I was at a family Thanksgiving party today and my cousin was talking about a ghost that both he, and his wife, have seen in their house quite frequently over the years. Interestingly, my cousin's wife is an atheist, so I am confused as to how someone can be an atheist, and yet also readily acknowledge that he or she has seen some sort of "spirit". Are there atheists who acknowledge spirits (or ghosts) exist, but feel that no spirit(s) is a supreme being?
2006-11-25 11:09:58 · 9 answers · asked by aDWsd 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
judy_r8: Who is exactly is my god, or so-called god? I'm pretty impressed you were able to figure out my spiritual beliefs based on my question.
2006-11-25 11:33:01 · update #1
'Atheist' only means someone does not believe in God.
This definition seems to be changing to mean does not believe in religion or spirituality, but you can be an atheist and believe in spiritual things and also be religious (Buddhism for example is an atheist religion). You just can't believe in God or Gods.
2006-11-25 11:18:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm an atheist. I am so because I do not believe in deities.
But the common link among atheists basically stops at no god belief. Beyond that, though many probably are not going to believe in ghosts, beliefs and views can vary. I'm totally a skeptic, but I still have had experiences likewise of the paranormal nature. (For a time it was multiple things that were clearly a pet we had lost, no doubt about it.) But to me that has nothing to do with gods, or heavens, or religion, and all to do with maybe there is some kind of something after this life, but totally still tied to this place.
2006-11-25 19:17:12 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
On the topic of ghosts my feeling is the same as it is on god.
I have not seen sufficient evidence to prove that any phenomenon can be termed "ghost". I have seen and heard of strange things, but I think that "unexplained -- for *now*" is the way I would term them. Just because we don't have an answer for what it is or why it is so at this very moment does not mean we never will.
That said, I frankly add the disclaimer that I do not and can not speak for all atheists. I do think of myself as a spiritual person, I do believe in the soul, which are concepts other atheists would resist.
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2006-11-25 19:14:57 · answer #3 · answered by Chickyn in a Handbasket 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course. The world beyond us is something we cannot fathom. Atheist are really just pissed off agnostics, but we still believe in other-worldly existence. Ghosts have nothing to do with a god anyhow, most just think they do because they're reminded of "angels" and the like. A spirit is associated with an angelic type being so they get piled in with all the other christian/catholic psycho babble. be well, jack
2006-11-25 19:13:32 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
A ghost is nothing like the so called holy spirit. A ghost issimply the manefestation of energy left over from a person who has died. Why do you insist on equating everything with your god?
2006-11-25 19:13:18 · answer #5 · answered by judy_r8 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
i am not atheists
but i have seen many say that they do believe in spirit and are spiritually minded even though they don't believe in God
it doesn't have to go hand in hand
but they have seen ghosts and/or spirit so there is no denying that ...
they have not seen God so i can understand their thinking in this
2006-11-25 19:14:29 · answer #6 · answered by Peace 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
atheism/atheist is just a word to describe some people... there are always complexities that defy the limits of language.
2006-11-25 19:16:59 · answer #7 · answered by kent_shakespear 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its quite possible.
Remember that spirits and deities are quite different phenomena.
2006-11-25 19:15:34 · answer #8 · answered by eigelhorn 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
For me, no to either.
2006-11-25 19:19:35 · answer #9 · answered by The Chaos Within 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋