Can Atheists be 'spirtiual? And how?

Question

I don't believe in the supernatural, ghosts or gods, I don't believe in miracles or divine intervention.

I don't believe in the spirit or spirituality, I believe in scientific materialism, meaning everything we know about can be explained with science.

It’s surprising to hear about ‘spiritual atheism’ and I’d like to read how people can be so.

Is it emotion or spiritual?

Answer 1

Writer Ursula King once said that "...spirituality is now understood anthropologically as an exploration into what is involved in becoming fully human".

According to Plato, spirituality can be directed, and is often aimed at:
*simultaneously improving one's wisdom and willpower
*achieving a closer connection to Deity/the universe
*removing illusions or "false ideas" at the sensory, feeling and thinking aspects of a person.

I believe that the third asterisk describes many atheists quite well.

Answer 2

I personally believe in a type of spirit energy. When we "die" we go back to the spiritual whole. I also think that we will one day be able to study this through scientific means. I don't, however, have any evidence to back it up nor do I expect anyone else to agree with me.

In addition, I look at life as a spiritual journey. Simply looking within and really focusing on self development can be spiritual. I take this opportunity to learn all that I can. I think that is spiritual. It doesn't have to have anything to do with the supernatural. The spirit, if it exists, is quite natural.

Answer 3

By strict definition, an atheist can believe in anything except a god. However, most atheists do not believe in god because they are also skeptics. A skeptic requires substantial reproducable corroborated empirical (did I leave any adjectives out?) evidence in order to accept anything as true. A skeptic is not likely to believe in ghosts or magic or reincarnation or spirit energy or any other form of mysticism.

So an atheist can be 'spiritual' but most aren't.

(it may also be helpful for you to define 'spiritual')

Answer 4

Atheism is absence of belief in a god or gods. Though illogical - miracles, ghosts and such CAN be believed in by an atheist as atheism isn't about them. An atheist can be spiritual.

Answer 5

Chippy got it

being spiritual isnt about believing in anything supernatural
it is about being aware of our connection in this life
there are many many spiritual Atheists

as others have mentioned
being an Atheist doesnt mean you cant believe in the supernatural though
it is ONLY about a lack of belief in deities

Answer 6

A lot of atheists feel spiritual about scientific discovery. Knowing the truth of the universe is a noble endeavor, and atheists are the most honest about it.

Answer 7

I have spirit and drive, if I did not I would not want to get out of bed in the mornining. I recently was involved in a bad wreck and the car was totalled but me, my sister and my 2 month old nice walked away with bruises and a few scratches and I was happy. We lived and that to me is spirit when you find things and reasons to keep going.

Answer 8

My atheistic spirituality is tied to my connections to nature and to other people. It is, without doubt, based on my emotional life, that which draws me to things I love and to things that bring me a sense of awe. I also find it beneficial to meditate.

I asked a similar question the other day and received the following definition of spirituality that I think is beneficial:

The essence of spirituality is "to know oneself in relation to everything else."

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

Answer 9

Certainly. everyone is an individual.. Like stars tracking individual courses through the night sky. No 2 people are exactly the same.

Answer 10

Of course they can. Atheism is merely the lack of belief in a supreme being.

The link below might clear it up a bit, there's not just one 'type' of atheist. Nor is that list exhaustive.