Spiritual Personality Types

[Storm]

In his book, Why Religion Matters: The Fate of the Human Spirit in an Age of Disbelief, Huston Smith touches on his theory of spiritual personality types.These types have nothing to do with an individual's actual beliefs, but rather how they approach those beliefs. There are four types: the Atheist, the Polytheist, the Monotheist, and the Mystic.

I'll do my best to illustrate what the types mean using the example of a Catholic.

Atheist: God has no bearing on how the Atheist lives his life. If he goes to church, it is primarily a social exercise, or an aesthetic appreciation of the rituals themselves. He may or may not follow the moral and social dictates of the Church, but if he does, it is only because they agree with his own conclusions. He is unconcerned with the lesser spiritual beings (angels, saints, demons).

Polytheist: The Polytheist is primarily concerned with spirits in the world. In the case of the Catholic, while he acknowledges the supremacy of God, the focus of his spiritual practice is not God, but the saints, angels and demons. He sees the work of these beings in everything. He believes that demons tempt us, angels protect, and is much more likely to pray to a saint than God.

Monotheist: The Polytheist's opposite number. While he acknowledges the spirits that define the Polytheist's worldview, for him God is all that matters. His prayers are directed to God, not the saints. He may believe in Satan and demonic influence, but he is untroubled by this.

Mystic: "The Mystic doubles back over the same ground and finds God in everything," as Smith puts it. The Mystic sees Satan as ultimately God's creature. He is likely to have a well-developed theodicy, and does not pray so much as seek communion with God. He may be extremely obedient to the Church, or border on heresy, as he forges his own path in moral and philosophical matters.



I think that'll do for now. What do you think of Smith's theory?

[Tau]

Seems logical enough from that excerpt anyway.

[Storm]

I should point out that that wasn't an excerpt, but my own words/ understanding of Smith's ideas.

[Tau]

Originally Posted by Storm

I should point out that that wasn't an excerpt, but my own words/ understanding of Smith's ideas.

Well I think you have represented each 'type' fairly accurately, regardless of what Smith says, although there are probably a few more.

[Storm]

Like what?

[Tau]

Originally Posted by Storm

Like what?

Naturalism, Pantheism, Totemism, Ancestor Worship etc...

They dont really come under the base 4...

[Storm]

Originally Posted by Tau

Naturalism, Pantheism, Totemism, Ancestor Worship etc...

They dont really come under the base 4...

Those are belief systems; the four types are approaches to belief. Any of the types can include everything you've listed, though I can see how the different types would gravitate toward particular systems.

[Tau]

Originally Posted by Storm

Those are belief systems; the four types are approaches to belief. Any of the types can include everything you've listed, though I can see how the different types would gravitate toward particular systems.

Not really.

Ancestor veneration, for example, is totally unlike polytheism or monotheism, which are beliefs in Gods.
It is definately not atheism, which disregards all supernatural phenomena.
It is most definately not mysticism which is about self revelation and spiritual questing.

[Storm]

Originally Posted by Tau

Not really.

Ancestor veneration, for example, is totally unlike polytheism or monotheism, which are beliefs in Gods.
It is definately not atheism, which disregards all supernatural phenomena.
It is most definately not mysticism which is about self revelation.

You're talking practice, now. The types aren't about that. They're about the attitude you take toward your beliefs/ practice, how they affect your life.

(Capitalizing the types to distinguish from the practices).

A Monotheist need not be monotheistic. An Atheist could well believe in all manner of supernatural phenomena, God included. (BTW, atheism is concerned solely with God. I've known atheist occultists, who believe in ghosts, gods as manifestations of the collective unconscious, etc.)

And so on...