Yes, but I believe the original topic is still a good one, ie “How can you explain the concept of religious feelings to someone who has no idea what you are talking about?”
However, I fear that there are not enough professionally detached anthropologists here to answer it.
Yeah, it seems like every “Does God exist?” discussion is bound to end in “we don’t really know and can’t prove it one way or the other so choose whatever suits you”
Sometimes the details of why we believe or don’t can be interesting but those are limited as well.
Your question relates to thoughts I have been having. Since Jesus said it’s what we do that counts, as in, how we treat each other, then aren’t atheists who live loving and giving lives being just as spiritual as anyone else?
In a related subject I wonder that if atheists truly believe that this brief physical life is all there is, then what purpose do morals serve? What use do concepts of good and evil have? Why not just do what ever serves your own interests best?
To make this brief life as pleasant and easy for everyone as possible.
Have you ever been in a moment or moments where you were in a state of love and trust and peace of mind that felt almost like being high? {Maybe you were high at the time 
}
I have. All the boundaries fade and the petty fears and concerns that seperate us lose their meaning. All there is is the moment and the knowledge {feeling?} that you love each other without reservation.
The spiritual quest is the desire to make those moments the rule instead of the exception to the rule. To explore the boundaries of love and trust within ourselves.
Not really. I have been in love before, but not to the extent that I have forgotten about real life issues.
If this brief life is all there is and the future holds only oblivion I see no reason to care what happens to anyone else. What seems logical to me is that I would look out for my needs and those of my immediate tribe or group only. {Assuming I need or desire some social interaction, or just some action } That seems to be the temptation we face all the time when we are tested. Under those conditions what companies do seems perfectly logical. Get whatever you can by whatever manipulation works best.
Note that I said moment or moments. I’m not talking about forgetting real life. I’m talking about defining it.
Sorry for the constant hijackings. I addressed the same thing earlier in the thread when I talked about being a woodworker and the feelings around that. Are those feelings what others call being ‘spiritual’? I would say it is more my imagination and my ability to emphathize with the world I exist in. But it is all in my head, in any case (nut case? Probably). There isn’t something external influencing how I feel other than that gained by my observations of the world around me.
My best interests are served by living in a society where people live peacefully and don’t walk around clubbing each other over their heads. So, if I don’t want it done to me then I shouldn’t do it to others. If I want someone to help me then I should help others. It also feels good to do so. People make the mistake of thinking atheists don’t have morals, but we do only for different reasons. It is a problem I am having with my stepson. He is questioning religion, but he seems to want to throw the baby out with the bathwater by rejecting anything good religion can teach him. It is a challenge. I think I’ll get a club and bash him on the head with it then ask him if he enjoyed it (I know I will, the little shit!).
Not really. Sure, so the vast majority of theme meet that description, but they would not call that being spiritual, but simply being a good person.
Basically, you are asking what purpose is it to do something with out asking for a reward. We don’t believe will go on to have pie in the sky, so why? Well, that question answers itself, but if you want clarification, then please ask a more in-depth question.
guidelines
What? What use do you think they are suppose to have? I don’t understand.
Sarcastic answer: So, if you t6thought you could get away with something, you would do it? :dubious: ::Inches away.
Real answer: This is the only life I have. I must make it as pleasant for myself and for others as I can. This includes keeping the planet from getting trashed. Besides, were I simply to make it pleasant for myself, others would make it unpleasant for me. For more on this, see here and here.
P.S.
I don’t see how. If you describe this ideal as feeling high all the time, I don’t see how you can keep from falling off a cliff.
That’s right. I reject the idea of God being some being out there that reaches out to play with mankind as well. btw; I enjoyed your description of your feeling about woodworking. I have similar feelings about music.
Some of my more atheist friends have more morals than the homophobic bigots that praise God every day. I don’t agree with your arguement here though.
By looking at the evidence we can believe that even if we are perfectly peaceful and willing to share someone will still be willing to take what you have. Perhaps by clubbing you over the head or perhaps by passing laws that legalize some immoral action. If I give in order to recieve then that makes sense. I help in order to be helped. That sounds like barter not morals.
No. Just looking for verification of a god. A spirit being is not a conviction. I have convictions that are firmly established, and they have to do with how I weigh and interpret the world around me. It’s a classic case of apples and oranges.
Believe me…if god was standing out there on my deck, I’d have dropped the laundry and invited him in for a cuppa.
I’d call it that too. My question is why. Is it practical? Logical? reasonable?
I understand how it might seem that way but thats actually not what it is. The desire to know the truth is not pie in the sky. The desire to grow to our full potential is not pie in the sky or wanting a reward for good behavior
No, must does not apply. There are consequences for your actions but the consequences only matter for a limited amount of years. You could simulate a conscience just to get along and be well thought of while serving your own interests. It happens all the time. If 80 years more or less is all we have it seems to be the most logical choice.
I’ll have to check out those links later. thanks
I’m speaking of the conviction that we are spirit more than we are these physical bodies. Yeah, if someone said a ghost was in my living room I’d want some evidence. Thats an external being apart from me that I can’t see. The conviction that we are spirit and connected to God and each other won’t have any external physical evidence. It is a conviction the same as “love is good” or “murder is bad”
In direct response to your direct question (that I really meant to respond to directly the first time) I don’t think it’s possible for an atheist to be spiritual, because you have to believe in a higher power and every atheist I’ve ever known is…uh…without theism.
Now, you can stand in awe and wonder of nature. You can question why some people are so much more effective in getting people to rally round…you can appreciate lots of things that you don’t understand. But it’s quite alright to say “I don’t know the answer.” Tagging everything with “There’s something bigger than Phil!” doesn’t make it so.
. . . and that’s why we have religion: to keep those people in line who otherwise have no moral compass.
Bwahahaha!
Yes, anyone can be spiritual, like everything else it is a matter of choice.
However, that doesn’t mean you will immediately feel the life force. That comes with practice.
I remember reading an article written by a nurse in Boston. They were experimenting with Reiki in the treatment of patients. Reiki is a form of spiritual healing done by passing hands over the patients body without touching it.
Her Reiki master told her she would begin to feel the life force of the patients body and be able to tell where that force was blocked by the hot spots. She admitted she doubted the whole thing but went along with it anyway. After about three months she began to feel something, and in a year she understood enough to know where the patient was experiencing blockage. The experiment showed the patents who received Reike faired better than those who didn’t. I don’t have a cite of this. It wouldn’t be read anyway.
When someone really wants to learn to feel the force. They should hold their hands about eight inches apart as if to clap. Then move them together slowly until they are about three inches apart. Back to eight inches slowly then in again to three inches. Do this slowly several times, but not for over 5 minutes at a time. Do this daily, until you begin to feel a resistance between the hands. This resistence is the force, it is subtle at first but will increase with practice.
Once you know the force is there you will be able to feel it in other ways.
Yes. Just think of what GW Bush might do if he weren’t born-again.
Does Reiki take “farting” into account?
Speaking of clap, can it be cured by Reiki?