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Can We Imagine Spirituality Without Religion?

Hawkins

Well-Known Member
Can we imagine spirituality -- the belief in and reverence for a spiritual world or reality -- without religion -- the culturally transmitted belief in and reverence for a spiritual world or reality?

Why or why not?

They are separate things.
Spirituality is a possibility of truth, while religion is in which way such a truth can convey among humans across history.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
I beg to differ. I started life as an atheist with a biologist father. I did not believe until I had things happen which proved the supernatural to me. I had little human cultural knowledge. In fact, I would meet Christians but I didn't know what to think of them. They were just strange people to me. I wondered about them. So, I learned God from God, not from humans. I started having good, strange coincidences happen. I finally realized that there has to be something to it. There were just too many events statistically. So, I finally began to believe.

Hmm. I think you misunderstand my point, which is fair given the brevity of the post. But you seem pretty content with your narrative and probably define "religion" much more narrowly than I do based on a post of yours I came across in another thread, so I think it's best that I don't elaborate.
 

Neutral Name

Active Member
Sounds like a fantasy life, where this infinite creator
of the universe takes such a detailed personal
interest i just lil" ol" you.

Sorry ah, your way of life, no way.

Actually, God takes a personal interest in everyone, even you. God even loves Atheists but doesn't force himself/herself on them. God just gives clues to the clueless and hopes that they will understand his/her presence so that he/she can help them in their lives.
 

JJ50

Well-Known Member
Actually, God takes a personal interest in everyone, even you. God even loves Atheists but doesn't force himself/herself on them. God just gives clues to the clueless and hopes that they will understand his/her presence so that he/she can help them in their lives.
A statement with no evidence to support it.
 

Neutral Name

Active Member
A statement with no evidence to support it.

I have personal proof and so do many millions of other people. One day science will be able to go into the other dimensions and prove it as well. We are getting closer all of the time. But you are perfectly entitled to your lack of belief. I was an atheist and my son is an atheist.
 

Neutral Name

Active Member

Hmm. I think you misunderstand my point, which is fair given the brevity of the post. But you seem pretty content with your narrative and probably define "religion" much more narrowly than I do based on a post of yours I came across in another thread, so I think it's best that I don't elaborate.

The Merriam-Webster defines religion as follows:

1a : the state of a religious
a nun in her 20th year of religion
b(1) : the service and worship of God or the supernatural
(2) : commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance
2 : a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
3 archaic : scrupulous conformity : CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
4 : a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith

I totally disagree with most of what it says except when it does say institutionalized. To me, religion is instituionalized while spirituality is not. If you check any source speaking of religions, they will be named. They are Christianity, Islam, Buddhism,Judaism, Hindu and others. To me, people who believe that none of these are entirely accurate due to the input of man are spiritual but not religious.That is why I call myself that.
 

Neutral Name

Active Member
They are separate things.
Spirituality is a possibility of truth, while religion is in which way such a truth can convey among humans across history.

I would have to say various religions have various beliefs. So, God(s) is/are viewed differently across history by different groups.
 

Audie

Veteran Member
Actually, God takes a personal interest in everyone, even you. God even loves Atheists but doesn't force himself/herself on them. God just gives clues to the clueless and hopes that they will understand his/her presence so that he/she can help them in their lives.

Ah, Signs.

I was walking across campus with this
other girl, when a nice autumn leaf fluttered down
to our feet! She picked it up, "Oh look, three parts,
God sent it to represent the Trinity".
"So why does it have five parts?"I said.
"Oh so it does, God sent it to represent the Pentarch".

Clueless?

You are a fan of Noahs ark and conspiracies to hide
Scientific facts that prove bible, disprove evolution?
 

Neutral Name

Active Member
Ah, Signs.

I was walking across campus with this
other girl, when a nice autumn leaf fluttered down
to our feet! She picked it up, "Oh look, three parts,
God sent it to represent the Trinity".
"So why does it have five parts?"I said.
"Oh so it does, God sent it to represent the Pentarch".

Clueless?

You are a fan of Noahs ark and conspiracies to hide
Scientific facts that prove bible, disprove evolution?

No, I am a fan of God who is active in my life and in the lives of many other people. I don't imagine the things which happen for me. I have been protected, helped and given many wonderful things for many years. I have definitive proof but you are entirely welcome to not believe.
 
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Audie

Veteran Member
No, I am a fan of God who is active in my life and in the lives of many other people. I don't imagine the things which happen for me. I have been protected, helped and given many wonderful things for many years. I have definitive proof but you are entirely welcome to not believe.



As long as you are not trying to present that
you are special, in deeper touch with reality,
more or better of this and that, than others, fine.
 
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