Most humans seem to crave some sort of spirituality at some level. Natural selection would favor it for certain reasons. Chimpanzees have sometimes been known congregate and dance around waterfalls for no apparent reason. Most of us are spiritual by nature. Very few aren't. In fact, if you're denying it, you're probably suppressing it. So, it would make sense that we'd invent religion and hang on to it tightly.
On the other hand, I don't see any problem with running away with these feelings as long as you keep them under control and keep a strong hold on reality. We all have these feelings and we should make sure we're careful about them. If anyone wonders why atheists do convert, it's because they probably didn't learn to experience these things without belief. In fact, of all the atheist conversion stories I've heard, they always refer back to their life as an atheist as meaningless. Among those converts, most were atheists from the time that they were brought up. Perhaps atheists who are former believers understand spiritual feelings better and learned to find other experiences after conversion. Of course this is speculation and generalization, but I am definitely seeing a pattern.
We're animals that crave a feeling of higher reality. We crave it so greatly that it makes us vulnerable to fallacy. Of course I'm not talking about yourreligion . But I'll refer to something that we all disagree with mutually: Scientology. We all know that's a load of bulls**t, but look at how many people actually convert to it. Its claims satisfy this deep higher desire, but they hijack the feeling and use it to take people's money.
Now talking about your religion, how do you know that your desires are not being hijacked an manipulated? What if I just said "there is something that people tell their children at a young age that is so strongly appealing that not believing it will be hard." Perfectly plausible to imagine, but the nature of religion prevents you from questioning it. It hurts to question it. I would know because I was a believer too, and many of you already know that.
But, I've learned that the other side isn't so bad and it's not without spiritual feeling to possibly a higher degree. I know that my number of profound experiences on average hasn't gone down since I deconverted. I feel clear. I feel at peace now. There are no hard questions to answer about what I believe because I lack belief. I'm never defending something unprovable. I let myself go and wonder, "just what did this place we call the universe all come from?"
I find a deeper spiritual feeling in accepting that I don't know than anything else. Acceptance is deeply spiritual: deeply human.
Most of us are naturally spiritual at some level.
by mankkeli 10 Replies latest jw experiences
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mankkeli
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ziddina
Speak for yerself...
I ain't no 'speeerityoooo'all' person, at all!!
Zid the She-Devil
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ziddina
Bumpin' the thread...
Surely this excellent opening post can generate more responses than one from the board's smart=aleck...??
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OUTLAW
More from topix..
This is the 4th Cut and paste I`ve found from 3 different writters..
Mankkeli has presented as his /her own work..
.....................;-)...OUTLAW
Alkan- The Pianist
- Valued Member
- Posts: 1,229
- Karma: +261/-31
- Bear Mountain, Sedona. Great hike.
Most of us are naturally spiritual at some level.
« on: September 03, 2009, 06:24:40 PM » Most humans seem to crave some sort of spirituality at some level. Natural selection would favor it for certain reasons. Chimpanzees have sometimes been known congregate and dance around waterfalls for no apparent reason. Most of us are spiritual by nature. Very few aren't. In fact, if you're denying it, you're probably suppressing it. So, it would make sense that we'd invent religion and hang on to it tightly.
On the other hand, I don't see any problem with running away with these feelings as long as you keep them under control and keep a strong hold on reality. We all have these feelings and we should make sure we're careful about them. If anyone wonders why atheists do convert, it's because they probably didn't learn to experience these things without belief. In fact, of all the atheist conversion stories I've heard, they always refer back to their life as an atheist as meaningless. Among those converts, most were atheists from the time that they were brought up. Perhaps atheists who are former believers understand spiritual feelings better and learned to find other experiences after conversion. Of course this is speculation and generalization, but I am definitely seeing a pattern.
We're animals that crave a feeling of higher reality. We crave it so greatly that it makes us vulnerable to fallacy. Of course I'm not talking about your religion . But I'll refer to something that we all disagree with mutually: Scientology. We all know that's a load of bulls**t, but look at how many people actually convert to it. Its claims satisfy this deep higher desire, but they hijack the feeling and use it to take people's money.
Now talking about your religion, how do you know that your desires are not being hijacked an manipulated? What if I just said "there is something that people tell their children at a young age that is so strongly appealing that not believing it will be hard." Perfectly plausible to imagine, but the nature of religion prevents you from questioning it. It hurts to question it. I would know because I was a believer too, and many of you already know that.
But, I've learned that the other side isn't so bad and it's not without spiritual feeling to possibly a higher degree. I know that my number of profound experiences on average hasn't gone down since I deconverted. I feel clear. I feel at peace now. There are no hard questions to answer about what I believe because I lack belief. I'm never defending something unprovable. I let myself go and wonder, "just what did this place we call the universe all come from?"
I find a deeper spiritual feeling in accepting that I don't know than anything else. Acceptance is deeply spiritual: deeply human. -
LV101
Ziddy our board's spiritually suppressed she-devil. hope the she-devil has a spiritual craving for santa. i so loved that man as a child.
hugs, Ziddy.
LV101
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ziddina
Waves "Hi!" at Leaving 101....
Actually, my favorite holiday is HALLOWEEN!!!
Well, what would you expect of a She-Devil...
Hey, OUTLAW!! Thanks for pointing that out - I didn't realize that Mankkeli was such a poseur...
Zid
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transhuman68
LOL. Nice catch, OUTLAW! Still, some of Mankkeli's questions are worth answering. Ray Franz suggests that JW's are 'spiritual materialists'- not interested in Jesus message in its pure form, but wanting a physical paradise with good health, houses, everything the world can offer; and living forever, too! So maybe as Witnesses we were never spiritually inclined at all...
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ziddina
What Transhuman said...
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still thinking
What an excellent observation Trans
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transhuman68
LOL It's not my idea- Ray Franz wrote that in his book In Search of Christian Freedom.
