I mean, if you believe in no higher power, Being or God(s), then isn't being "spiritual" kind of like drinking non-alcoholic beer?
2007-05-01 05:04:22 · 31 answers · asked by philosopher_pimp 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Do they? I've never heard one use this particular label.
2007-05-01 05:07:12 · answer #1 · answered by Lunarsight 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I am an atheist and have come to this conclusion after studying religion very closely. I believe that we all have a right to believe what we want and to talk about it to other people, and that I also have that right. A lot of things that Christians say annoy me (for example the Pope saying people should not use condoms in AIDS infested areas) but I believe they have the right to say them. Jesus as a human being had a philosophy which is extremely sound. I do not accept that he was divine - in fact that spoils it a bit for me, because there is no kudos to doing what he was doing if he was a god, but his sacrifice and opposition to the hypocrisy of religion are more admirable if he was merely human. Again my point was that many Christians don't exactly follow his word - the Pope living in a big Palace for example, or hating homosexuals.
I am an atheist, but i do have a spiritual leaning towards certain moral and ethical codes that 'religion' has tried to make 'us' all abide by. Sadly, religion has been under the control of 'man' for far too long and the original messages have been abused, lost or altered to fit the biased views of small minded control freaks! As an atheist i do not believe in 'gods' or 'messiahs' - but there is a lot to learn from the basic principles of any faith.
2007-05-01 05:11:55 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually no. Spiritual is referring to the "inner" self. I do not believe in a higher power per say. But I consider myself very spiritual. To me, that is being in tune with the natural world. Co-existing with nature. And in a scientific vein, the spirit, or soul, does emit electrical impulses. So it is a living matter. The term spiritual has been assigned to religion, especially christianity. And of course most peole like to think there is a wonderful place we pass onto when we are dead. So the spirit moves on. I feel our energy just goes back into the universe.
2007-05-01 05:19:32 · answer #3 · answered by Rhiannon D 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The main problem us atheists face is that all the terms that
express deep emotions, feelings, and resonations within
human beings have for centuries been appropriated by the
major and minor religions and have become ' tainted'.
To describe deep feelings at the birth of a child, the sorrow of the
death of a loved one, the anger of an injustice done one cannot express in ' neutral ' terms. I would be considered as
a science driven unemotional robot.( by myself anyway ).
An accusation many religious people love to make, but if I use
(semi-) religious terms for the sake of clarity they'll declare me
to be a deceitful hypocrite.
So I've given up on that, It's a no win situation but if really pressed on the point I am sure I can bore people into stone.
to EXACTLY explain what I meant when I said something.
2007-05-01 05:26:22 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A good thought. Ideas and thoughts the eliminate God, who is a spirit, must eliminate the consideration of anything "spiritual." If not, then they truly are not an atheist, just a doubter of truth.
It's like someone claiming they don't believe in "love." Yet, on the other hand, they say that they are "emotional." It's not that they believe that there is no such thing as love, it's that they probably had a bad experience, and because it “didn’t work for them,” they doubt the truth. The best way to avoid the truth is not to acknowledge it. So, there is no such this as love, even though I’m emotional.
Likewise, it is often that people say there is no God because they had some bad experience. So, since God “didn’t work for them,” they doubt the truth. So they avoid God by not acknowledging Him. Unfortunately, they make the mistake of saying:
“There is no God, but I’m spiritual.”
“There is no Love, but I’m emotional.”
Different, but equally absurd.
2007-05-01 05:23:37 · answer #5 · answered by Micah 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
*Is Catholic*
Mainly because they are confused on what "atheist" and "spiritual" means.
If such person said that to me, I would tell them that they are probably agnostic.
True atheists do not believe in the supernatural plain of existence. They believe only in the material plan. They do not believe that humans have a soul or a spirit or that there is any sort of "spiritual" connectivity between people.
All "spiritual" people are theists of one sort or another. Most often they are egocentric theists where their gods are personifications of their own desires thoughts and wishes. They are the people who say "follow your heart" when asked how to respond to a moral problem.
Then there are the "spiritualists" who follow something that is an amalgamation of oriental mysticism and the occult.
To say that one is "spiritual" it means that they are moved by some spirit, muse, force, etc. One's own will is given over to that spirit and that movement. Here you can see why Atheists are not "spiritual".
2007-05-01 05:20:30 · answer #6 · answered by Liet Kynes 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because spirituality doesn't necessarily mean the dead, god or religion - Its how its used in context.
Spirituality is a connection to something "greater" than oneself. Equally important, spirituality relates to matters of sanity and of psychological health. Like SOME forms of religion, spirituality often focuses on personal experience. I'm athiest, I don't use that word.....cuz its not me..and although i don't believe in the god u do...I do believe there is something more powerful than just flesh and bones.
2007-05-01 05:13:12 · answer #7 · answered by tw9165 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I'm a pagan and a Taoist in my spiritual philosophy, but I don't believe in the existence of deities. I view them as symbols and metaphors. This means I am an atheist, even if I am not the kind of atheist that immediately comes to mind.
It's more like discovering there are more kinds of alcohol to drink than beer.
2007-05-01 05:10:02 · answer #8 · answered by KC 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
I derive the spiritual experience I once got from my beliefs in God now from an understanding of my place and scope in the universe, from an understanding of the symbols by which I interpret my life and by understanding how the interpretation changes because of my life.
I have had an NDE and have had multiple OBE's. I seek out opportunities to have more OBE's, and have rituals that allow me to trigger them. I understand they are purely neurological effects, not supernatural ones. This does not change the sense of personal revelation or deep significance they hold for me.
I needn't believe in a literal spirit to still have the experiences associated with one in metaphysical beliefs. That I understand the neurology in no way impacts the power of those experiences.
Religiously, I am a Satanist.
Spiritually, I am an atheist.
Ritually, I am a Chaos Mage and Varulf.
Philosophically, I am a nihilist.
2007-05-01 05:10:00 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
As an a-theistic Buddhist I consider myself to be very spiritual.
Oxford English Dictionary: Spiritual • adjective, relating to or affecting the human spirit as opposed to material or physical things
.
2007-05-01 05:16:49 · answer #10 · answered by abetterfate 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atheism is all about not believing in God.
This does not imply anything about thier beliefs on the existence of a soul, or anything to do with an after life, or reincarnation, or other religious/spiritual ideas.
Indeed, Buddhism is essentially an atheistic religion. Some Buddhists are exceedingly spiritual.
2007-05-01 05:09:01 · answer #11 · answered by tom 5 · 6⤊ 2⤋