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How much is “too spiritual”?

SabahTheLoner

SabahTheLoner

Master of the Art of Couch Potato Cuddles
I’m a spiritual person. A lot of people might think it’s strange that I don’t recognize a conscious omni-deity but I still recognize a spirit world within our material world. I will just admit, this is how I believe the world functions. But as a spiritual person, I think some people can be too spiritual.

“This is what God says to do.” “Show humility.” “All is infinite/the Divine.” When taken literally I don’t really like these kinds of comments. I mean, things like humility or a recognition of an all-Divinity isn’t a bad thing, I just don’t really like it when people treat it like it’s... some underlying rule.

Nature, is when one looks at it, adheres only to the cosmic laws of physics, which are natural orders that take the path of least resistance. Everything else is order that came out of a chaotic mess, and everything is now where order has been established, either by necessity or coincidence depending on your view. Energy->matter->objects&life.

Most people will look at the above paragraph abstractly as a scientific or atheistic way of explaining things. Deity comes into the picture as order, and to many people this order is all there is and from which all was created. Many people seem to become fixated upon order either for reasons of comfort or reason of what can be observed. Speculation has very little room for all but eclectic or doubtful minds. Spirituality in truth has no doctrine, but those who seek it will use doctrines to find it.

Can one ever have too much faith, confidence, certainty of the Deity, Spirits or Mystical?
 
Jeremiah Ames

Jeremiah Ames

Well-Known Member
SabahTheLoner said:
I’m a spiritual person. A lot of people might think it’s strange that I don’t recognize a conscious omni-deity but I still recognize a spirit world within our material world. I will just admit, this is how I believe the world functions. But as a spiritual person, I think some people can be too spiritual.

“This is what God says to do.” “Show humility.” “All is infinite/the Divine.” When taken literally I don’t really like these kinds of comments. I mean, things like humility or a recognition of an all-Divinity isn’t a bad thing, I just don’t really like it when people treat it like it’s... some underlying rule.

Nature, is when one looks at it, adheres only to the cosmic laws of physics, which are natural orders that take the path of least resistance. Everything else is order that came out of a chaotic mess, and everything is now where order has been established, either by necessity or coincidence depending on your view. Energy->matter->objects&life.

Most people will look at the above paragraph abstractly as a scientific or atheistic way of explaining things. Deity comes into the picture as order, and to many people this order is all there is and from which all was created. Many people seem to become fixated upon order either for reasons of comfort or reason of what can be observed. Speculation has very little room for all but eclectic or doubtful minds. Spirituality in truth has no doctrine, but those who seek it will use doctrines to find it.

Can one ever have too much faith, confidence, certainty of the Deity, Spirits or Mystical?
Click to expand...
Maybe, if it drives you crazy or you can’t function in society.
Maybe.
 
Vinayaka

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Yes, it can get in the way of friendships, marriages, work, if it's too much. Live a balanced life.
 
shunyadragon

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
SabahTheLoner said:
I’m a spiritual person. A lot of people might think it’s strange that I don’t recognize a conscious omni-deity but I still recognize a spirit world within our material world. I will just admit, this is how I believe the world functions. But as a spiritual person, I think some people can be too spiritual.

“This is what God says to do.” “Show humility.” “All is infinite/the Divine.” When taken literally I don’t really like these kinds of comments. I mean, things like humility or a recognition of an all-Divinity isn’t a bad thing, I just don’t really like it when people treat it like it’s... some underlying rule.

Nature, is when one looks at it, adheres only to the cosmic laws of physics, which are natural orders that take the path of least resistance. Everything else is order that came out of a chaotic mess, and everything is now where order has been established, either by necessity or coincidence depending on your view. Energy->matter->objects&life.

Most people will look at the above paragraph abstractly as a scientific or atheistic way of explaining things. Deity comes into the picture as order, and to many people this order is all there is and from which all was created. Many people seem to become fixated upon order either for reasons of comfort or reason of what can be observed. Speculation has very little room for all but eclectic or doubtful minds. Spirituality in truth has no doctrine, but those who seek it will use doctrines to find it.

Can one ever have too much faith, confidence, certainty of the Deity, Spirits or Mystical?
Click to expand...

I do not believe we can be too spiritual, and I find no difference between the spiritual, mystical and faith. There are, of course, to many fallible humans trying to hard to be spiritual, mystical, and too much faith. The ego is a powerful force for something that in reality does not exist.
 
icehorse

icehorse

......unaffiliated...... anti-dogmatist
Premium Member
SabahTheLoner said:
Can one ever have too much faith, confidence, certainty of the Deity, Spirits or Mystical?
Click to expand...

The OP used the word "spiritual" and in the sentence above you throw some other terms into the mix.

Confucius would ask you to make distinctions between these words and not use them interchangeably :)

That said, I think it would be hard to be "too spiritual", but it's easy to be too religious.
 
U

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
SabahTheLoner said:
I’m a spiritual person. A lot of people might think it’s strange that I don’t recognize a conscious omni-deity but I still recognize a spirit world within our material world. I will just admit, this is how I believe the world functions. But as a spiritual person, I think some people can be too spiritual.

“This is what God says to do.” “Show humility.” “All is infinite/the Divine.” When taken literally I don’t really like these kinds of comments. I mean, things like humility or a recognition of an all-Divinity isn’t a bad thing, I just don’t really like it when people treat it like it’s... some underlying rule.

Nature, is when one looks at it, adheres only to the cosmic laws of physics, which are natural orders that take the path of least resistance. Everything else is order that came out of a chaotic mess, and everything is now where order has been established, either by necessity or coincidence depending on your view. Energy->matter->objects&life.

Most people will look at the above paragraph abstractly as a scientific or atheistic way of explaining things. Deity comes into the picture as order, and to many people this order is all there is and from which all was created. Many people seem to become fixated upon order either for reasons of comfort or reason of what can be observed. Speculation has very little room for all but eclectic or doubtful minds. Spirituality in truth has no doctrine, but those who seek it will use doctrines to find it.

Can one ever have too much faith, confidence, certainty of the Deity, Spirits or Mystical?
Click to expand...


When I think of too much, I think more of pride. If spiritually is your life, its almost as if asking can you have too much of you. If one is prideful in a ego way, yes. If one sees spirituality seperate from themselves it depends on how much that person involves spirituality in their lives.
 
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SabahTheLoner

SabahTheLoner

Master of the Art of Couch Potato Cuddles
icehorse said:
The OP used the word "spiritual" and in the sentence above you throw some other terms into the mix.

Confucius would ask you to make distinctions between these words and not use them interchangeably :)

That said, I think it would be hard to be "too spiritual", but it's easy to be too religious.
Click to expand...

I guess I was thinking about the new-age movement when I used those interrelated words because it seems that many of the people who are devoted to the spiritual thought of the movement are the over-the-top believers of “goodness”. Not that all new-age is bogus, just easily corrupted due to a lack of misinterpretations.

I’m using spiritual in multiple ways in the OP to encompass multiple religions as this is an interfaith discussion but you are correct as that the other terms have thier distinctions.
 
shunyadragon

shunyadragon

shunyadragon
Premium Member
icehorse said:
The OP used the word "spiritual" and in the sentence above you throw some other terms into the mix.

Confucius would ask you to make distinctions between these words and not use them interchangeably :)

That said, I think it would be hard to be "too spiritual", but it's easy to be too religious.
Click to expand...

I do not find any significant difference between spiritual and religious, unless of course, you want to use the words religion and religious as stones to throw at people who believe differently.

The concepts of 'spiritual,' religious,' mystical,' or 'faith' are too subjective and anecdotal to be in any rated as too whatever.
 
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sun rise

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
My definitions are:

religious - Following exoteric rituals and ceremonies associated with a belief system. For a Christian, this would be going to church, singing hymns, reading the Bible etc.

spiritual: - following esoteric teachings of a belief system. For a Christians this might include meditation on an image designed to represent Jesus.

As to the OP question, my answer would be sometimes depending on the circumstances. I don't think there's a hard-and-fast rule.
 
Rye_P

Rye_P

Deo Juvante
shunyadragon said:
I do not believe we can be too spiritual, and I find no difference between the spiritual, mystical and faith. There are, of course, to many fallible humans trying to hard to be spiritual, mystical, and too much faith. The ego is a powerful force for something that in reality does not exist.
Click to expand...

Agree.
"too spiritual" is not a proper way to call someone that overly strict / emotional with their beliefs.
 
Twilight Hue

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
SabahTheLoner said:
I’m a spiritual person. A lot of people might think it’s strange that I don’t recognize a conscious omni-deity but I still recognize a spirit world within our material world. I will just admit, this is how I believe the world functions. But as a spiritual person, I think some people can be too spiritual.

“This is what God says to do.” “Show humility.” “All is infinite/the Divine.” When taken literally I don’t really like these kinds of comments. I mean, things like humility or a recognition of an all-Divinity isn’t a bad thing, I just don’t really like it when people treat it like it’s... some underlying rule.

Nature, is when one looks at it, adheres only to the cosmic laws of physics, which are natural orders that take the path of least resistance. Everything else is order that came out of a chaotic mess, and everything is now where order has been established, either by necessity or coincidence depending on your view. Energy->matter->objects&life.

Most people will look at the above paragraph abstractly as a scientific or atheistic way of explaining things. Deity comes into the picture as order, and to many people this order is all there is and from which all was created. Many people seem to become fixated upon order either for reasons of comfort or reason of what can be observed. Speculation has very little room for all but eclectic or doubtful minds. Spirituality in truth has no doctrine, but those who seek it will use doctrines to find it.

Can one ever have too much faith, confidence, certainty of the Deity, Spirits or Mystical?
Click to expand...
There's a danger of the onset of mental illness that comes with over obsession posing a risk to themselves and others.
 
Windwalker

Windwalker

Veteran Member
Premium Member
SabahTheLoner said:
“This is what God says to do.” “Show humility.” “All is infinite/the Divine.” When taken literally I don’t really like these kinds of comments. I mean, things like humility or a recognition of an all-Divinity isn’t a bad thing, I just don’t really like it when people treat it like it’s... some underlying rule.

Nature, is when one looks at it, adheres only to the cosmic laws of physics, which are natural orders that take the path of least resistance.
Click to expand...
You do realize that humility is actually the path of least resistance?
 
S

Sanzbir

Well-Known Member
SabahTheLoner said:
“This is what God says to do.” “Show humility.” “All is infinite/the Divine.” When taken literally I don’t really like these kinds of comments. I mean, things like humility or a recognition of an all-Divinity isn’t a bad thing, I just don’t really like it when people treat it like it’s... some underlying rule.
Click to expand...

In your earlier quote, aren't you treating this as if it is an underlying rule??

SabahTheLoner said:
I still recognize a spirit world within our material world. I will just admit, this is how I believe the world functions.
Click to expand...

If not, am i misreading that quote there?? What did you mean by this if not that you believed it was an underlying "rule" with how the world works??

SabahTheLoner said:
Nature, is when one looks at it, adheres only to the cosmic laws of physics, which are natural orders that take the path of least resistance. Everything else is order that came out of a chaotic mess, and everything is now where order has been established, either by necessity or coincidence depending on your view. Energy->matter->objects&life..
Click to expand...

And for that matter, isn't the above also an instance of you acting as if those things are an underlying rule with how the world works??

SabahTheLoner said:
Can one ever have too much faith, confidence, certainty of the Deity, Spirits or Mystical?
Click to expand...

If you are not certain that spirits exist (not, necessarily, certain of what they are, but certain that they exist), why believe in them??
 
Windwalker

Windwalker

Veteran Member
Premium Member
SabahTheLoner said:
Why? Doesn’t it force you to put aside your desires?
Click to expand...
No. Why humility is easier is because the ego tries to impose itself on everything, to defend itself, to find itself, to define itself, etc. That is a lot of energy. Humility surrenders all of that effort and desire. It's says, that is all unimportant. Humility is the natural state. Think of the Tao.
 
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