1 Chronicles 17:26, Psalm 86:10, Psalm 90:2 and Acts 4:24 (KJV). When addressed to the God of Israel
Tetragrammaton
The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:...
, the statement asserts that He is the universal transcendent Creator and only true God. These passages contain implicit assertions of monotheism. The context of the 1 Kings 18 passage is of the prophet Elijah's denial at Carmel that the pagan god Baal
Baal
Baʿal is a Northwest Semitic title and honorific meaning "master" or "lord" that is used for various gods who were patrons of cities in the Levant and Asia Minor, cognate to Akkadian Bēlu...
has any reality because divinity belongs to Yahweh alone.
In this sense, the phrase Thou Art God could be said as a form of panentheism
Panentheism
Panentheism is a belief system which posits that God exists, interpenetrates every part of nature and timelessly extends beyond it...
(from Greek πᾶν (pân) "all"; ἐν (en) "in"; and θεός (theós) "God"; "all-in-God") the belief that God exists and interpenetrates every part of nature, and timelessly extends beyond as well. Panentheism is distinguished from pantheism
Pantheism
Pantheism is the view that the Universe and God are identical. Pantheists thus do not believe in a personal, anthropomorphic or creator god. The word derives from the Greek meaning "all" and the Greek meaning "God". As such, Pantheism denotes the idea that "God" is best seen as a process of...
, which holds that God is synonymous with the universe
In the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
tradition, the saying Tat Tvam Asi
Tat Tvam Asi
Tat Tvam Asi , a Sanskrit sentence, translated variously as "That thou are," "Thou are that," "You are that," or "That you are," is one of the Mahāvākyas in Vedantic Sanatana Dharma...
; "That Art Thou", refers to the principal unity between the uncreated element in the human soul (Atman
Ātman (Hinduism)
Ātman is a Sanskrit word that means 'self'. In Hindu philosophy, especially in the Vedanta school of Hinduism it refers to one's true self beyond identification with phenomena...
) and the transcendent reality itself (Brahman
Brahman
In Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being...
); one without a second ("Thou Art").
Within the context of the book Stranger in a Strange Land
Stranger in a Strange Land
Stranger in a Strange Land is a 1961 science fiction novel by American author Robert A. Heinlein. It tells the story of Valentine Michael Smith, a human who comes to Earth in early adulthood after being born on the planet Mars and raised by Martians. The novel explores his interaction with—and...
, the statement "thou art God" stems from the novel's premise that beings can grok
Grok
To grok is to intimately and completely share the same reality or line of thinking with another physical or conceptual entity. Author Robert A. Heinlein coined the term in his best-selling 1961 book Stranger in a Strange Land. In Heinlein's view, grokking is the intermingling of intelligence that...
, or become integrated with each other on a fundamental level that includes shared knowledge, senses, neural processing and capabilities. In key passages of the book, the protagonist of the story, Valentine Michael Smith, explains how: "Thou art God, and I am God and all that groks is God," God being that which is in all things (even the "happy blades of grass") and having "no choice" but to experience all things. In order to know and appreciate something fully, the characters of Heinlein's best selling novel became part of that thing. In grokking God, the characters claimed to actually become God. Throughout the book, Smith and his followers say "Thou Art God" as a greeting, in recognition of this claim.