Why do people think spirituality and deism must go hand in hand?

Question

Or that a rejection of deism must lead to atheism - nominally a rejection of deism but as practiced a rejection of mysticism altogether. I embrace elements of many mystical systems but reject organised religion and deism,in other words personification of spiritual qualities. My experience is most atheists pretty much reject the idea of spirituality,apparently because they cannot conceive of it without personification. Opinions? This is my first question,so forgive me if I am putting it somewhat awkwardly.

Answer 1

I see where you're going with this. You bring up a good point. I guess, for people to understand this, we'd all need to find a concrete definition of what spirituality is. To me spirituality, is believing that we are beings that are comprised of an actual physical body, we can see, smell, feel, hear, etc... and a spiritual body, with no concrete form, that we can't readily see, and so on. I believe it would be hard for a true atheist to believe in the idea of spirituality, as they don't believe in a god that gave us a spirit. They probably don't see us having this spiritual body. We're simply physical beings that live this life, like anything else on the planet, who will eventually die, and that's that. Spirituality is believing we're more than just physical beings, that there's more to us than what meets the eye, and believing there's more to the world than what we can prove by science, and our basic senses. With that though, I can see being spiritual, but not believing a deity, or such, that is responsible for our spiritual beings.

Answer 2

This is usually because of a total rejection of all things mystical or spiritual. People, usually can only relate to a Deity of some sort, and that being recognized as religion. Some people however, are very high, and do not have a personal god figure to refer to. They may experience light or bliss but no God. Buddhism is a religion but does not have a god. it does have various deities which are external representations of our inner high energies. So, they are technically atheists but very spiritual.

I am getting off your question. Sorry.

Answer 3

Excellent question. My understanding of deism is the belief in a creator (God), but not in the orthodoxy of any particular religion. Thomas Paine, Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin and Voltaire were probably the most notable deists, and all believed that there was a supreme being, but that formal religion in all forms is purely a creation of man (and quite a destructive one, at that). I suppose spirituality embraces the supernatural nature of such a creator, and therefore I don't see a conflict.

I hope that made sense.

Answer 4

It's a very well written first question, you have no need to apologize.

Your position and beliefs are very similar to my wife's, she likewise leans toward the spiritual as distinguished from organized religion but not an outright rejection of a Supreme Being, or deity.

There's no one way of classifying atheists, these come in many shapes and sizes and, as well, belief systems of their own. In other words, one cannot stereotype them into one small compartment, everyone has their own reasons for believing or not believing in monotheism or polytheism. Most of that begins with cultures.

But you did qualify your experience with "most" so with that clarification stated, it isn't just a one-sided slant.

It occurs to me that atheism comes in many forms, among them being a capacity for not believing that humanity requires a higher order to have been responsible for life or a disbelief of the ancient belief systems which began the movement toward organised religion or the underlying reasons for their establishment.

An atheist might argue, for example, that the God of Judaism, Christianity and Muhammed represents only a part of the human belief system. Others might say that a God who would commit genocide, demand and expect worship, subservience and sacrifice, displays characteristics that are anathema and an abhorrent standard, for these descriptions are well documented in the Holy Bible. The Quran likewise advocates murdering fellow human beings who refuse to adopt Islam.

To that end, it may be fair to say that an atheist simply refuses to accept the kind of hypocrisy suggested by a Being whose acts do not comport to the concepts of the Commandments. This brings us full circle back to organised religion, concepts that are man-made to serve man's purpose with the many thousands of subdivided categories of Christianity and the mindset that one is better than another.

These are just random thoughts that don't necessarily portray a personal belief, just a broad interpretation which attempts to respond to your question.

Answer 5

I am an agnostic weak atheist. I would describe myself as very spiritual - but I know I would probably be among the minority of atheists. But since I am a weak atheist, I actually don't discount the possibility of god. However, as you put it, I don't feel the need to personify that spirituality.

I suppose it comes down to how you define spirituality. I feel that spirituality is the interconnectedness of all living things and the universe, which I feel but don't necessarily need a god to explain.

Great question, by the way.

Answer 6

yeah most of that is accurate..i'm a christian and i reject religion as well....I don't see a need to reject deism and that it should lead to atheism....with unbiblical principles taught in so many churches it's easy to want to want to leave and be an agnostic or "spiritualist".

and your premise that atheists reject anything to do with spirituality regardless of a religion or a group of tree worshippers is accurate....everything is about SELF....simple as that....me me me!!!

also notice though that the atheists love to scoff and mock and hate christians and spiritualists and fill up R&S section with their bile....odd in an insane way that they would even enter such a place as they don't believe in what that place is discussing....quite insane really.

Answer 7

Hi. Welcome. Well, because I think to understand the nuances of spirituality and all the manifestations that it can present itself in, you have to also experience the continuum. For example I have been deep into Christianity and then agnosticism back to Buddhism and now, to something entirely individualistic. My own spirituality. With my own beliefs incorporated into it. A long journey. Perhaps when we are on this path we sometimes can't see ahead.

Answer 8

What is "spirituality" if not believing in something you cannot verify exists, and that you cannot specifically define or demonstrate?
What is the difference between spirituality, spirits, souls, angels, demons, gods, deities, heaven and hell? Aren't they all un-definable, non-physical, things?

Answer 9

religion and spirituality are two different things. Most people who are religious account their religion being spiritual. You can be spiritual without believing god or Jesus. spirituality is what you feel ,religion can't be what you feel

Answer 10

And in the absence of God, where did "spiritual qualities", or anything "spiritual" come from? Biological evolution?