Is it possible for a person to still be spiritual and not believe in God? I am not trying to debate beliefs or non beliefs and I have no malice intended with this question. I am simply someone who is struggling with religion as a whole and my beliefs about the bible have been shaky at best. I do however believe in a higher power, not just as a romantic notion but I simply think it would be arrogant and unrealistic not to. Do any of you feel the same way and if so, how would you descibe this if not spiritual? I would appreciate any insight you have about this.
2007-09-25 07:54:58 · 13 answers · asked by Teresa S 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I'm a spiritual agnostic and although I don't know if there is a god, (but I very much doubt it) I DO believe in a massive conscious energy that I feel very close to sometimes.
Like, I feel sometimes my grandmother (who has passed away long ago) is guiding me and other times I just feel like everything is working right in my day and it's because I'm just on the right "wavelength." I don't believe my death will be the end, but I don't make up a nice "fantasy cloud world" to feel more comfortable with death.
I don't believe in sin or a devil. I just try to be a good person and I catch myself when I'm feeling angry or confrontational. I don't need the threat of a fire pit to keep me following the straight and narrow. I pat myself on the back every day if I've done good things and if I haven't ... I make note to change that behaviour in the future.
I think I believe in angels because I think I met an "earthly" one once. The circumstances of the story were just too darned extrordinary to pass off. I do NOT believe the bible or quran are "holy books" or the word of a living god. I resist the idea of organized religion of any sort and believe it to be "un-natural."
I look at the beauty around me and feel compelled to thank the Earth for fighting our attempts to destroy "her." I marvel at how the Earth can maintain a small flower in a concrete jungle.
I know how you feel. Let's be spiritual, independent-thinking sisters! (Do you like mooses?)
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2007-09-25 08:16:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you can be a spiritual and an atheist, although other atheists may mock you as an "agnostic". Many of them are very hostile to anything even resembling a religion, although they usually reserve their venom for the the mainstream monotheistic religions.
Keep in mind that simply because you don't like the idea of the Christian God does not mean you have to be an atheist. There are other options. Buddhism and pantheism are technically atheistic, although they do have concepts of god or gods.
2007-09-25 08:01:56 · answer #2 · answered by Belzetot 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, even atheists can be spiritual. One does not necessarily need to believe in God, let alone the Christian God and Bible, to be spiritual. I'd love to talk to you more about this, since I've been where you are. Feel free to email me if you like. Best of luck to you!
2007-09-25 08:29:49 · answer #3 · answered by Don P 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the nature of the higher power you believe in. Some people believe in the higher power of the collective universe, some people believe in the higher power of energy, some people just believe in the higher power of ourselves. You can believe in all this, and still be an atheist.
If you view the higher power as being an active, aware entity ... you do believe in a "god", and probably couldn't be considered an atheist. You could look up the definitions of agnostic or deist as well.
2007-09-25 08:03:14 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't believe that there is a higher power, but I would define myself as a spiritual atheist.
One definition of spiritual is: Of, relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material.
This does not require, nor does it shun, belief in the supernatural. Spirituality is defined by the individual. To me, it pertains to that "something" that is more than our physical selves. It's a deep appreciation for beauty, for example, or for music and art, love, awe at the size and impersonal nature of the universe, etc.
2007-09-25 08:11:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
OOh yes. Indeed I would say that religion often gets in the way of spirituality because it blocks the individuals ability to be humane because the rules laid down by the religion stop our human responce
2007-09-25 08:53:44 · answer #6 · answered by Freethinking Liberal 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i am agnostic
i can live with the fact that we have zero to none of the answers we seek regarding the world and its creation
i believe there is something in the world but cannot describe it nor define it--it may be some form of energy
but it is nameless in my mind and is it a spirit?
if a spirit is a form of energy than yes
2007-09-25 10:26:41 · answer #7 · answered by slopoke6968 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is.
Philosopher Robert Solomon wrote a book on this. I'll get you the citation.
Here it is:
http://www.amazon.com/Spirituality-Skeptic-Thoughtful-Love-Life/dp/0195312139/ref=sr_1_1/102-8578650-7220117?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1190746941&sr=1-1
It sounds to me like you're someone who might enjoy this book, and benefit from it as well.
2007-09-25 08:00:53 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You sound more agnostic than atheist.
But yes, one can be a spiritual atheist.
2007-09-25 07:59:41 · answer #9 · answered by glitterkittyy 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Many Buddhists are Atheist.
2007-09-25 07:59:14 · answer #10 · answered by The Return Of Sexy Thor 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋