What occurs when a Athiest has direct experience?

Question

Recently I read an discussion on Y!A's about how Atheism can be "spiritual" or how Atheism can be "religious." I agree with such assessments as spiritual "can be" seen as "mystical" and there is something very "mystical" to life, via Quantum Physics and a religion is a philosophy lived and practiced, i.e. an Atheist could be a Buddhist, since Buddhism states that man create gods, constructs that confine them and all there is really is us. But to be fair the objective of Buddhism is the same as every other belief that exist as the core knows it of a particular movement; Gnosticism for Christianity, Sufism for Islam, Jewish Mysticism for Judaism,etc, which objective is to transcend into a inner state of knowing into a higher reality of ones being and harmony, both within and without.

So what occurs to an "spiritual" Atheist when they become acquainted with such a inner reality that transcends material existence to a reality where symmetry can only be found?

Peace

Or is that the point of Atheism, to suspect, deny, and be skeptical until you prove it within yourself? But if this be so, there has to be an initial aspect of faith that it is possible to prove, or it defeats the objective to prove.

Answer 1

An atheist may have a direct spiritual experience but only by accident. It is the methodology and purpose of atheism to restrict itself to sense data, reason and logic which restricts it to investigating things in space and time. But spiritual experience is experience of That which beyond space and time.

In addition, quantum physics agrees with religion that there are no such things as time, space or material objects.

I have met a few spiritual atheists and they call themselves atheist because they are rebellion against organized religion and/or a notion of an individuated God. They are unaware that no authentic religion posits an individuated God. For religion, God is everywhere all the time, all is One.

Answer 2

"Atheism" = "a" + "theism" = "no belief in deity". That's ALL the word means. For one, that in and of itself does automatically not rule out all beliefs of a "spiritual" nature. Or even aside from beliefs like that, it's certainly not true that all atheists believe that science is the one and only way to answer questions or to get a valid experience.

You make an assumption at the bottom of the "point of atheism". But two atheists can have radically different views when it comes to "the point" (whatever that's supposed to mean.)

Answer 3

All atheists really are are people who don't believe in a God. They can follow a particular belief system, they just won't think there is a higher being manipulating their entire existence.

Really, when you cut out all of the fire, brimstone, going to heaven, getting down and praying, and all of that other stuff, all the religious texts are are just guide books as to how to be a good person, right?

Answer 4

You can find harmony in the universe and not need to construct a deity to get there. This was the God of Einstein, and what he referred to when he said, "Science without religion is lame." You can appreciate the universe and experience the wonder of seeing it in greater detail, all for achieving understanding of a few equations.

Answer 5

Atheism in itself is not a path. Theism in itself is also not a path. Christianity, Islam and Judaism and Buddhism are not paths. Gnosticism, Sufism and Kaballah are not paths. Any path that has a name is not a path. Does that answer your question? I hope not... also, look into Spinoza and Spinoza's God. What is Spinoza's God?

Answer 6

There is a difference between an Agnostic and an Atheist.

I am an atheist and I am not spiritual. I don't believe anything except live and die. I had a dog and his name was Rover. When he died he died all over. Fini




aen

Answer 7

Ummmm they understand that as a spiritual atheist they've just had a spiritual experience?

I don't understand where the confusion is.

Pagan Taoist (atheist)

Answer 8

Atheism is a belief like bald is a hair color.Atheism is neither an evangelical endeavor,nor is it mystical.

Answer 9

the point of an athiest is that they do not believe anything that cannot be proven scientifically. plain and simple. I don't even know what a "spiritual athiest" is, it sounds like an oxymoron.

Answer 10

Question or lecture? Doesn't sound like any atheists I know, that's for sure.