Atheists I have a question....and some comments on spirituality (possible ranting may follow)

by Jon Preston 27 Replies latest jw friends

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  Jon Preston

  Ok i just thought about this because its been in the back of my mind deep in the subconscious goop where i store many a curious thing:

  What is spirituality to an atheist? What is its meaning? Is it tangible? Is there a physicality to it?

  You see i staryed thinking about all the WT used to say to me about spirituality. You know, spirits are invisible and all that.

  Spiritual is defined:

  spir·i·tu·al [ spírrichoo əl ]

  1. of soul: relating to the soul or spirit, usually in contrast to material things
  2. of religion: relating to religious or sacred things rather than worldly things
  3. temperamentally or intellectually akin: connected by an affinity of the mind, spirit, or temperame

  Heck even JWs dont believe in the "soul" in this manner. Their "soul" is life which is........wait for it....physical. Right?

  I like how definition two speaks of worldly things. Strangely enough there is PLENTY outside this world that is still physical. Even light rays, gamma rays, xrays.....the wind, are part of anphysical universe even though you cant see them. So wouldnt one have to step OUT of the universe to become NOT physical? I know im ranting but when i think about it....im having trouble fathoming what spirituality REALLY is....logically.

  Someone please enlighten me.

  JP
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  OnTheWayOut

  Definition number 1:

  1. of soul: relating to the soul or spirit, usually in contrast to material things

  Spirituality is having to do with the things in life that don't involve paying the rent and getting by. Even there, those things overlap.
  Spirituality has to do with one's emotional and mental well-being- seeking peace and love and family happiness, relaxing and engaging in activity that brings pleasure or happiness. Seeking spirituality means trying to stay in harmony with one's surroundings, or in my case- with one's desired surroundings.
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  Caedes

  To me spirituality is lumped in with the supernatural, it's verbal shorthand for believing in things despite having no empirical justification. To me it intellectual laziness.
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  Phizzy

  Spirtuality means different things to different people. Many people practice Spirtuality without religion, or belief in a Deity.

  One such person put it this way :

  "It's about making time to contemplate the awesomeness of life on earth, the extraordinary luck this planet has in sustaining life."

  The enjoyment we get from Art, Music, a beautiful Sunrise or Sunset, the "Spirit" we feel as a Football crowd roars in unison ............

  So many things are simply not physical/material, theytranscend the physical, they are therefore spiritual.

  But choose your own things. Or, as Bluebottle used to say in the famous BBC radio show The Goon Show, "You get your own thinks."
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  LisaRose

  You don't need to believe in God to be spiritual. As your definition said, relating to the soul. Walking in a beautiful forest is spiritual to me. It's those things that make me stop and appreciate my life, the things that make me glad that I am alive. When I was a believer I attributed these things to God. I don't believe he is involved in the equation anymore, but I still appreciate them.

  Other things that make me feel spiritual:

  The sight of my grandaughter's face for the first time.

  A beautiful sunset (preferably with a glass of wine in hand)

  A moment shared with another where you understand exactly what they are feeling.

  The moment in the creation of a work of art that you know exactly what you are trying to say, where it suddenly makes sense.
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  punkofnice

  What is spirituality to an atheist?

  Well although I don't believe in god I don't speak for 'atheists' as a collective. I only speak for myself.

  What is its meaning? Is it tangible? Is there a physicality to it?

  My personal answer is that spirituality is also known as delusion. It is a word that contains the word 'ritual'. It only has value to those that think it works for them.

  I don't see it as a process for those that don't have a belief in something bigger.

  There that's my 2 cents!
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  Jon Preston

  So spirituality could be (and probably is) a result of physical chemicals secreted within us to facilitate emotional responses based on stimuli from outside......unless its supernatural which still has physical characteristics if it is not delusion. My point is:

  there is SO much debate on physical vs spiritual

  physical body resurrection vs spiritual body resurrection

  heaven (spiritual right?) vs earth (physical)

  angels (spiritual yet not physical?) vs human (fleshly, physical)

  get where im goingnwith this.

  How can spiritual still not be, in part, physical?

  Too many black vs white issues come out of this argumant and form the bass for the "im right youre wrong" arguments. Is it really worth all that?
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  cantleave

  I have no belief in the supernatural. I appreciate the splendor, percieve the beauty and feel emotion when I consider the wonders of the universe and the natural world. This is not spirituality, but it is nevertheless awe inspiring.
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  designs

  "The earth is what we all have in common" W. Berry
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  OnTheWayOut

  Too many black vs white issues come out of this argumant and form the bass for the "im right youre wrong" arguments. Is it really worth all that?

  NO! Go have a spiritual life- go enjoy yourself.