by Pinku 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Mterialism as we find today is maximum production and maximum consumption even recklessly using credit card--with no thought for the future
What has that got to do with atheism?
Materialism is the position that everything that exists is ultimately physical.
You are confusing it with economic materialism which is a completely unconnected topic.
You are befuddled and incoherent.
Spiritual Atheism = Buddhism (For Some)
Again I agree with Cofty as usual, and these labels can be annoying, people who say they are "spiritual" for example, that means nothing without great explanation and qualification.
But there are of course many, many types of individual in the eclectic group of humans who are Atheists. A good number who are without god/s will turn out to be selfish, some even amoral, as will a good number, I think probably a larger number, turn out to be altruistic, moral people.
This is also true of religious people.
I suppose the selfish and amoral would be thought of by the opening poster as "materialistc", but as I just said, in truth some who profess to be religious are selfish, and some even amoral, so the label "materialistic" is simply of no worth, the label "Spiritual" meaningless.
Humanism is one way of thought. We do not need the supernatural realm to be ethical and reach our potential.
I shed the word "spiritual" as a personal adjective. New age philosophies have attempted to redefine the word as its antonym, but it just strikes me as another way to make atheism more palatable to non-atheists. IMHO
spir·it·u·al ˈspiriCHo͞oəl adjective adjective: spiritual
Cofty,
Look behind what stand beneath economic materialism or the fuel that economic materialism runs on, then you will find what you said and what I said are one and the same thing.
LisaRose,
Yours is the best comments—that is the best approach in life and safest course in life. LisaRose, by saying this you place yourself in a best position to attract the good wherever it is available—from life, nature, and from God if there is one.
Very nice conclusion to the subject!
Pinku - Just admit you totally misunderstood the meaning of materialism in this context and now you are bullshitting.
We have come a long way from that original meaning of the word spiritual. Using the words such as SPIRIT of the article, novel, movies ……and keeping the law in its letter and SPIRIT are all everyday use in the vocabulary of people. Such uses are thousand years of old. Hence Galatians 5:25, 26 contrasts spiritual with egotistical.
Has it not always been entwined with religion, though?
IMO it's compromising something that shouldn't be compromised. It reminds me of when my jw parent calls gay partners "friends" or "roommates". She cannot bear to speak aloud what it really is, because it's distasteful to her.
It should be socially acceptable to claim to be an atheist without tempering it with religion-based words. It should not be distasteful. That would be the mark of a reasonable society.
------------
Edit: I have changed my view on this over the years after thinking a great deal about it. @ first I defined myself that way, but I quickly learned this was offensive to many atheists. My immediate reaction was that is silly, but I came to understand and agree.
It is not possible to be "spiritual" without a religious framework. Belief in the supernatural is religious.
Here is an article on it.
Respectfully, ~me
