By Paul Harrison

The following are the results of a search with Excite for the names of
various religions – eg, Islam [on August 8 1996]; and of adjectives describing
their adherents – eg, Moslem/Muslim [on July 27].
The number of Web pages is not the total mentions, but the number of pages
on which the word is used at least once.

Religions are ranked here on the basis of the number of pages with at
least one mention of the name of the religion. Inevitably the results show a
cultural bias towards Western religions and religions of interest in the West.
Some of the words will also occur in a purely cultural or historical context
without denoting affiliation. Wiccan and Bahai have the advantage that the
noun and adjective are the same.

The table shows the enormous amount of ground that pantheism
must make up to establish itself as a recognized religion. Our score is not
pathetic – we are within reach of Jainism and Zoroastrianism, for example,
though they would be much higher if web access in South Asia were higher.

But considering that most environmentalists and pagans, many humanists and
atheists, and many Christians, Buddhists and Hindus are pantheists at least
emotionally, it is time that the imbalance was corrected.

Help move pantheism up the table! Mention the word on your home pages.
Write about it to news groups. Use the word in all spoken and written media
whenever you can. This is not just a game: spreading the name spreads
awareness and curiosity, and increases options for other people.

Christianity 106,150 708,910
Islam 92,119 87,275
Buddhism 31,331 47,433
Wiccan 29,456 29,456
Scientology 24,797 3,659
Hinduism 11,367 60,142
Atheism 10,528 14,067
Paganism 9,570 52,158
Taoism 7,356 7,180
Theosophy 7,185 349
Satanism 4,765 2,001
Bahai 4,661 4,937
Confucianism 4,284 4,526
Zoroastrianism 2,803 1,459
Jainism 1,854 20,869
Pantheism 1,328 387


is the belief that the universe and
nature are divine.
It provides the most realistic concept of life after death,
and the most
solid basis for environmental ethics.
revelation other than open eyes and a mind open to evidence,
no guru other
than your own self.
For an outline, see
Basic principles of scientific pantheism.


a link to Pantheist
in your pages, or mirror the page at your site by saving this and
other pages.

Pantheist pages: index.

History of pantheism.

Basic principles of scientific pantheism.

The divine cosmos I: Being.

The divine cosmos II: Linking.


© Paul Harrison 1996.