What is Omnism? Understand Omnisim and how it differs from other beliefs
Have you ever been drawn to the idea of embracing multiple religions? The Omnism belief system can be seen as a way to accept the existence of various religions without believing in all that they teach. This system is similar to syncretism—the belief in a combination of faiths in harmony. Learn more about Omnism, including its principles, origins, and comparisons with other belief systems.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
There are nearly 4,000 recognised faiths globally. While religions tend to share some common themes, like morality and spirituality, their uniqueness lies in the details of their doctrines, practices, and histories. What sets Omnism apart is that it is open to the idea that there may be many paths to spiritual enlightenment.
What is Omnism?
Omnism is the belief that there are many paths to spiritual enlightenment and that all faiths have a certain degree of vital insights that can help people better understand spirituality.
The concept of Omnism has existed in various forms throughout history. This spirituality gained recognition as a modern philosophical stance in the 19th and 20th centuries. Omnism does not contain any theology, and the people who practice it (Omnists) formulate their ideas about it.
Omnism symbol
Unlike many religions, Omnism has no single, universally accepted symbol. However, there have been attempts to create one. One design proposal features concentric circles in various shades of colour with different religious symbols, representing the interconnectedness of all religions.
Omnism vs Universalism
Universalism, also known as universal restoration, universal reconciliation/restitution, or universal salvation, is a liberal religious movement characterised by a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. The doctrine teaches that a Higher Power will ultimately save everybody.
Omnism and Universalism emphasise inclusivity but have some key differences and similarities. Below are some of the major differences between the two philosophies.
- Core principles: Omnism acknowledges and respects all belief systems and lets people develop their spirituality and faith without being constrained by established dogmas. Conversely, Universalism centres on universal salvation by applying certain principles from all belief systems.
- Practice of the ideologies: Omnists do not have a specific church or religious sect. On the other hand, Universalists are known to belong to various religious organisations. For instance, Christian Universalists attend the church and believe that people will be reconciled to God if they believe in Jesus Christ.
- Structure differences: Omnism essentially has no structure, as there is no church, religious text, or theology. In contrast, Universalism features a specific structure. For instance, Unitarian Universalism is based on eight principles.
- Omnism promotes harmony among faiths through an inclusive approach to spirituality, while Universalism focuses on universal spiritual fulfilment.
Some of the similarities between Omnism and Universalism are highlighted below.
- Inclusivity: Omnism and Pantheism embrace inclusivity and advocate for accepting diverse spiritual beliefs regardless of religious affiliation.
- Unity: Both emphasise unity, with Omnism highlighting commonalities among religious traditions and Universalism emphasising the unity of all beings in the divine.
Source: Getty Images
- Tolerance: Both beliefs promote tolerance and compassion by fostering mutual respect among people of different faiths.
- Spiritual exploration: Both encourage spiritual exploration and growth. Omnism invites individuals to explore elements from various traditions, and Universalism envisions humanity's collective spiritual evolution.
- Humanitarian values: Both philosophies uphold humanitarian values such as compassion, justice, and solidarity.
Omnism vs Pantheism
Pantheism and Omnism belief systems are often confused because they focus on the oneness and interconnectedness of people. Pantheism is a combination of two Greek words – “pan”, which means “all’ and “theism”, which refers to belief in God. This ideology holds that God and the cosmos are the same entity.
What is the difference between an Omnist and a Pantheist? Below are some of the major differences between them.
Belief in a personal god: Omnists can believe that personal gods could exist but may not follow any of them religiously. Pantheism, on the other hand, strongly opposes the idea of a personal god.
Worship of God: While most Omnists do not attend church or any other religious organisation, some do. It all depends on which religion appeals to them most. On the flip side, Pantheists do not take part in any worship of God whatsoever.
Religious tolerance: Omnism centres on the acceptance and inclusivity of all religions. Conversely, Pantheism is not inclusive of other faiths unless they agree with its core principles.
Inclusivity: Omnism believes that no matter the doctrine of the religion, it offers some universal truth to the question of faith and spirituality. Conversely, Pantheism completely rejects the belief system that argues that God and the universe are separate from each other.
Despite the differences between the two belief systems, they also have a few similarities. Check them out below.
- Both emphasise unity, with Omnism highlighting shared truths among religions and Pantheism stressing the interconnectedness of all beings.
- Both encourage spiritual exploration and growth, with Omnism inviting exploration of diverse traditions and Pantheism envisioning collective spiritual evolution.
Omnism vs Agnostic
Source: Getty Images
Agnosticism is the belief system that the existence of God, the divine, or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable. Agnostics assert that knowing how the universe was created and whether or not divine beings exist is impossible.
Biologist T.H. Huxley coined the word agnostic from the Greek ágnōstos, meaning “unknown or unknowable". Below are some of the key differences between Omnism and Agnostic belief systems.
- Omnism respects all religious beliefs and values various spiritual traditions, while Agnosticism doubts the existence of a higher power or ultimate truth.
- Omnism fosters inclusivity by drawing from multiple religious sources, whereas Agnosticism is uncertain about divine existence or religious claims.
- Omnism urges the exploration and integration of religious elements, fostering spiritual openness, while Agnosticism acknowledges doubt and scepticism about matters of faith.
- Omnism seeks harmony through dialogue among faiths, while Agnosticism neither affirms nor denies the existence of a deity.
Is Omnism a religion?
Omnism cannot be classified as a religion in the traditional sense. It is a spiritual outlook that embraces and respects all religious beliefs by recognising the validity and value of various spiritual traditions.
Is Omnism a sin?
Whether Omnism is a sin depends on one's belief system. For instance, some Christians may say that worshipping other gods is a sin, which implies that one is not a follower of Jesus and accepting of his teachings.
Is there a symbol for Omnism?
Omnism does not have a single, universally accepted symbol. However, one design proposal features concentric circles in various shades of colour with various religious symbols, representing the interconnectedness of all religions.
What religion believes that all religions are true?
The two widely recognised belief systems that believe all religions are true are the Baháʼí Faith and Omnism. Like Omnism, the Baháʼí Faith teaches the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people.
What is a person that believes in God but not religion?
A person who believes in God but not religion may be classified as an agnostic theist. Such individuals believe in the existence of a Higher Power or deity but acknowledge that the ultimate nature of that Being is unknown or unknowable.
Omnism has been increasingly recognised as a belief system that promotes tolerance and appreciation for the diversity of religious beliefs and practices. As a result, many people are drawn to Omnism because of its inclusive and broad-minded approach to spirituality.
Legit.ng recently published an exciting post about sneaky link meaning, usage, and origin. The phrase "sneaky link" is one of the new terms introduced in social media and might be quite difficult to understand as it does not have straightforward meanings.
Slang phrases are commonly used among the young generation, the largest social media user group. The phrase gained prominence after being used in the song Sneaky Link 2.0 by American artist Hxllywood featuring Soulja Boy and Kayla Nicole in 2021.
Source: Legit.ng
