For atheists: how do you define "love"? What is the nature of your spirit, if you have one?

Question

I can clearly see that "believers" dont have the market on "closed mindedness" and unnecessary defensiveness. Folks, ya'll are no better or worse than anyone who believes.

Answer 1

Love: A blanket term covering altruism, physical desire, caring, devotion and harmony with another person.

My "spirit" is an extroardinarly complex system of atoms that can understand itself. In itself, it is facinating. It does not requre anything above the material.

Answer 2

I define love as an often miss used word. The nature of my spirit is natural.

spir·it (sprt)
n.
1.
a. The vital principle or animating force within living beings.
b. Incorporeal consciousness.
2. The soul, considered as departing from the body of a person at death.
3. Spirit The Holy Spirit.
4. A supernatural being, as:
a. An angel or a demon.
b. A being inhabiting or embodying a particular place, object, or natural phenomenon.
c. A fairy or sprite.
5.
a. The part of a human associated with the mind, will, and feelings: Though unable to join us today, they are with us in spirit.
b. The essential nature of a person or group.
6. A person as characterized by a stated quality: He is a proud spirit.
7.
a. An inclination or tendency of a specified kind: Her actions show a generous spirit.
b. A causative, activating, or essential principle: The couple's engagement was announced in a joyous spirit.
8. spirits A mood or an emotional state: The guests were in high spirits. His sour spirits put a damper on the gathering.
9. A particular mood or an emotional state characterized by vigor and animation: sang with spirit.
10. Strong loyalty or dedication: team spirit.
11. The predominant mood of an occasion or a period: "The spirit of 1776 is not dead" Thomas Jefferson.
12. The actual though unstated sense or significance of something: the spirit of the law.
13. An alcohol solution of an essential or volatile substance. Often used in the plural with a singular verb.
14. spirits An alcoholic beverage, especially distilled liquor.
tr.v. spir·it·ed, spir·it·ing, spir·its
1. To carry off mysteriously or secretly: The documents had been spirited away.

Answer 3

Love itself doesn't really exist. The feeling of "love" is just an intimate emotion that we feel when we're with someone we feel comfortable around (not that it makes it any less beautiful). It's like being around a life-long friend, except you're sexually attracted to that person.

There is no such thing as a spirit. Like the guy below me said, it's all materialistic. Just a bunch of neuron connections in the brain. It gives the illusion of a soul or spirit, but it's really our subconscious mind and inner thoughts.

Answer 4

We define love, the same as anyone else. Do you really think a person can not love with out a god? As to the nature of my spirit, What do you mean by that? Our soul? who we are? How we feel? The same as any person. Atheist means no belief in god. Other then that we are just like any other person.

Answer 5

I think the standard definition from Meriam Webster works:

"(1): strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties (2): attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3): affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests b: an assurance of love "

What is the "nature of [my] spirit, if [I] have one?" Hmmm, without knowing exactly what you are asking..

I define spirit not as a supernatural animating force but as a mind/body connection, which includes emotion. I think the nature of my spirit is changing and growing stronger. The older I get, the more aware I am of myself, of my needs, and of the needs of those I care about. I am just "me." Nothing special, but not unspecial. Just "me."

Answer 6

How do you feel when someone discriminates against you for being a woman? How do you feel when someone treats you differently because of the school you went to or the economic background you come from. How do you feel when guys treat you differently b/c you're not as well endowed as another girl?

Love, to an atheist, is the polar opposite of that feeling. Reading questions like these spark the same feelings as the statements above b/c one group criticizes me for being different than them. Ironically this group preaches tolerance and acceptance yet its followers pick and choose exactly how they exercise those practices.

The nature of my spirit is simply to "be." To, through the day to day routine of life, make this world a better place than it was when I first came and to give something to society that, without my existence, could not have been produced. I do this without fear of eternal retribution for mistakes made. I do this without chastizing people for being different and without constant review of the same text day in and day out. I recognize that time moves forward and not backward and that everyone is different yet through our differences we collectively are one. This is my "spirit." What original thought have you given to yours that was not first explained to you through text, mass assembly or fear?

Answer 7

A. For the definition of love, check the dictionary.

B. The nature of my spirits will depend on the alcohol content, I prefer 13%, which wine fits the bill very well.

Answer 8

Deep admiration, caring, devotion, and passion for another human being.

My spirit is my love of life and everything around me.

Yes dear, atheists have souls. You don't have to be a Christian to feel emotion. Crazy, huh?

Answer 9

how do i define love? what kind of question is that? i am the same as you, i am human! i feel an urging desire to have someone or something all my life, i feel love! i am composed of the same biological material as you. i do not hate people for no reason at all, i have morals. but i have taken upon myself the responsibility of choosing what i think is right and wrong, and if i am wrong, i do not blame anybody! it is my fault if i am wrong! tell me, do you christians ever reflect upon your actions and history?

Answer 10

Questions like this reveals the depth of Christian Indoctrination. It is actually hard for you to imagine that an Atheist can love and be loved. I feel sorry for you.