I'm a very spiritual, metaphysical, possibly slightly psychic , intuitive type person who is pretty much against everything about organized religion and all about tuning into the outdoors and nature and the reality of living in the here and now. I am very irreligious. Best way I know to answer your question. Good thread by the way, you make some good points
Are you religious or are you spiritual? Wake up to what?
by Deltawave 113 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Giordano
The good news is that god's and writers of holy books are not needed .....there is no bad news.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/neurospirit/201205/spiritual-transcendence
"Simply, we argue that spiritual experiences are based in the neuropsychological process of “selflessness.” Psychological research and neuropsychological case studies (i.e., related to persons with brain injuries) clearly indicate that certain parts of our brain are related to defining and focusing on the “self.” The less individuals focus on the self, the more capable they are of focusing on things beyond the self (which is the basic definition of transcendence).
..............In a nutshell, the right parietal lobe (RPL) of the brain is associated with “self-orientation.” If you look at a picture of yourself, the RPL becomes active. If you injure your right parietal lobe, you have “disorders of the self” such as ignoring the left side of space (in extreme cases individuals deny that their left arm/leg is theirs). The bottom line---if you injure your RPL you will focus less on yourself, or expressed another way, you become more “selfless.”All of us have experienced a decreased focus on ourselves (or increased selflessness) at times in our lives. For example, have you ever become lost in reading a book, watching a movie, or listening to a piece of music and feel the need to orient yourself after it is finished ..............................
Have you ever become lost (i.e., less focused on yourself) when watching your child in a play or getting his/her first at-bat in a t-ball league? Have you ever become lost when falling in love for the first time, totally absorbed in your lover? Or, have you ever become lost in prayer or meditation during which you feel a sense of connection with your god or universe, feeling at one with everything? If so, there’s a good chance you minimized your focus on your “self.” Buddhist monks and Franciscan nuns have been shown to minimize RPL functioning during meditation and prayer, respectively. Our research, and other research with tumor patients in Italy, suggests that injury to the RPL is also associated with increased reports of transcendence. Taken together, minimizing a focus on the self (through religious practices or injuries/disorders) can be associated with increased spiritual transcendence.
Spirituality is likely a complex, multi-dimensional experience related to many neuropsychological abilities and expressed according to different contexts and cultures............."
Gio's POV: Dragging the holy men and their writings into a discussion about Spirituality when it's......... perhaps......a neuropsychological effect muddies the water.
Ancient and present cultures have always been able to experience a transcendence aided by meditation, dancing around a fire, chanting, fasting, or just looking at the night sky.
I usually experience transcendence when wading and fishing a trout stream. Trout always pick the cleanest, freshest, coolest water. The calm, becoming one with nature, stepping out of myself......then rounding a bend and seeing beer cans and bottles on the edge of a stream " god damn sum of a bitch!"
Oh yeah I understand losing that feeling right quick.
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sparrowdown
Welcome Delta.
Hi, I feel similarly to what Mr Flipper said, and he's a good example of the great people you can find here -a real gentlemen.
Good luck with your journey out of the borg, and nice to hear someone else has made it out.
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JWINQUESTION
Hey deltaware,
interesting post. I will comment on it later. Thanks again.
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Crazyguy
I woke to the fact that for thousands of years people were being encouraged to be generally good to one another. Hamurabi's laws going way back before any ten commandments the Jews used ,prove this. I also realized what the Bible writers were trying to get across with thier teachings concerning and about Jesus and now I live a more Christian life then any JW I know. -
JWINQUESTION
Well I want to say welcome deltawave. :) I personally will look into this BK thing. I am an open minded atheist and in the process of researching.
I commend you and thank you for your post. Don't mind the rude behaviour of some posters on here.
It is true that if you are highly opinionated on here and try to present those opinions as fact some posters will tactlessly try to jump on you.
While I believe in addressing skewed or irrational viewpoints, such can be done with tact, humility and kindness.
Keep showing your kind demeanour in your post even if others don't do the same.
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LisaRose
I have been ridiculed for saying that I still feel spiritual even though I don't believe in God, but I have been researching and their are other people who feel as I do. Of course you could argue all day about the definition of spirituality, but that is the closest I can come to describing what I feel.
For me, being spiritual means that I spend time every day in meditation and self reflection. I feel connected to other people and with nature. I am happiest when my outward actions match my inner values and I am always seeking balance and peace in my life. I feel that material things are less important than people. Like anyone else I have had my share of life's ups and downs, but I work very hard at keeping an optimistic attitude.
I would never ridicule someone for expressing a belief in God, as I see no point to it. I don't think every one is ready to give up belief in a diety and I do think religion is helpful to some people. Of course I am against any religion that teaches hate.
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smiddy
Why do normal human beings have to have other normal human beings act as gurus or mentors for them ?
Who decides who has the intellectual capacity to decide this ?
Why do you need another imperfect person to decide this for yourself ?
smiddy
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Viviane
Don't mind the rude behaviour of some posters on here.
It is true that if you are highly opinionated on here and try to present those opinions as fact some posters will tactlessly try to jump on you.I it very curious you think is tactless to jump on an expose lies. On an completely unrelated note, I have this amazing wheat to sell you.
The rude behavior is the lie in the first place, not the exposure of it.
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Viviane
However the delta wave is the brain wave of someone asleep. So if I as trying to promote another cult or sect I would have chosen alpha wave which is to be awake Haha
That is 100% a BK teaching. I am pretty sure we've covered this ground before...