Atheists here always claim to be spiritual. How can you be spiritual if you do not believe in a spirit?

Question

The Bible claims God is a Spirit.
The Bible claims that Man has a Spirit.

Yet you as an Atheist make it very clear that you reject the Bible and Spirituality.

Yet you are here answering the same question that is posed because of the contradiction in your stated beliefs, and statements about your beliefs. How can you be spiritual?

Johnny - have you not read the 10 bazillion questions about why Atheists are in the Religious section. A high percentage of answers by atheits is that they consider themselves spiritual.

I agree with you it does sound illogical. But I am hoping someone will explain their point of view here.

Answer 1

I am an Evangelical Christian and often wonder why there are so many athiests in religion/spirt categories. I guess it is because they love to spread their doctrine, number one, and number two, they love to argue their points.

Answer 2

From what I gather, your knowledge says that to be spiritual is to follow the Bible's teaching and idea of the spirit..
I can understand where that could give one a lot to question about Atheist or non religious people..because a lot of times when one is religious..their ideas are as big as the text and practices that they are taught...and nothing more. First we must remove the titles of these groups of people or learn to understand them in a different tune. Non religious does not mean that a person is non spiritual. They are two different ideas..
And Christians I know , know that everyone has a spirit..and why would you want to dis empower any display of of a person's inner being by saying they are not spiritual?
People can chose from a plethora of religious groups or secs to be a part of but the spirit does not stop there..It lives in our daily being..the way we interact with others and in the many ways we may express ourselves through art..music...writing...the way we love the sun or the smell of flowers..they way you love you parents..or miss people when they are gone....the spirit is in everyone even Atheists who acknowledge they have one and in those who claim to not..I suppose what I am trying to say is to be spiritual starts with knowing there is a spirit regardless of where you chose to gain ideas..remember what you said..." The bible claims God is a spirit. the bible claims that man has a spirit". If you trust those words enough to use them as your support to your argument, then you should know that the Atheists has a spirit. I say let us not attack and judge an "Atheists' " interest in the topics but embrace each others willingness to participate and openness to even the energy of maybe..Peace and Love

Answer 3

I'm certainly not at all spiritual. Now that you mention it though, I have noticed that some atheists do claim to be. I guess you could believe in the existence of spirits but not a God, but I do agree it seems weird to reject belief in God as unfounded and illogical, but still be "spiritual." Maybe they're using a slightly different definition?

Answer 4

I'm atheist. Never stated, claimed to be spiritual. I believe I am moral. And I believe I treat all fairly and honestly. The closest thing to spirit would be my own conscience within. That rewards me or punishes in the present for doing right or wrong. No! There is nothing spiritual about it. Unfortunately not everyone has one. And there are many of every belief lacking morals, even including my own.

Answer 5

I do not reject spirituality, I rejct your fairy tale book called the bible.
For just me:
"if im not wrong, atheists aren't into anything to do with spiritual concepts as they DO NOT believe in anything science cannot explain,"
That is where you are wrong when it concerns this atheist. I do not believe the "soul" will go to heaven or hell, but I believe that your life energy (that's what I call it) will return to the atmosphere.Unless you have unfinished business then you will stay here on Earth. As far as I know, scinence has not proved any of what I believe.

"the only thing they have to do with spirits is they deny it."
I already stated that I deny your god, his son and his holy spirit, but I have NOT denied a person's life force. So I suggest you do more research and understand that just because one atheist believes one thing, doesn't mean we all do.

Answer 6

I think you are confusing meanings here. Let us associate "Spirit" with God and "spirit" with Man. From an the point of view of philosophical idealism, God is the ultimate idea, Mind or Spirit. I think this is what an atheist would reject. But the spirit of man is an emergent property in the sense that you cannot lay a man on the surgical table and say, "look, this is his spirit." You would not materially find such a thing. I like the Yoruba concept of "Ori," literally meanning "head" but for the Yoruba, it is that thing in each person that guides the Man as he carries on the living functions from physiological to psychological to social etc. That is your soul. You know it is an emergent property of the living being because it is not present in a dead being though all the material elements are still in there but howbeit in non-vital state.

Answer 7

Consider for a moment that your bible only reflects the ideas and attitudes of a small minority of people. There are many religions that don't support that way of thinking. We are all spirits who happen to occuy a body while we are here in the physical. Your bible has nothing to do with that. Don't necessarily confuse your religion with spirituality.

Answer 8

Only the narrow-minded believe that spirituality is only encompassed in the Bible. A minority of people inhabiting the planet are Christians, yet many outside that tradition consider themselves spiritual. Buddhism is largely an atheistic religion, but I doubt you would consider the Dalai Lama non-spiritual. The only thing that defines atheism is a lack of belief in God, not a lack of belief in the supernatural.

However, I am among those atheists that do not believe in a supernatural world. Among those with similar beliefs, spirituality can include a deep connection to others, a sense of awe at the grandeur of the universe, and often a meditation practice.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

Answer 9

You can take the bible, give it to ten people to read, and they will come up with ten different concepts, of what it means!
The same can be said about a 'spirit', or a 'soul'. When I look at pictures of the Grand Canyon, and get chills at the sheer beauty of nature, it doesn't have a thing to do with god!
Spirtuality has many different meanings, for many different people! I have it, and none of it is god related!

Answer 10

and once again you pious people come on here questioning and insulting. Doesnt your god teach you acceptance? How many atheists do you see out there going door to door trying to force beliefs telling people they are going to burn for eternity because they dont agree with you, or killing in the name of a leader for that matter. Religion can be very dangerous. Its group think... thats how Hitler killed millions. Even these spiritual leaders cant be trusted. Look how many cases of child rape and molestation come from the church. You say we have contradictions? Lets not even go there. Your god teaches you to accept, forgive, and respect... it seems like we can actually accomplish these virtues, and without the need for someone to tell us to.

He without sin shall cast the first stone. Before you break apart our way of thinking for being inconsistent, worry about your own inconsistencies. Anyways, what do we care if we contradict ourselves, we dont have to prove our beliefs to a higher power.

Answer 11

Complimentary Contrast is what supports this "dimension-form " we are in . ~ Light/Dark Good/Evil An atheist who does not believe in Spirit , is just a contrast for belief of Spirit .and vice-verse .
If I were to fold my arms and raise up on my toes and state," I have decided to not Judge today, " I have just judged. Same thing -- A role is a role. LOL