Definition: The term animist comes from Old Norse (saxa, a human) and its Hebrew roots mean "people" or "human beings." It means someone who believes in the natural world as part of God's creation rather than as separate from it or separate from him.
In this sense, an animist views nature not only through scientific or human lens but also as a living, breathing entity. They believe in the interconnectedness between man and the natural world, with humans acting as stewards and caretakers of it, not merely passive observers.
The term has been used historically to describe groups who seek harmony among various religions, especially in societies where religious beliefs are varied or pluralistic. In modern times, animists often refer to themselves as "sociable" or "social" people seeking a more peaceful coexistence with the natural world.
The Bible uses this concept several times, such as in Leviticus 19:8-9 ("If you eat of the trees and plants that your fathers ate of in the land you were given to possess, it is a sin against God. You shall not eat of any tree") or in Ezekiel 6:3 (Do you not know what the land which they have taken from the nations has become? The land which they have taken belongs to them; and it belongs to the earth, and it belongs to all living creatures, as well as to animals).
So, animists are those who believe in a dynamic, interconnected world with God, and seek harmony among different religions.
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