2006-12-05 12:21:09 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
wow very confusing
2006-12-05 12:42:49 · update #1
Yes. From the first moment humans looked at the sky, the sun, the moon, a flower, a child, they have been filled with wonder and have pondered the meaning of existence. For countless generations this has been the basis of spirituality. Sometimes they agreed that there was a reason to identify something to worship, like the Sun for example, and they formed religions about their conclusions. Spirituality predates all religions, as religions were all formed by humans, after some event, or other persons revelations, prompted them to do so. To be an atheist, means you have not agreed to identify with, or subscribe to the belief God as the answer to your spiritual feelings. Buddhism, for example, is an intensely spiritual expression that does not have as its basis the belief in God. Rather, it has several paths that are designed to assist in ones realization of truth, or meaning in ones life in the universe. And Buddhism, a very large group of humans on this planet, is only one of many such groups. Beyond that, there are no doubt countless individuals who have joined no group and are busy finding answers for themselves. One of the most famous modern examples of this was a gentleman named Krishnamurti, who suggested that if you really wished to be free, you must not follow in anyone's footsteps, that Truth is a Pathless Land.
2006-12-05 12:22:17 · answer #1 · answered by michaelsan 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are more types of atheism than there appear to be. you can't generalize. Some atheists are most definitely spiritual, and in a big way, others only in moderation and other not at all.
I was reading an article in the Times (I think it was the Times) about New Atheism which is like a fundamentalist atheism that scorns anything spiritual or un-scientific and believes religion and spiritual belief should be completely eradicated from society. But there are plenty of people who don't believe in God who have spiritual beliefs and those spiritual beliefs vary greatly. It's just like how in other religions there are endless variations and sects (for example Christianity- catholic, anglican, protestant, liberal, methodists, baptists, quakers, mormons...the list goes on). People are all different so it follows that spiritual (or unspiritual) beliefs will have to be just as variant.
2006-12-05 12:34:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
They can be. There's a group known as spiritual atheists. Many Eastern religions like Buddhism, Shinto, and so on have many atheist followers as well.
Many, myself included, think of spirituality as having to do with the spirit or soul. I think of the word "soul" as being just another word for my individuality - for who I am, not as an eternal or supernatural thing.
So I think of emotion, art, music, beauty, and love as very spiritual things.
2006-12-05 12:22:45 · answer #3 · answered by Snark 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Depends what you call spiritual. Is listening to Mozart's Clarinet Concerto a spiritual experience? There's nothing supernatural going on, just an intense emotional and sensual experience. Some would call that spiritual. If there's an as-yet undetermined materialistic explanation, that's fine too.
2006-12-05 12:27:51 · answer #4 · answered by Bad Liberal 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Some claim to be. I consider "spiritual atheist" to be an oxymoron since atheists do not believe in the supernatural. I, for one, am not spiritual, nor do I believe there is such a thing as a spirit or a soul.
2006-12-05 12:23:11 · answer #5 · answered by Kathryn™ 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Some are....Jains are spiritual atheists. Some buddhists are atheists and many atheists attend Unitarian Universalists churches. I hope you get some spiritual atheists to answer.
2006-12-05 12:23:10 · answer #6 · answered by Bomb Diggity 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
They can be. The only common trait among atheists is that they do not believe in a "god". Anything else is up to the individual and has nothing to do with them being an atheist.
2006-12-05 12:24:15 · answer #7 · answered by ~ Sara ~ 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm only speaking for myself as an Atheist...I am not spiritual at all.
2006-12-05 12:23:11 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
That depends on what you mean by spiritual. Do we believe in some kind of magical dimension of spirituality? Not most of us. Do we have thoughts and feelings and emotions? Yes. Do we have close friendships, think about other people, and fall in love? Yes.
So it depends what you mean.
2006-12-05 12:24:26 · answer #9 · answered by STFU Dude 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the atheist. Atheism does not necessarily mean the denial of any supernatural/metaphysical beliefs; it solely means one doesn't believe in a god.
2006-12-05 12:23:44 · answer #10 · answered by abulafia24 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋