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Being Spiritual.
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Quite often celebrities claim to be spiritual, and back up their claims with phrases such as, finding myself, discovering my place in the universe, connecting with nature etc etc and other nonsensical made up ideas.
But do you consider the spiritual without God in the equation, in spite of possibly your atheism?
But do you consider the spiritual without God in the equation, in spite of possibly your atheism?
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You have decided that certain ways that people claim to feel spiritual such as connecting with the beauty of nature are made up ideas ...the trouble with that is that a very large proportion of the population think that god is similarly a nonsensical made up idea. You ask questions from a position that already is judgmental .. you really have decided what you think and other people are wrong...at least that is what I understand from your question..
//phrases such as, finding myself, discovering my place in the universe, connecting with nature etc etc and other nonsensical made up ideas//
Why are they nonsensical made up ideas?
I had an experience 2 yrs ago when I was in the psych hospital. I was sitting outside by myself with a cup of tea. It was a hot summers evening, I slipped my sandals off and rested my bare feet on the grass and gazed up at the sky. I suddenly lost all sense of self, felt completely peaceful and one with the entire universe. It only lasted for a few seconds but it was the most surreal experience that Ive ever had and I cant think of another word to describe it except as spiritual.
And Im still an atheist ;-)
Why are they nonsensical made up ideas?
I had an experience 2 yrs ago when I was in the psych hospital. I was sitting outside by myself with a cup of tea. It was a hot summers evening, I slipped my sandals off and rested my bare feet on the grass and gazed up at the sky. I suddenly lost all sense of self, felt completely peaceful and one with the entire universe. It only lasted for a few seconds but it was the most surreal experience that Ive ever had and I cant think of another word to describe it except as spiritual.
And Im still an atheist ;-)
Belief in ‘God’ is all about self. You pray to God for what will please you; you say thank you to God in order to ingratiate yourself with him because you think that pleases him – behaviour that in real life would be considered unattractive and sycophantic - but most importantly you cling to the notion of God because the prospect of death terrifies you, and belief, you imagine, will allow you to escape the inevitable. Ultimately, without that perceived possibility your God would be thoroughly redundant.
Anyone who imagines that spirituality is impossible without faith in God understands little of spirituality. What is emotion? What is thought? We know the physical processes by which each is generated but neither can be grasped and examined under a microscope - and yet thought and emotion are fundamental to human existence, each having the potential to create extreme pleasure and unimaginable pain. Being in love can physically hurt. Losing someone dear can physically hurt. Anger can physically hurt. Gazing up at the stars or at the vast ocean can produce an enormous sense of awe and wonder. A piece of music or a splendid work of art can produce euphoria, a sense of calm, or heartfelt tears – just play me Puccini’s ‘Che Gelida Manina’ and watch me weep. That affects my heart in the most beautiful manner – and inflicts upon the rest of me a plethora of goosebumps!
With or without God, we all experience the sensations that thought and emotion engender. That is spirituality.
Tissue anyone?
Anyone who imagines that spirituality is impossible without faith in God understands little of spirituality. What is emotion? What is thought? We know the physical processes by which each is generated but neither can be grasped and examined under a microscope - and yet thought and emotion are fundamental to human existence, each having the potential to create extreme pleasure and unimaginable pain. Being in love can physically hurt. Losing someone dear can physically hurt. Anger can physically hurt. Gazing up at the stars or at the vast ocean can produce an enormous sense of awe and wonder. A piece of music or a splendid work of art can produce euphoria, a sense of calm, or heartfelt tears – just play me Puccini’s ‘Che Gelida Manina’ and watch me weep. That affects my heart in the most beautiful manner – and inflicts upon the rest of me a plethora of goosebumps!
With or without God, we all experience the sensations that thought and emotion engender. That is spirituality.
Tissue anyone?
Theland, I think you are thinking of spiritual in close and exclusive association with "The Spirit", i.e. an entity such as a deity, angel, etc., perhaps even "The Devil" - a personification of sorts. When non-religious people refer to something spiritual they are very often, perhaps mostly, referring to personal spirits (principally their own), i.e. a sense of existing/being. Your datum is different from theirs and actually of a different category altogether. In other's minds they can feel spiritual with or without the overlap into the religious (although the two have very large parallels), whereas you give the impression of not visualising stepping out of the religious. One way of expressing the difference would be to say that the two forms of spiritual experience are two different moods. Not everyone has a matching mood with their fellow men/women, perhaps sometimes but certainly not all the time. Can we not live with such variation, even quite happily, maybe even welcome it ?
Most Christians and religious people have some general idea of other religions and spiritual practises / ideologies. You, Theland.. seem to have no clue how someone could possibly be spiritual without god and jesus.
Imagine 5 gods :O Oh lawdie. A god of the trees, a god of the water, a god of fire etc.... Goddess of earth whatever. Then imagine connecting to them by hiking, or meditating on a mountain breathing in the god of air, gripping the goddess of earth, connecting and feeling the warmth of the god of fire.
Just one aspect of a spiritual ideology that doesn't involve Christianity.
Imagine 5 gods :O Oh lawdie. A god of the trees, a god of the water, a god of fire etc.... Goddess of earth whatever. Then imagine connecting to them by hiking, or meditating on a mountain breathing in the god of air, gripping the goddess of earth, connecting and feeling the warmth of the god of fire.
Just one aspect of a spiritual ideology that doesn't involve Christianity.
‘naomi24 Belief in ‘God’ is all about self. You pray to God for what will please you; you say thank you to God in order to ingratiate yourself with him because you think that pleases him – behaviour that in real life would be considered unattractive and sycophantic - but most importantly you cling to the notion of God because the prospect of death terrifies you, and belief, you imagine, will allow you to escape the inevitable. Ultimately, without that perceived possibility your God would be thoroughly redundant. ’
With respect naomi24. I do not agree with your first paragraph. God is Not all about yourself, it’s about being absorbed into the godhead so you become nothing.
Shallow praying for oneself are simply childish desires, I will not elaborate. The prospect of Death does not terrify everyone some actually welcome the transition after a full life well lived. Personally I’m apprehensive, but terrified, not at all. I’ve questioned the reality of Gods existence since a young child. I’m happy to say, for me the question was well and truly answered. By the way I follow NO religion at all. I consider them all as fabricated by man for various non altruistic reasons.
With respect naomi24. I do not agree with your first paragraph. God is Not all about yourself, it’s about being absorbed into the godhead so you become nothing.
Shallow praying for oneself are simply childish desires, I will not elaborate. The prospect of Death does not terrify everyone some actually welcome the transition after a full life well lived. Personally I’m apprehensive, but terrified, not at all. I’ve questioned the reality of Gods existence since a young child. I’m happy to say, for me the question was well and truly answered. By the way I follow NO religion at all. I consider them all as fabricated by man for various non altruistic reasons.
Spiritual, to me, means connecting to the ultimate power of the universe, which to me, is God.
Apparently, others see it as also trying to make the connection, but not to God, and the routes to this involve hugging trees lighting candles and generally getting lost by mistaking feelings for spirituality.
In my opinion.
Apparently, others see it as also trying to make the connection, but not to God, and the routes to this involve hugging trees lighting candles and generally getting lost by mistaking feelings for spirituality.
In my opinion.
Theland, have you checked a few dictionaries? These 'others' are people who're willing to accept the ordinary, usual meaning of a word - not the hijacking of it to fit someone's agenda. Surely you don't think the others, the rest of us, the majority, have got it wrong because it doesn't fit your beliefs. Language doesn't work like that. I'm glad you now accept that your 'spiritual = God' is only an opinion.
