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Spirituality and/or Religion? - I have asked, “Is it possible to be a spiritual person without being a religious person?,” “Is it conceivable to be a spiritual person and not belong to an organized religion?,” and “Can a person be spiritual and at the same time be an atheist?” I submit that the answers to all of these questions is yes. The answers are yes, if we acknowledge that religion is man-made and spirituality is nature-made. George Vaillant declared that, “religion arises from culture; spirituality arises from biology.” (2008) Spirituality invites us to become awakened to ourselves and to the world around us. I maintain that each one of us has a life encapsulated in Nature, human nature, and our own nature. I announce that this awakening can happen without adhering to any religion. I recognize that for some spirituality can include religion, but it doesn't have to. Really, to be a spiritual person doesn't require a belief in a God. I view spirituality from the following two perspectives: 1.) Geistlich - spiritual matters with a religious view and God is part of spirituality. From the religious view our search is strongly guided from the outside by dogma, or 2.) Geistig - spiritual matters without a religious view where the Self is the bases of spirituality. From this view the awakening is a self-search of experiences strongly guided from the inside. I do value the following quote by Paul Bjorklund saying, “spirituality is an inviting word when it is understood. It invites us to discover our world of values and beliefs.” (1983) Please feel free to comment on spirituality and/or religion.

alwmjohnson 4 Apr 7
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10 comments

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Yes, you can still believe in the interconnectedness of everything, being one with the universe, and any other form of metaphysical nonsense that appeals to you without ascribing to the doctrine and dogma of any church.

JimG Level 8 Apr 8, 2019
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Spirituality is a largely meaningless term, because it is used differently by nearly everyone who uses it. The only common thread it seems to me, is that it is mainly used by most people to describe the occasions when certain experiences release hormones such as dopamine. If you are saying that you can have dopamine in your brain without religion then yes.

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The word spiritual can mean anything and everything. So, as a word it means definitively nothing. It is not meant to convey meaning; it is intended to impress other people when someone uses it to describe themselves. But it doesn't impress me.

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don't understand why some ppl get hung up on separating paragraphs. i had no problem reading the post & didn't even notice if the paras were separate.
some ppl just indent new paras.

I know! I have never had any trouble reading a block post. I detest grammar Nazi's and find it odd when that is there only comment. Why not just skip over block posts if they bother you that much?

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To me, spirituality implies the supernatural and there is no way that we can show evidence for anything in that realm. I prefer to stick to things for which there is evidence. If we are talking about values and beliefs then lets just call it ethics and morality.

gearl Level 8 Apr 7, 2019
4

but what ARE spiritual matters? to me it always boils down to something beyond what i can possibly believe in. to me, spirituality is religion light, and i have not heard any explanation, not even yours, well-thought-out though it may be, and nicely presented i might add, that changes my mind on that. people have told me i am spiritual. i scoff. i am NOT spiritual. i care about people, animals, the earth, the universe. that makes me human and humane, not spiritual. there are no gods in trees, and i can attempt to discover my world of values and beliefs without any hint of spirituality. it's a useless word, in my vocabulary. it doesn't describe anything i lack, have, need or can even recognize as real.

g

Too me Spirituality requires no belief especially on others part. It is about the value the individual finds in it. And while I do think its all explainable I think something are better just enjoyed rather then thought about.

@Quarm sorry, the value the individual finds in WHAT? i still don't understand.

g

@genessa The value in a sunset, the touch of your child's hand after birth. It is a word though so its messy but for me spirituality is a unique experience that no one else can replicate exactly. For context when I was a practicing Christian I sense a presence in a Church. I cannot explain it though I am sure it has an explanation. But its effect as a memory for me was fundamental to how I see the world as a place worthy of effort and love. I do not care what others judge, think or contest about it., They were not there and are not me. That too me is spirituality.

@Quarm okay so why can't i thrill at the sight of a sunset and the touch of a child's hand without calling it spirituality? why is that spirituality? do people who do not feel spiritual not appreciate sunsets or whatever? why can't it just be what it is? i appreciate that for you it is spirituality but to me it isn't. it is just appreciating the real world.

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@genessa You can call it whatever you want. A word is simply a way to communicate. The reason why communication is as complex as it is is due to the fact that all of us are on some level unique and alone in that. We all process information and experience things differently. Too me communicating as I did the idea of what is spirituality (for me) is in no way a challenge or judgment on others use of the word or not. Even the "real" world is subjective in relation to how people process information and react to things. I find joy in the unknown and while I appreciate reason based explanations sometimes I enjoy things as mysteries. I do not feel my idea of spirituality limits your point of view on the same experience ( A sunset for example.) I like spirituality because to me at least it has none of the limitations of religion or gods inherent in its intent. It requires no belief or creed, no holy book or church. And it requires no participation or involvement of others. I can understand your frustration when others label you as any word you do not agree with. I imagine these people use it as a way of limiting or altering your experience/POV to fit their narrative and I understand why that would be annoying. Me I always laugh when others tell me what I am feeling is THIS. And use it as a way to box me up in a word or concept, group or creed. They have no hold on me. It makes for a lonely existence I have realized but long ago I decided I would rather be alone and content then in a room full of people pretending to believe or participate.

@Quarm pardon the religious word (we need new words lol) but amen! every time i say something political that someone disagrees with i am told i must be a trump voter (not even close to being true). i understand that as a generic insult but it's like calling a skinny person far or vice versa with no hint of irony. i'm also often told to calm down when i'm not excited simply because i expressed an opinion. so i know about being put in boxes. in a sense it's a hazard of the internet but in another sense one wishes others had more sense about it, since i'm not the only person who knows i am on the internet lol

g

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It is possible to be religious unless you get

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I do not believe in "spirituality" anymore than I believe in religion.
I think both are total bullshit.

All that said, PARAGRAPHS.

And spirituality does not care what you think, religion does.

@Quarm Again, another useless concept that means nothing.

Agreed and agreed.

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First of all, paragraphs are your friend. More people will read your post if it wasn't so compact.

That being said, you can have religion. You can have spirituality. You can have religion with or without spirituality. It depends on the person.

For me, I believe in the sacredness of the earth and ALL of it's inhabitants. That does not make me a pagan, or any other religious freak. It just means I believe we should take care of everyone and everything. I do NOT however perform any rituals as that (to me) is a little weird.

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Yes, it is possible. Belief in a spirit, whatever that is, does not require belief in a god.

@Seeker3CO Agreed, but whether I believe that kind of stuff or not I can easily understand how ideas of spirituality and god need not be connected.

@Seeker3CO What if there spiritual beliefs require no justification? Religion does, it requires believers and nonbelievers.

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