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****Can atheists be spiritual people?****

Mr. Met

Mr. Met

So Amazin
BGOL Investor
Some athiests on this board and abroad have killed agnostics and said we're on the fence.

I don't believe in God ( who is perceived as some old white man with a long beard overseeing everything, let's be real! ), but there is a spirit that lives through me that I can't explain the source of it's origin nor calculate it's power.

Get Farrakhan's speech 'Why do people listen to Farrakhan?' in Miami Fl and he goes into detail on this. This is by far one of his best speeches.

How do atheists perceive spirituality? Some say you lack a spiritual foundation altogether, which I think is impossible.
 
Claiming to be atheist AND spiritual is like putting your hand over your eyes and saying " U caaaan't seeee Meeee". You are basically fooling yourself.
 
Define spiritual.

Atheism:
Atheism is commonly defined as the positive belief that deities do not exist, or as the deliberate rejection of theism. However, others—including most atheistic philosophers and groups—define atheism as the simple absence of belief in deities (cf. nontheism), thereby designating many agnostics, and people who have never heard of gods, such as newborn children, as atheists as well.
 
I got to go with 3rd Eye on this question because he sums it up quite nicely. Moreover, to say you don't believe in God is at least tacidly admit that God does exist. My question to you 9x3, does athiests have a spirit to speak of?

-VG
 
Dert Bagg said:
Define spiritual.

Atheism:
Atheism is commonly defined as the positive belief that deities do not exist, or as the deliberate rejection of theism. However, others—including most atheistic philosophers and groups—define atheism as the simple absence of belief in deities (cf. nontheism), thereby designating many agnostics, and people who have never heard of gods, such as newborn children, as atheists as well.
Click to expand...

So I'm designated to athieist status?

Spiritual simply means getting in touch with your higher self and tapping into your unlimited potential, whatever that may be.

Have atheist already determined a glass ceiling in their world view?
 
I don't know if athiests lack a spiritual foundation because many athiests are good people that are living their lives following a moral code. Just because you don't believe in God doesn't mean you're out of touch with your spirit.
 
9X3inch said:
So I'm designated to athieist status?

Spiritual simply means getting in touch with your higher self and tapping into your unlimited potential, whatever that may be.

Have atheist already determined a glass ceiling in their world view?
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Nah you should call yourself whatever you choose, just know that when you are talking to a self-described atheist, his beliefs may not be as strident and dismissive as so many assume they are. I am an atheist because I don't believe in any gods as presented to me. But I have always been open to discussion, evidence, testimony, and revelation (as my posts in religion threads suggest). I define myself as an atheist because I think that term best describes my lack of belief. I am not a theist. And the evidence so far (for all the "gods" that I am aware of) has not moved me towards the middle position that I find agnosticism to be.

IMO spirituality designates a more-or-less transcendent experience characterized by feelings of peace, or connectedness to everything/everyone. This feeling can give rise to inspiration and revelation (as I have experienced through meditation). I don't think this experience requires God anymore than experiencing gravity does. Some folks stretch the God label out to apply to damn near anything (pantheists, deists) but I'm not in that camp, so I have no problem reconciling a "spiritual" dimension to existence with my atheism.
 
9X3inch said:
Some athiests on this board and abroad have killed agnostics and said we're on the fence.

I don't believe in God ( who is perceived as some old white man with a long beard overseeing everything, let's be real! ), but there is a spirit that lives through me that I can't explain the source of it's origin nor calculate it's power.

Get Farrakhan's speech 'Why do people listen to Farrakhan?' in Miami Fl and he goes into detail on this. This is by far one of his best speeches.

How do atheists perceive spirituality? Some say you lack a spiritual foundation altogether, which I think is impossible.
Click to expand...


Sure... you can believe whatever you want....this is a free country....
But to be on the safe side in case you're wrong.... you might wanna read the bible from time to time.....

Even Fidel Castro -a communist -says he "now" believes in God.... now that he is facing his "ultimate" demise....

consider it as a little "insurance" that just might save you from burning in hell.....
 
3rdEye-ism said:
Claiming to be atheist AND spiritual is like putting your hand over your eyes and saying " U caaaan't seeee Meeee". You are basically fooling yourself.
Click to expand...


You're a moron. Many religion are atheistic in nature and if you have even this slightest difficulty understanding this then you've only validated my accusation.


 
bromack1 said:
Sure... you can believe whatever you want....this is a free country....
But to be on the safe side in case you're wrong.... you might wanna read the bible from time to time.....

Even Fidel Castro -a communist -says he "now" believes in God.... now that he is facing his "ultimate" demise....

consider it as a little "insurance" that just might save you from burning in hell.....
Click to expand...

What do bible readers do to be on the safe side...in case the Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Zoroastorians, Ibos, Greeks, Kemetics, Easter Islanders, Choktaws, Cherokee, Mayans, Incans, Zulu, etc. got it right?

This isn't merely rhetorical. If one chooses God for insurance purposes, which God does one choose?
 
Jam_Jam said:
I don't know if athiests lack a spiritual foundation because many athiests are good people that are living their lives following a moral code. Just because you don't believe in God doesn't mean you're out of touch with your spirit.
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Only atheists are capable of being moral.

This is why Christians, et al, fear and distrust atheists; it's because they cannot fathom true morality, how a human being, could choose good of their own accord without fear of punishment or promise of reward.



 
Dert Bagg said:
What do bible readers do to be on the safe side...in case the Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Zoroastorians, Ibos, Greeks, Kemetics, Easter Islanders, Choktaws, Cherokee, Mayans, Incans, Zulu, etc. got it right?

This isn't merely rhetorical. If one chooses God for insurance purposes, which God does one choose?
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Its simple dude.... choose the one in the country of your birth.... that way you make sure you will be there with your family and friends.....do I have to explain everything......
 
bromack1 said:
Sure... you can believe whatever you want....this is a free country....
But to be on the safe side in case you're wrong.... you might wanna read the bible from time to time.....

Even Fidel Castro -a communist -says he "now" believes in God.... now that he is facing his "ultimate" demise....

consider it as a little "insurance" that just might save you from burning in hell.....
Click to expand...

I hope this is sarcasm.
 
bromack1 said:
Its simple dude.... choose the one in the country of your birth.... that way you make sure you will be there with your family and friends.....do I have to explain everything......
Click to expand...

:lol: :lol:
 
bromack1 said:
Its simple dude.... choose the one in the country of your birth.... that way you make sure you will be there with your family and friends.....do I have to explain everything......
Click to expand...

You absolutely have to "explain everything" along a line of logic that shaky. :smh:
I do hope that you are being sarcastic though...really do hope. :yes:
 
bromack1 said:
Sure... you can believe whatever you want....this is a free country....
But to be on the safe side in case you're wrong.... you might wanna read the bible from time to time.....

Even Fidel Castro -a communist -says he "now" believes in God.... now that he is facing his "ultimate" demise....

consider it as a little "insurance" that just might save you from burning in hell.....
Click to expand...

This kind of thinking has always kept me away from religion. Nothing against those who believe, but the idea that a good person can go to hell because he doesn't accept Christ or Muhhamed or whoever and a lowlife P.O.S. can have eternal bliss because he does, negates ALL religion in my eyes. I've finally come to a point in my life where I just don't fear the superstitions anymore and would actually PREFER hell over the heaven most folks think they are going. I choose to believe I don't know who God is because all the representations of "God" I've ever been presented with were assholes I wouldn't ride next to on a bus, much less worship.
 
Dert Bagg said:
You absolutely have to "explain everything" along a line of logic that shaky. :smh:
I do hope that you are being sarcastic though...really do hope. :yes:
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I am about 99 percent positive he is. I remember some of his previous comments on other threads (about financial advice, etc) and Bromack1 is an intelligent brother. So I just assumed he was being sarcastic.
 
The only thing I believe in is the evolution of science. Every thing that you see in front of you and around you has to do with SCIENCE. It basically disproves all religion.

IF we can figure out the theories of gravity, speed of light, and conversion of energy in the past 1000 years, imagine the kind of shit we could discover in the next millenium.
 
eewwll said:
I am about 99 percent positive he is. I remember some of his previous comments on other threads (about financial advice, etc) and Bromack1 is an intelligent brother. So I just assumed he was being sarcastic.
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THANKS.... IT WAS SARCASM...

Its always been my belief, religion is a "personal" choice. I respect each and every persons right to practice freely what they believe.

But as far as atheism is concerned... it varies from those who do not believe in a single diety to those who acknowledge the great "unexplainable" works of the world in another fashion.

In my opinion, you can be both an atheist and a spiritual person as well. Just don't spend your time "bashin" others for what they choose to believe and then it will be all good. When you start "criticizing" others, you set the stage for others to criticize you in return...
 
Zero said:
This kind of thinking has always kept me away from religion. Nothing against those who believe, but the idea that a good person can go to hell because he doesn't accept Christ or Muhhamed or whoever and a lowlife P.O.S. can have eternal bliss because he does, negates ALL religion in my eyes. I've finally come to a point in my life where I just don't fear the superstitions anymore and would actually PREFER hell over the heaven most folks think they are going. I choose to believe I don't know who God is because all the representations of "God" I've ever been presented with were assholes I wouldn't ride next to on a bus, much less worship.
Click to expand...


Its like this.... first their was the higher power...... and then man in his attempt to "organize" religion.... corrupted it...

If you are like some people I know... you probably feel annoyed with "organized" religion and not with the higher power himself. Thats why they say beware of wolves in sheeps clothing.
 
bromack1 said:
THANKS.... IT WAS SARCASM...

Its always been my belief, religion is a "personal" choice. I respect each and every persons right to practice freely what they believe.

But as far as atheism is concerned... it varies from those who do not believe in a single diety to those who acknowledge the great "unexplainable" works of the world in another fashion.

In my opinion, you can be both an atheist and a spiritual person as well. Just don't spend your time "bashin" others for what they choose to believe and then it will be all good. When you start "criticizing" others, you set the stage for others to criticize you in return...
Click to expand...

I don't understand how someone can be an atheist and spiritual person because say we figure out in the next couple of years with given evidence and theory of the origins of the universe and mankind.

If you have basic evidence of mankind and the universe, the bible would be nothing more than a fairy tale.

Yal need to wake up. :hmm:
 
Mr.Bizkits said:
I don't understand how someone can be an atheist and spiritual person because say we figure out in the next couple of years with given evidence and theory of the origins of the universe and mankind.

If you have basic evidence of mankind and the universe, the bible would be nothing more than a fairy tale.

Yal need to wake up. :hmm:
Click to expand...

The Bible has ZERO to do with what we are discussing as "spirituality."
A revelation of "the theory and origins of mankind" does nothing to negate feelings of connectedness and purpose that folks experience as spiritual. Your logic suggests that love doesn't exist either if science can explain the biochemical process.... Your POV seems pretty narrow.
 
Mr.Bizkits said:
I don't understand how someone can be an atheist and spiritual person
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There is a great distinction between spirituality and religion as in the distinct belief in God. I think you may be missing this point. Spirituality is a classification of the desire to understand the ultimate nature of humanity. Religion or even the belief in God is just one manifestation of that quest. Spirituality and the belief in God though multilaterally linked ARE mutually exclusive: meaning they are independent philosophical outpourings that function entirely without the other. Placing GOD into the picture only adds MYSTICISM(specifically deities) to the equation. However, spirituality, the desire to connect with the objective world and place a meaning CAN be a completely individual internal personal experience without the inclusion of a deity. Religion attempts to encapsulate the questions of morality, transcendence, meaning of life, etc WITH the Apex being the deity. However, there are other forms of spirituality that address ALL the same issues WITHOUT the inclusion of a deity.

So do not confuse the two. You CAN be spiritual and be an atheist and not in any form contradicting either of the terms.
 
9X3inch said:
( who is perceived as some old white man with a long beard overseeing everything, let's be real! )
Click to expand...
If thats what you think God is you need to quit lookin at all them movies and pictures they try to sell about GOD and Jesus.
 
bromack1 said:
Its like this.... first their was the higher power...... and then man in his attempt to "organize" religion.... corrupted it...

If you are like some people I know... you probably feel annoyed with "organized" religion and not with the higher power himself. Thats why they say beware of wolves in sheeps clothing.
Click to expand...

I think most people who call themselves athiest or agnostic fall into that category. Organized religion used to spark more organized religion (Jews begot Christians, Catholics begot Protestants), but I think now, it's turning people off completely. Nobody's fault but those in power.
 
Mr.Bizkits said:
I don't understand how someone can be an atheist and spiritual person because say we figure out in the next couple of years with given evidence and theory of the origins of the universe and mankind.

If you have basic evidence of mankind and the universe, the bible would be nothing more than a fairy tale.

Yal need to wake up. :hmm:
Click to expand...

That's funny because I used to post on a religion/philosophy board and damn near every preacher on that board, without exception, felt that Spirituality interefered directly with faith. Some even said it was sinful (the sin of pride) to be spiritual because spiritual people ere unable to humble themselves before the church. So based on what THEY taught in their churches, you DEFINITELY CAN NOT be a spiritual Christian, it's a sin, blind faith or no faith are the only options (Never verified their bullshit in the bible, but then most churchgoers have never actually read the bible anyway).

Another one of the MANY backwards ideas that turned me off completely to religion.
 
The Lawnmower Man said:
Only atheists are capable of being moral.

This is why Christians, et al, fear and distrust atheists; it's because they cannot fathom true morality, how a human being, could choose good of their own accord without fear of punishment or promise of reward.
Click to expand...

Profound statement in a sort of elitist way. it is common for people to say that their religious beliefs dictate their moral behavior and without them they would be free to do as their heart pleases which is a shallow sense of morality.

Although, I would say that people who distrust atheists for various reasons and perhaps the main one is that it challenges their beliefs on the deepest level.
 
eewwll said:
There is a great distinction between spirituality and religion as in the distinct belief in God. I think you may be missing this point. Spirituality is a classification of the desire to understand the ultimate nature of humanity. Religion or even the belief in God is just one manifestation of that quest. Spirituality and the belief in God though multilaterally linked ARE mutually exclusive: meaning they are independent philosophical outpourings that function entirely without the other. Placing GOD into the picture only adds MYSTICISM(specifically deities) to the equation. However, spirituality, the desire to connect with the objective world and place a meaning CAN be a completely individual internal personal experience without the inclusion of a deity. Religion attempts to encapsulate the questions of morality, transcendence, meaning of life, etc WITH the Apex being the deity. However, there are other forms of spirituality that address ALL the same issues WITHOUT the inclusion of a deity.

So do not confuse the two. You CAN be spiritual and be an atheist and not in any form contradicting either of the terms.
Click to expand...

Good Explanation... :yes: :yes: :yes:

So from what you said, you can imply that faith and spirituality are the same things.
 
Zero said:
I think most people who call themselves athiest or agnostic fall into that category. Organized religion used to spark more organized religion (Jews begot Christians, Catholics begot Protestants), but I think now, it's turning people off completely. Nobody's fault but those in power.
Click to expand...


You mean religioins begot sects of the same religion and other religions.

This idea of spirituality is pretty ambiguous to me jsut like the definition of god or gods. I find that when people use these terms there really isn't a clear definition of what this entails.
 
MassaQ said:
Profound statement in a sort of elitist way. it is common for people to say that their religious beliefs dictate their moral behavior and without them they would be free to do as their heart pleases which is a shallow sense of morality.

Although, I would say that people who distrust atheists for various reasons and perhaps the main one is that it challenges their beliefs on the deepest level.
Click to expand...

I might be only person in the world whose views changed from a christianity to athiesm from a porn board. My views changed over the number of religion debates that we've had here over the years (I've read all of them). My views here were challenged, but I feel that it was my wake up call.

Ironically, this porn board helped further my intrest in the revolution of science. BTW, has anyone here watched the NAKED TRUTH?
 
You know, I've NEVER heard a clear definitive explanation (free of biased ambiguities) of "SPIRITUALITY", that wasn't some over-characterization of a sensate experience that couldn't be explained as NORMAL/Natural human phenomenon.

Bio-organisms are enormously complex, with multiple staggeringly intricate systems. The fact that you DON'T understand all the sensations that cause one to speculate about said sensations, doesn't create spirituality or prove it. I cram to understand why it's necessary to ply meta-physical rhetoric to an already remarkable existential NATURAL experience.

So, as Dert Bagg has asked, so will I.

Please define "SPIRITUALITY". And one more thing, have ANY of you EVER looked up the ORIGINS of spirituality?


On a side note, I find it incredibly funny that I happen to be watching "CONTACT" on television today . . .Sunday :lol: :lol: :lol:

JG
 
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Mr.Bizkits said:
Good Explanation... :yes: :yes: :yes:

So from what you said, you can imply that faith and spirituality are the same things.
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That was not what I was implying. Either I was unclear in my explanation or you misjudged my statement. Also Faith is very vague.. in terms of the implications for example in general...and in terms of what it means in Catholicism for instance.

Faith and spirituality are also mutually exclusive and are not at all equal in terms
 
I think defining spirituality is like defining love. Its practically impossible to describe except to say that it is an experience rooted in our nature as social animals and a need to connect our experiences to the experiences of others. No doubt, IMO, that spirituality describes a natural phenomenon.
 

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