Do You Consider Yourself A "Spiritual" Person Still?

minimus

I think I am but am not exactly sure what it means.

PublishingCult

I think I am but am not exactly sure what it means.

Nope. Not a spiritual person here. I don't believe in anything supernatural or spiritual.

I believe that spiritual refers to "that which is outside of or beyond nature." The main problem with the word "Spiritual" is that like "Natural" it is used so casually that it really has no meaning. It is usually associated with the emotions, feelings and the irrational side of human existence. Theists also use the term to indicated some connection to their god or Jesus. This makes the word a bit of a land mine for those of us who see no evidence for anything beyond the universe we can observe.

This is a good video addressing the concept of "spirituality".

Spirituality

Terry

In order to "heal" from my long association with JW's I went through a years long regime of examining my vocabulary.

I would take a word or two a day. I'd try to state aloud what MY accumulated definition was and then compare it to the dictionary.

Then, I'd compare those two with current JW belief.

I was greatly alarmed!

I had carried with me OUT OF THE KINGDOM HALL almost all of THEIR definitions, attitudes and world views.

How would I ever get my OWN mind back? I had traded my identity and consciousness for a fake vocabulary!!

Long story short: I started replacing my vocabulary word by word.

I categorize words by TWO MAIN headings: CONCRETE (real, accessible by the senses) and CONCEPTUAL (not accessible by the senses)

I'm especially wary of CONCEPTUAL words. They are dangerous.

Why?

Because they are the MASTER FILE all your other related ideas GO INTO.

Spiritual and Spirituality are indeed CONCEPTUAL.

Here is how this works. For instance, the concept “man” includes all men who live at present, who have ever lived or will ever live.

What happens if you insert imaginary, mythical or literary "men" into your concept folder and TREAT THEM THE SAME as real men??

You see what I'm saying?

Fact and Fiction cannot mix any more than a drop or two of poison can mix with a healthy glass of orange juice.

What a REALLY EXISTING MAN may have done historically had a real impact. His thoughts and sayings came out of reality and society. But, a mythical man's words and deeds come out of imagination. THEY DON'T RELATE to the same reality I must live in day to day.

What if you mix REAL men who actually live with components of myths and legends that grew up around them?

You see how tricky this becomes?

The best you can do when it gets slippery on the slope between REAL and IMAGINARY is to post a RED FLAG that ALLOWS YOU TO BE SKEPTICAL and question EVERYTHING before you let it in to your mind, your brain, your belief system!

So, I do NOT regard myself as a SPIRITUAL person because I am real and want real thoughts about real people kept SEPARATE as possible from

mythical, imaginary and literary ideas.

The frightening conclusion is really mind-boggling. Actual history has probably been shaken loose by MIXING in people's MINDS (belief systems) the imaginary and mythical and CONFUSING THEM with reality.

Mankind has become an easy target as stooges for superstition by believing the fictional words and deeds of imaginary people... perhaps living and dying because of that unshakeable conviction!

Serving an imaginary Authority is like living in a comic book that can kill you or at least ruin your life.

Satanus

Yah well, sorry about that.

S

Terry

Yah well, sorry about that.

S

Ha ha ha...I gotta love you, Satanus. I really do!

minimus

Terry is The Devil.

satinka

Interesting theory, Terry. And I certainly agree that we have to reframe our definitions until we can re-situate ourselves in a healthier new environment upon exiting the jws. If we kept their mindset, we would surely self-destruct.

However, I still consider myself spiritual. The best way I can explain why ... is something I blogged about http://hey-whichwayisup.blogspot.com/2011/03/kindness-of-stranger.html. I was feeling really bummed out about my brother and my two children who shun me, until I viewed it from a "spiritual" standpoint. Once I realized the "spiritual" implications about the kindness of a stranger shown toward me, the entire event taught me a valuable "spiritual" lesson. Without my new --- what I call a "spiritual" perception, I would have continued feeling down.

satinka

Was New Boy

More now then ever. I'm a spiritual creature having a physical expierence!

satinka

One more thing...I have re-framed my definitions of "spiritual" from when I was JW.

I used to define myself as spiritual when:

1. I read my Bible (I don't read it anymore, unless I'm refuting some old jw belief)

2. I went in service ... Like bookpeddling makes anyone spiritual!

Just to give you an example of what I mean.

satinka

Satanus

'Terry is The Devil.'

No, he's not, I am. I mean, how does 'terry the devil' sound??! It doesn't sound right. It's 'satan the devil'. Those ancient guys knew what they were talking about.

S

Do You Consider Yourself A "Spiritual" Person Still?

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