Is There Empirical Evidence for God?

While there is no scientific proof of what humanity calls “God,” many philosophers and theologians have debated whether certain observations—such as fine-tuning, consciousness, or mystical experience—constitute empirical evidence for a transcendent reality. This article compares how several major frameworks interpret the same evidence: Classical Theism, Deism, Pantheism, Naturalism, and BioPanentheism.

1. Fine-Tuning of the Universe

• Theism: The precise calibration of physical constants is direct evidence of a personal Creator designing conditions for life.
• Deism: The Creator set up the universe’s laws and fine-tuning at the beginning but does not intervene further.
• Pantheism: The universe’s order reflects the inherent divinity of existence itself.
• Naturalism: Fine-tuning is a statistical inevitability or a selection effect in a multiverse.
• BioPanentheism: Fine-tuning exists because life is the medium through which the Divine experiences reality biologically.

2. Consciousness

• Theism: Consciousness is evidence of an immaterial soul and God’s image in humans.
• Deism: Consciousness arises from natural processes seeded by a Creator.
• Pantheism: Consciousness is the universe becoming aware of itself.
• Naturalism: A product of complex brain processes—no supernatural involvement.
• BioPanentheism: Consciousness is the primary way the Divine vicariously feels, senses, and embodies the universe through living organisms.

3. Religious and Mystical Experiences

• Theism: Authentic encounters with a personal God.
• Deism: Psychological experiences shaped by culture—no direct contact with the Creator.
• Pantheism: Revelations of one’s unity with the cosmos.
• Naturalism: Neurochemical events in the brain, sometimes triggered by meditation or stress.
• BioPanentheism: Glimpses into the participatory divine process flowing through life itself.

4. Miracles and Historical Claims

• Theism: Genuine divine interventions demonstrating God’s will.
• Deism: Generally rejected—miracles conflict with natural law.
• Pantheism: Often symbolic rather than literal events.
• Naturalism: Myths, exaggerations, or misinterpretations.
• BioPanentheism: Misunderstood expressions of the life-centered Divine manifesting through complex systems.

5. Moral and Aesthetic Experience

• Theism: Reflects God’s objective moral law.
• Deism: Embedded moral intuition from creation.
• Pantheism: The unfolding of divine order and harmony.
• Naturalism: Evolutionary adaptation and cultural conditioning.
• BioPanentheism: Biological flourishing and the cultivation of consciousness are sacred because they enable divine experience.

How BioPanentheism Is Different

Unlike theism, which views God as fully separate, or pantheism, which sees the universe itself as God, BioPanentheism holds that the Divine transcends all things but is intimately connected to living systems as the conduit for divine embodiment and feeling. In this view, consciousness isn’t an accidental byproduct—it is how the Divine comes to taste and sense reality itself.

Conclusion: No Scientific Proof—Only Interpretive Lenses

None of these frameworks provides definitive scientific proof of God’s existence. Instead, they each offer a different philosophical lens for interpreting the same body of empirical observations. Whether you find any of them persuasive depends on your personal metaphysical intuitions and standards of evidence.

Explore Further

If you’re interested in learning more about BioPanentheism and how it relates to science, spirituality, and philosophy, visit our other articles or subscribe to our updates.

The Basic Concept of BioPanentheism:

 BioPanentheism: A Life-Centred Vision of the Divine!

BioPanentheism is a contemporary philosophical and spiritual perspective that integrates the core ideas of panentheism with a scientific, life-centred focus.

At its foundation, BioPanentheism proposes that the Divine is intimately connected with all living systems and the biological processes of the Universe… but is not strictly identical with them!

This view distinguishes itself from both traditional theism (which posits a separate, personal God) and strict pantheism! (Which equates God with the Universe itself!)

Key Features of BioPanentheism:

Divine Immanence and Transcendence:

Like classical panentheism, BioPanentheism holds that the Divine pervades every part of the Universe and all life within it, while also extending beyond the physical Cosmos!

The Divine is not merely “above” or “outside” creation, but is deeply enmeshed with it… especially through the processes of life and consciousness!

Biological Emphasis:

BioPanentheism specifically centers on biology, life, and the evolution of consciousness as the primary expressions of the Divine presence!

Living organisms and their interconnectedness are seen as the most direct manifestation of the sacred or Divine Principle!

Naturalistic Orientation:

This philosophy is grounded in scientific understanding, particularly in biology and ecology, and rejects supernaturalism!

It interprets the Divine as the organizing, self-regulating, and creative force inherent in Nature and the Universe—often described as the Omnia, the totality of energy, matter, and the laws that guide life and complexity!

Ethical and Ecological Focus:

BioPanentheism emphasizes practical engagement with Nature, ecological awareness, sustainable living, and respect for all forms of life!

It fosters a sense of reverence and responsibility toward the biosphere, viewing humanity as a conscious part of a… Greater Living Whole!

Distinction from Pantheism and Theism:

Unlike pantheism, which asserts that “all is God,” BioPanentheism maintains that the Divine includes and transcends the Universe… especially as expressed through life!

Unlike traditional theism, it does not posit a personal, interventionist Deity, but rather an impersonal, immanent Force or Principle!

Summary Table: BioPanentheism vs. Related Concepts:

Concept	God/Divine Relation to Universe	View of Life/Biology	Transcendence	Immanence	Personal Deity
Theism	Separate, creator	Not central	Yes	Limited	Yes
Pantheism	Identical with Universe	All is Divine	No	Yes	No
Panentheism	Universe in God; God > Universe	Not specific	Yes	Yes	Sometimes
BioPanentheism	Universe in Divine; Divine > Universe	Life/Biology central	Yes	Yes	No

In Practice:

BioPanentheism is both a worldview and a form of Spirituality!

It fosters communion with nature, promotes ecological responsibility, and cultivates a sense of unity with all living things! It seeks to harmonize scientific knowledge with a reverent, ethical approach to life, without reliance on supernatural doctrines or anthropomorphic Deities!

“BioPanentheism is absolutely and irrevocably for Nature in every sense of the word… and yet, it doesn’t espouse or promote the worship of anything (even the Omnia itself) only respect, consideration, appreciation, and acknowledgement of all life and the natural forces at work in the Universe.”

Summary:

In summary, BioPanentheism is a modern, life-centred interpretation of panentheism that places biology, ecology, and the interconnectedness of all life at the heart of its understanding of the Divine, while remaining grounded in scientific naturalism and ecological ethics!

Biopanentheism approaches the origins of the universe by synthesizing a scientific, life-centered perspective with a reinterpretation of divine presence. Unlike traditional creationist narratives, biopanentheism does not posit a personal, interventionist deity who created the universe ex nihilo. Instead, it suggests that the universe arises from a higher, immanent intelligence or organizing principle—sometimes referred to as "God" or the "divine"—that is both within and beyond the universe, and whose primary mode of self-expression is through life and consciousness12.

In this view, the universe is seen as a dynamic, evolving system that emerges from a conscious or creative source not to control, but to experience itself through complexity, life, and awareness. The origins of the universe are thus understood as the manifestation of this divine principle seeking to explore and express itself through the unfolding of matter, energy, and eventually, conscious life12. This perspective is compatible with scientific cosmology, while also allowing for a sense of the numinous or sacred in the processes of cosmic and biological evolution.

Some interpretations of biopanentheism (and closely related concepts like biopantheism) further propose that the universe began with a generalized intention—to exist and experience subjective reality—and that the laws of nature could be seen as the latent memory or pattern of this intention3. In this sense, the universe is not merely a random or mechanistic process, but one imbued with a creative drive toward complexity, self-organization, and consciousness.

In summary, biopanentheism explains the origins of the universe as the unfolding of a divine, immanent principle that is both within and beyond the cosmos, expressing itself primarily through life and consciousness, and whose creative intention is reflected in the laws and patterns of nature132.

Allan W. Janssen

The Omnia: the totality of life, matter, and energy… ever evolving, ever aware!

My Work Is Done!

Well kids, that just about wraps up my literary career!

I have spent the better part of a half-century (50 years) looking at the various quagmires human beings have subjected themselves to... and as a result, I wrote four (4) books about what religion and superstition have done to us!!!!

Thinking that four books were too much to read all at once... I condensed the series into highlights of my books plus new material that has presented itself over the past few months!

***

"Although my proposition that our "Consciousness/Sentience" is the presence of what we call  "God“ (?)  within us,   (a Soul)  it is not, in any way, a scientifically established fact! (And I’m not a scientist by any stretch of imagination either!)

Actually, the whole concept of a "SOUL" appears to be outside the purview of the scientific method anyway... since any evidence for the existence of a ‘Prime Mover’ is "Ab Extra!"  (‘From without!’)

But we do present more than enough circumstantial evidence for this hypothesis to make it fall within the realm of possibility!"

* ALSO: I must ask you not to assume that this book is about anything that is being peddled by Michael Behe over at “The Discovery Institute!”

Thank You: - Allan W. Janssen.

"They're made of meat!"

 Here's an oldie but a goodie folks!

"They're made out of meat."

 "Meat?"

There's no doubt about it. We picked several from different parts of the planet, took them aboard our recon vessels and probed them all the way through.

You say they're completely meat? That's impossible!

What about the radio signals? The messages to the stars. They use the radio waves to talk, but the signals don't come from them. The signals come from machines.

So, who made the machines? That's who we want to contact. They made the machines. That's what I'm trying to tell you.

Meat made the machines. That's ridiculous. How can meat make a machine? You're asking me to believe in sentient meat.

I'm not asking you, I'm telling you!

These creatures are the only sentient race in the sector and they're made out of meat.

Maybe they're a carbon-based intelligence that goes through a meat stage.

Nope. They're born meat and they die meat. We studied them for several of their life spans.

(Which didn't take too long.)

Do you have any idea the life span of meat?

Spare me.

Okay, maybe they're only part meat. You know, a meat head with an electron plasma brain inside.

Nope. We thought of that, but I told you, we probed them.

They're meat all the way through.

No brain?

Oh, there is a brain all right.

It's just that the brain is made out of meat!

So... what does the thinking?

You're not understanding, are you?

The brain does the thinking!

The meat?

Thinking meat!

You're asking me to believe in thinking meat!

"Yes, thinking meat! Conscious meat!

The meat is the whole deal! Are you getting the picture?

You're serious then. They're made out of meat.

Finally, Yes!

They are indeed made out meat. And they've been trying to get in touch with us for almost a hundred of their years.

So what does the meat have in mind?

First it wants to talk to us.

Then I imagine it wants to explore the universe, swap ideas and information.

The usual.

We're supposed to talk to meat?

That's the idea.

What's the message they're sending out by radio.

Hello. Anyone out there?  Anyone home?

That sort of thing!

They actually do talk then?

They use words, ideas, concepts?

Oh, yes. Except they do it with meat!

I thought you just told me they used radio."

They do, but what do you think is on the radio?

Meat sounds!

You know how when you slap or flap meat it makes a noise? They talk by flapping their meat at each other.

They can even sing by squirting air through their meat.

Singing meat? This is altogether too much. So what do you advise?

Officially or unofficially?

Both.

Officially, we are required to contact, welcome, and log in any and all sentient races without prejudice, fear, or favour.

 

Unofficially, I advise that we erase the records and forget the whole thing.

I was hoping you would say that. It seems harsh, but there is a limit.

Do we really want to make contact with meat?

I agree one hundred percent.

What's there to say? Hello, meat. How's it going?

But will this work? How many planets are we dealing with here?

Just one! They can travel to other planets in special meat containers, but they can't live on them.

And being meat, they only travel through C space, which limits them to the speed of light and makes the possibility of their ever making contact pretty slim. 

Infinitesimal, in fact.

 So we just pretend there's no one home in the universe.

That's it.

That’s Cruel!

But you said it yourself, who wants to meet meat?

And the ones who have been aboard our vessels, the ones you have probed?

You're sure they won't remember?

They'll be considered crackpots if they do. 

We went into their heads and smoothed out their meat so that we're just a dream to them. 

How strangely appropriate, that we should be meat's dream. 

By Terry Bisson