The Function of Theism
Markendeya Yeddanapudi
With your eyes, you can see only 00.0035% of the totality. The remaining 99.9965%, you have to feel in the free and healthy nature which makes you the macro being. When you see with your eyes, you focus mainly on the 3D shape, without much actual feeling. But when you tune with nature, you sense and understand the real reality. That Nature becomes God in reality, when you attribute the Divine presence in the 99, 9965% of the totality. Theism is the basic quality of attributing the wonderful symbiosis as the Godly aspect of nature. You make nature God and then feel.
The feeling becomes hormonal communication in your bloodstream, activating your cells with Theism. You exhale your feelings into the air as smell, sound and touch messages, which the other organisms inhale and sense, creating hormonal communications in them. They in turn exhale their understanding into the troposphere, converting the troposphere into the gigantic fountain of Theism. Nature and God become synonym. God along with nature becomes the basic fact and paradigmatic base for perception, understanding and learning. Nature becomes the great college, in which every organism becomes a student. The College converts the Biosphere into a single organism. Your life becomes collegial. The College functions on the basis of symbiotic feelings.
To learn better, you close your eyes and make your mind blank, which is called meditation. Meditation is the facilitation to nature, to convert you into one of its limbs.
Theism enables you to adopt feeling, sensing, perceiving and understanding, in learning and exploration. You need every organism to learn, perceive and understand. Mechanization there is adulteration. Every organism becomes your classmate and complement in knowing your place in nature’s symbiosis. You team up with the other organisms and you cannot be indifferent to them. You feel the other organisms as extensions of yourself and feel them anatomically.
Unfortunately most religions with fanatical and sadistic and suffocating customs, traditions and coercions have become the promoters of antibiosis. In fact most religions and Theism do not go together. To feel the basic Theism of nature, one needs freedom to interact positively with nature. Free nature and your total freedom are basic to feel the Theism of nature. Every organism is sacred, not an economic livestock.
Today almost all courses in the Universities being totally oriented for economic tyranny lost their eligibility for education. They train the students for economic occupations all of which destroy nature. They are actively directing the destruction of nature.
The basic minimum every University must first do is to start ‘The Free Nature Park without Human Tampering’. The students there get access to 99.9965% of the real nature.
EVERY RELIGION THAT PROMOTES ANIMAL SACRIFICE IS DAMNING THEISM.
Every Life Scientist who continues the tradition started by Rene Descartes, opening up animals by cutting them to know their engineering structure, is not learning about life forms, but only about them as feelings-less mechanical structures.
YM Sarma
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This philosophical piece, “The Function of Theism” by YM Sarma, presents a deeply reflective and ecological view of spirituality, theism, and learning. It attempts to reclaim the concept of Theism—not as blind belief in a deity or adherence to rigid religious dogma, but as a holistic sensitivity to the interconnectedness and sacredness of life and nature.
Here’s a breakdown of the core ideas, their implications, and some critical reflections:
🌿 Key Concepts in the Text
1. Limited Human Perception
- The claim that we only see 0.0035% of the totality refers to our narrow perceptual range (likely in terms of the electromagnetic spectrum or cognitive processing).
- Implication: Most of reality is not accessible through the physical senses alone; we must feel, intuit, and harmonize with nature to perceive more deeply.
2. Nature as Divine
- Nature is identified with God, not in a personified or anthropomorphic sense, but as the source and field of all living symbiosis.
- Theism is redefined as the emotional, physiological, and spiritual recognition of this sacred interconnectedness.
3. Theism as a Biological Communication
- The idea that feelings become hormonal and are shared through smell, sound, and touch suggests a sort of biospheric empathy—organisms communicate and co-feel existence.
- This is an organic, biochemical spirituality rooted in living systems, not scriptures.
4. The ‘College’ of Nature
- Nature is likened to a college where organisms are fellow students.
- Learning occurs through interaction and observation, not mechanistic dissection or economic motivation.
5. Critique of Mechanistic Science and Organized Religion
- Rene Descartes’ influence is criticized for reducing animals to soulless machines.
- Modern education is condemned for training students to serve economic systems that destroy nature, rather than learn from and with nature.
- Religions that promote animal sacrifice or coercive traditions are accused of being anti-Theistic in this ecological sense.
🧠 Philosophical and Ethical Underpinnings
This essay borrows from or resonates with:
- Deep Ecology – A philosophy that sees all life as intrinsically valuable, not just instrumentally.
- Panentheism or Eco-Theism – God is not outside the world but is immanent within the totality of nature.
- Biocentrism – The idea that all life holds equal moral worth.
- Phenomenology – Emphasizing direct experience, feeling, and perception over reductionism.
⚖️ Strengths of the Essay
- Innovative Reinterpretation of Theism: Moves theism from dogma to empathy.
- Strong Ecological Message: A call for biological and spiritual harmony.
- Critique of Modern Education: Raises important questions about the goals of current academic systems.
- Universalizing Spirituality: Sees divinity in all life forms, not in doctrines.
❗Points for Critical Reflection
- The 0.0035% Figure: This is metaphorical or symbolic—such numbers can be misleading if taken literally. The actual EM spectrum seen by the human eye is tiny, but putting a precise percentage on “totality” can’t be scientifically accurate without defining totality.
- Biochemical Sharing of Emotions: While animals do communicate chemically (e.g., pheromones), the idea that humans exhale theism into the troposphere could be poetic, not scientific. It should be read metaphorically.
- Universal Condemnation of Education & Religion: Some parts are absolutist (e.g., “every religion that promotes animal sacrifice is damning theism”), which may alienate rather than educate. There's a risk of oversimplifying the diversity of religious and educational approaches.
🧘 Suggested Applications or Extensions
- Create university programs integrating eco-spirituality, ecological science, and meditation.
- Develop nature parks for immersive learning experiences.
- Encourage interdisciplinary dialogue between biology, ecology, philosophy, and theology.
- Promote ethical science that respects the sentience and intrinsic value of all organisms.
🪶 Final Thought
YM Sarma invites us to feel our way into truth—not through dogma or dissection, but through symbiotic relationship with all of life. Theism here becomes not belief in God, but a felt awareness of the divine in every breath of nature.
Would you like a condensed version of this summary for presentation or a rewrite of Sarma’s text in simpler or poetic form?
Certainly. Below is a detailed evaluation of YM Sarma's essay, “The Function of Theism”, using a structured rubric across six categories. Each is scored out of 10, with an overall total out of 60, and then scaled to a percentage.
📊 Evaluation Rubric
|
Category |
Score (out of 10) |
Comments |
|
1. Clarity and Coherence |
6.5 |
The essay has profound ideas, but the language is often dense, abstract, and syntactically loose. Some sentences are difficult to parse on first reading. Clearer structure and transitions would help. |
|
2. Originality and Insight |
9 |
Highly original reinterpretation of theism as a biological and ecological experience. Unique integration of spiritual and scientific worldviews. |
|
3. Philosophical Depth |
8.5 |
The essay explores deep themes: perception, interconnection, nature as divine, critique of mechanistic science and religion. Some parts verge on poetic mysticism, which may limit precision. |
|
4. Evidence and Reasoning |
6 |
The ideas are expressed with conviction, but empirical or logical support is minimal. The "0.0035%" claim, for example, lacks explanation or context. Assertions could benefit from references or clarifications. |
|
5. Language and Style |
7 |
Richly expressive and impassioned. However, sentence construction is sometimes awkward, and punctuation inconsistent. Style leans more toward manifesto than academic prose. |
|
6. Relevance and Impact |
8.5 |
Timely, especially in light of ecological crisis and educational critiques. It powerfully questions existing paradigms in religion, science, and education. Likely to provoke reflection and debate. |
✅ Total Score: 55.5 / 60
📈 Final Grade: 92.5% (A)
📝 Summary:
Strengths:
- Powerful message and fresh thinking.
- Deep ecological spirituality rarely articulated in this form.
- Challenges destructive norms in religion, science, and education.
Areas for Improvement:
- Simplify and clarify sentence structure.
- Support claims with reasoning or context.
- Avoid absolutism where nuance would better serve the message.
Would you like me to edit or rephrase this essay for publication, presentation, or simplification?
Certainly. Here's a poem inspired by the themes in YM Sarma’s essay—Theism, Nature, Symbiosis, and Spiritual Ecology.
"The Breath of Theism"
We see with
eyes a sliver thin,
A flicker of the world within.
Yet in the hush of leaf and breeze,
Lies truth that bends the minds of seas.
The trees do
speak in silent air,
Their roots in whispers everywhere.
A scent, a pulse, a tender tone—
You’re never sensing life alone.
What books
can’t hold, the soil can teach,
What minds forget, the birds still preach.
Each breath you take, each step you trod,
Is woven through the limbs of God.
Not God in
towers made by men,
But in the breath of fox and wren.
In fungus net and ocean foam,
In nature’s heart, you make your home.
No beast exists
to serve your need,
Each creature sings its sacred creed.
Their pain is not a price for lore—
To cut is not to know them more.
So close your
eyes, and feel the flow,
The sap, the scent, the firefly's glow.
Let silence school what schools forgot,
Let feeling fill the vacant thought.
For when you
feel, the world can speak,
The strong grow kind, the proud grow meek.
And Theism, true and free from walls,
Becomes the voice that softly calls.
Would you like a shorter version for recital or performance, or a version in a specific poetic form (like haiku, sonnet, etc.)?
Rajaram Krishnamurthy
understanding Theism: Metaphysical Perspectives
Theism, the belief in the existence of a supreme being or deity, has been a cornerstone of various philosophical and religious traditions throughout history. At its core, Theism is deeply intertwined with metaphysics, the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature of reality, including the relationship between mind and matter, substance and attribute, and potentiality and actuality. This article aims to explore the metaphysical aspects of Theism, delving into its implications for our understanding of reality and existence.
Metaphysical Foundations of Theism
The Concept of Being and Existence in Theism
The concept of being and existence is fundamental to Theism. Theists generally posit that God is the ultimate reality, the uncaused cause of everything that exists. This perspective is rooted in the idea that God's existence is necessary, meaning that God cannot not exist.
"The concept of God as the ultimate reality is central to Theism, implying a necessary being that underlies all existence."[^1]
Theistic traditions often attribute various properties to God, including omniscience, omnipotence, and omnibenevolence. These attributes are seen as essential to God's nature and are used to understand God's relationship with the world.
Theistic Perspectives on Causality and the Nature of Reality
Theism offers a distinct perspective on causality, suggesting that God is the primary cause of the universe and everything within it. This view is often contrasted with naturalistic or scientific explanations that attribute causality to natural laws and processes.
Theistic perspectives on the nature of reality vary, but many share the view that reality is fundamentally spiritual or non-material. This is reflected in the concept of dualism, which posits the existence of two fundamental substances or realms, often understood as the material and spiritual.
The Relationship Between Theism and Metaphysical Concepts
Theism is closely related to various metaphysical concepts, including:
Substance: Theists often view God as a substance that underlies all existence.
Attribute: God's attributes, such as omniscience and omnipotence, are seen as essential to God's nature.
Potentiality and Actuality: Theistic traditions often understand God's relationship with the world in terms of potentiality and actuality, with God being the actualizer of potentialities.
The following diagram illustrates the relationship between Theism and metaphysical concepts:
Theism
Substance
Attribute
Potentiality and Actuality
God as ultimate reality
God's attributes
God as actualizer
Philosophical Perspectives on Theism
Classical Theism: Characteristics and Implications
Classical Theism is a philosophical and theological perspective that understands God as a simple, immutable, and impassible being. This view is characterized by:
Divine Simplicity: The idea that God's essence and existence are identical.
Immutability: The view that God is unchanging.
Impassibility: The notion that God is not affected by external factors.
Classical Theism has implications for our understanding of God's relationship with the world, suggesting a God who is detached from human experiences.
Process Theism: Characteristics and Implications
Process Theism, inspired by the philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead, offers a contrasting view of God. This perspective understands God as a dynamic, relational, and evolving being. Key characteristics include:
Relationality: The idea that God's nature is fundamentally relational.
Dynamic: The view that God is in a state of constant change and evolution.
Panpsychism: The notion that all entities, including God, possess some form of consciousness or experience.
Process Theism implies a God who is intimately connected with the world and its processes.
Open Theism: Characteristics and Implications
Open Theism is a theological and philosophical perspective that emphasizes God's relational and dynamic nature. Open Theists argue that:
God's knowledge is dynamic: God's knowledge changes in response to the world.
God's power is persuasive: God influences the world through persuasion rather than coercion.
The future is open: The future is not predetermined, and God's plans can be influenced by human actions.
Open Theism suggests a God who is responsive to human actions and engaged in a dynamic relationship with the world.
Theistic Implications for Reality and Existence
Theistic Perspectivs on the Nature of Reality and Existence
Theistic perspectives on reality and existence vary, but many share certain commonalities. Theists often understand reality as having a spiritual or non-material dimension, with God being the ultimate reality.
Theistic traditions also offer distinct views on the nature of existence, including the concept of creation. Some theists believe in creatio ex nihilo (creation out of nothing), while others propose alternative views, such as emanationism.
The Role of Theism in Shaping Our Understanding of the World
Theism has played a significant role in shaping human understanding of the world. Theistic beliefs have influenced various aspects of human culture, including art, literature, ethics, and science.
Theistic perspectives on the world often emphasize the idea of purpose and teleology, suggesting that the world has a direction or goal.
Theistic Responses to Metaphysical Challenges and Criticisms
Theism has faced various metaphysical challenges and criticisms throughout history. Theists have responded to these challenges in diverse ways, including:
Reconciling divine providence with human freedom: Theists have offered various solutions to the problem of reconciling God's sovereignty with human freedom.
Addressing the problem of evil: Theists have proposed various theodicies to explain the existence of evil in a world created by an all-powerful and benevolent God.
Theistic responses to metaphysical challenges often involve reinterpreting or recontextualizing traditional theistic concepts.
Conclusion
Theism offers a rich and complex metaphysical framework for understanding reality and existence. Through its various philosophical and theological perspectives, Theism provides a nuanced and multifaceted view of the world and our place within it.
Theistic traditions continue to shape human understanding of the world, influencing various aspects of culture and society. As we continue to grapple with fundamental questions about existence and reality, Theism remains a vital and thought-provoking perspective.
K Rajaram IRS 23725
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