Spiritual Atheism WTF is that? - Page 2 - Religion, God, and Theology

"spiritual but not religious" is one of my favorite feel-good nonsense phrases. It even has its own wikipedia page!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritu..._Not_Religious

I use to say this line to my family as a stupid cop out because I guess I didn't really care about atheism much at the time and mainly just didn't want to offend them. Actually I might still say that to my granny if she asked...but then she is 97 and I don't exactly want to send her to the grave

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07-18-2012 , 01:16 AM

#27

VeeDDzz`

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 4,384

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnlightenedRaise

hey veeddzz, did you hear the one about the short-sighted circumsiser?

He got the sack.

lol

----------------

a label's just a label.
it's not anywhere near serious in the grand scheme of things, no matter how hard or long people cling to their belief or non-belief..
if one wishes to confine themselves to such concepts, so be it..
i for one, will not be judging, as severely "unchurched" as i am.

SBNR is a big step towards liberation from the mental enslavement of dogma.
it is of no surprise to me that many have chosen to associate with the term.

but spiritual atheist?

whatever...

SBNR?

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07-18-2012 , 01:30 AM

#28

EnlightenedRaise

journeyman

Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 322

Spiritual but not religious

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07-18-2012 , 07:10 AM

#29

Mr Muck McFold

banned

Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 974

Quote:

Originally Posted by jewbinson

He said he happens to be an atheist who isn't spiritual. But there are atheists that are spiritual.

Are you spiritual? (I assume you are an atheist)

If not, do you know people who are an atheist and spiritual? If you do what makes them spiritual?

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07-18-2012 , 07:11 AM

#30

Mr Muck McFold

banned

Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 974

Quote:

Originally Posted by VeeDDzz`

I see these people as half-way converts to atheism. They're not quite complete atheists yet, so they cling onto whatever mysticism they can. Sooner or later, they drop these beliefs too.

Exactly, so would you say you believe in nothing? (nihilism)

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07-18-2012 , 07:13 AM

#31

Mr Muck McFold

banned

Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 974

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajmargarine

Perhaps you are open to some suggestions about your current practice?

3. It's not about "thinking of nothing". That is still thinking. Observe the thoughts. Observe engaging them. Observe not engaging them. What happens when you don't grasp them? What happens when you don't take identity from them? Are they you? Or are they thoughts?

1/2. It's not necessarily about "doing nothing" in "one spot". Can you use the bathroom, wash your hands, go make a sandwich, watch TV, walk on the lawn, etc without taking thought? You'll likely be shocked when you awaken to how 98% of thought is unnecessary and is the cause of all your suffering.

4. It doesn't have to be "as long as possible". Just this moment will do.

Thanks for the tips.

Are you spiritual? (How do you define that? only respond if you an atheist

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07-18-2012 , 07:19 AM

#32

Mr Muck McFold

banned

Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 974

Quote:

Originally Posted by asdfasdf32

No. A leprechaun, if real, would be a being with supernatural powers, but (usually) wouldn't be classified as a deity.

So could an atheist worship a leprechaun? Or to put it better a way could that atheist be spiritual with a leprechaun?

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07-18-2012 , 07:38 AM

#33

jewbinson

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 4,248

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Muck McFold

Are you spiritual? (I assume you are an atheist)

If not, do you know people who are an atheist and spiritual? If you do what makes them spiritual?

Am I spiritual? Well...

I am open to having a spiritual experience but actually I have never experienced anything spiritual.

But I do not actively meditate or anything like that, if that's what you mean.

I'm not sure if I know anyone who is atheist and spiritual. At least I can't think of anyone off the top of my head. I'm sure that spiritual atheists do exist however. They probably just don't believe in a crazy superhuman who is omniblah and whatever, but they (think they) have had supernatural experiences.

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07-18-2012 , 01:09 PM

#34

asdfasdf32

True Facts

Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 13,155

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Muck McFold

So could an atheist worship a leprechaun? Or to put it better a way could that atheist be spiritual with a leprechaun?

Yes, an atheist could be spiritual worshiping a leprechaun, so long as the leprechaun isn't classified as a God. As EnlightenedRaise pointed out earlier, this part gets a bit convoluted since what classifies a "God" is so nebulous.

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07-19-2012 , 06:07 PM

#35

nek777

adept

Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,155

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Muck McFold

I have and still do from time to time mindfulness meditation, but that to me is not spiritual, thats just sitting in one spot, doing nothing and thinking of nothing for as long as possible. So if you want to describe something like mindfulness meditation, dont bother because I do practice that.

That is not how mindfulness meditation was taught to me ... You are not doing nothing, you supposed to be observing.

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