Atheistic Spirituality
A contradiction in terms? Perhaps, however, what word would be used otherwise to describe the state of, in a sense, being aware of being the universe, being aware of its self? And further of that awareness being an influential factor in a persons behavior?
Or in other words what word to use, to describe someone whose fundamental interpretation of reality, is an active part of their awareness? In non-atheists it is called spirituality, personally I have no problem with atheistic spirituality, it seems to do the job for me; however it could be problematic. I'm curious what other folks here think.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Serena Woodward on -
Spirituality, faith and religion are all seperate things. Religion is the one I have an issue with. Spirituality and faith can be applied to a life without including a deity in the equation.
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Permalink Reply by Epiphileon on -
Spirituality and faith can be applied to a life without including a deity in the equation.
I agree, I don't think there is anywhere near the potential problem with 'faith" though, there are plenty of secular examples of its usage.
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Permalink Reply by dataguy on -
I agree with Serena. Though the term 'spirituality' may be a misnomer, I find myself being more spiritual as an atheist than I was as a professing Christian.
To me, being a member of humankind is a spiritual thing. Wow, that sounds weird. I better stop there!
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Permalink Reply by Epiphileon on
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I don't think that is weird at all DG, and that is one of the contexts in which I would like to apply it as well.
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Permalink Reply by Heather Spoonheim on -
I do at times reflect on the idea of the cosmos itself having some attribute analogous to consciousness, although I find the concept to be self-contradicting on many levels. I like to try to imagine it like gravity, pulling together the elements that result in it being concentrated at particular points, such as our own consciousness, but then I realize that celestial bodies are simply the result of gravity and so our own conscious minds would only be the result of this far more abstract energy which in and of itself would NOT be conscious at all - although at that point I'm left with a very cool, very abstract concept of something but I just can't quite grasp it. Is this spiritual?
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Permalink Reply by Epiphileon on
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When I look at the extremely large scale structure of the universe, with consideration of some of the more bizarre concepts of physics like quantum entanglement, that trick of electron pairs demonstrating instantaneous communication, independent of distance, I as well think, "Yea maybe it could have some sort of awareness." The representations I've seen look remarkably similar to our current understanding of actual, physiological, neural networks. However such a phenomenon is so far above our grasp, that for me at least, it is nothing more than an interesting musing. I can't begin to conjecture what kind of evolutionary forces would be in play to shape such an entity, and at this point in my understanding of things, I'm fairly well convinced that evolutionary forces are necessary to the development of consciousness. The micro-voltages of energy that produce consciousness in our brain/minds is a part, no matter how infinitesimal a part, of that same energy, and yes, the appreciation of that is what, in my opinion, we currently have no other word for than spiritual
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Permalink Reply by Heather Spoonheim on
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It is cool though, and definitely a rush to contemplate at times. I'll certainly stop, however, if I start hearing voices telling me what I can and cannot eat and who I can and cannot love.
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Permalink Reply by Epiphileon on
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Infinitely cool, and definitely an, every synapse open, mind blower.
Well don't worry I don't think you're in any danger of that, but they do have meds for it.
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Permalink Reply by Albert Bakker on
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Permalink Reply by Epiphileon on
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I haven't listened to the program yet; however, the problem as outlined in the textual introduction is part of my concern. But if it seems the problem is larger than the benefit, what then do we call the phenomenon defined in my OP?
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