What is Spirituality? Can I be an atheist and have Spirituality?

Answer 1

Sure you can. Don't let the inclusion of the word "spirit" fool you. The main aspects of spirituality are usually accepted as:

*Determining the significance of your life, finding purpose, and making sense out of situations.
*Determining what beliefs, ethics, and values are important to you.
*Connecting to self, others, god (if that's your pleasure), and the universe.
*Finding a sense of who one is and "how one knows".
*Simultaneously improving one's wisdom and willpower.

And here's my favorite one ...

*Removing illusions or false ideas at the sensory, feeling and thinking aspects of a person.

I think that part of spirituality describes atheists quite well.

Answer 2

So as I see it atheism is a disbelief in in a deity. I don't know how they could have spirituality if they don't beleive in a spirit or being above themselves. I read all the definitions and have cut and paste them below. Decide for yourself. I would like to see how an atheist feels. They are the only ones who know if an athiest can be spiritual.

Merriam Websters defines this as:
Atheism-
1archaic : ungodliness, wickedness 2 a: a disbelief in the existence of deity b: the doctrine that there is no deity

spirituality
1 : something that in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or to a cleric as such 2 : clergy 3 : sensitivity or attachment to religious values 4 : the quality or state of being spiritual

spir·i·tu·al
1: of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit : incorporeal 2 a: of or relating to sacred matters b: ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal 3: concerned with religious values4: related or joined in spirit 5 a: of or relating to supernatural beings or phenomena b: of, relating to, or involving spiritualism : spiritualistic

Answer 3

Spirituality stems from a hunger, a need to know what is beyond the materialistic realm.

It does lead a person to question and seek the existence of a source.

you can be a spiritualist as long as you do not stick to the:" it doesnt exist because I cant see it" thought pattern.

I do believe that most professed atheists know that humans should have a spiritual side, if not religious.

Edit: reading back at JPs answer, I must say I agree, but I wish to add something, human beings cannot empathically know their place in this universe unless they compare themselves to something larger.

Answer 4

Intelligent question. No Spirituality means understand who we are in actuality. We have nothing to do with this material body or mind etc. We are eternal spirit souls, part and parcel of the Supreme Soul, Also known as Krishna, Allah, Vishnu, Jehovah, etc. Spirituality means reconnecting with our Maker in loving devotional service (Bhakti) for more info go to harekrishnatemple.c Read Bhagavad Gita as it is Translated into English with commentaries by Bhaktivedanta PRabhupada- tells the purpose of human life and how to attain self realization.

Answer 5

Yes. Spirituality is the recognition of one's place in the universe and a continual development of the understanding of the symbols in which the story of one's life is told and revealed.

Answer 6

Sure. I was an Agnostic when I had a few spiritual experiences. It's just that God had me convinced later on that He's the source of the Spirit that I had experienced.

Spirituality is the expressions of the spirit.

Answer 7

You sure can. I am an atheist and consider myself to be very spiritual.

It means different things to different people, but I consider spirituality to be your definition and sense of self, and the fairly constant pursuit of improving that.

Answer 8

An atheist can be "spiritual"... just look at the Buddhists.

Answer 9

That depends on how you define spirituality.
The Bible says "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth." (John 4:24)
The Bible teaches men are spiritually dead, in trespasses and sins, and need to be spiritually regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God. Only then can they come into a relationship with the Uncreated Life of the living God.
Jesus said "And this is eternal life, that they may know You (the Father), the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (John 17:3)
No one is truly spiritual unless they are rightly related to God, through faith in the One He sent to reconcile us to Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer 10

dictionary.com.

Spiritual- of or pertaining to the spirit or soul, as distinguished from the physical nature: a spiritual approach to life.