What would you consider to be "spirituality"?

Being an atheist, I like to consider myself as "spiritual" at times. Not in the sense that I believe in spirits or the supernatural, but in the sense that I find awe and wonder in the natural world. If you look at my avatar it states "Atheism, because reality is awesome" primarily because "and I don't need to see the faeries at the bottom of the garden to think so" wouldn't fit but also because that's what I really think. Reality is awesome, it fills me with awe.

Sometimes I just stare up at the sky and think "Wow, those little dots are enormous fusion reactions happening so far away from me that I can't conceive the distance. They could even be dead right now. And just to think this thought required such an incredible amount of natural processes to occur starting out with a common ancestor." Of course, such awe-filled thoughts actually contain more profane modifiers as well, because I think being filled with awe is more than an excuse for profanity to myself.

I've met plenty of religious people that find little awe in the world, only finding it in their religious teaching. For them it doesn't matter how a rainbow is made or how long it took for a formation like the Grand Canyon to form naturally, it's just incredible that Jesus is cool or that Moses parted the waters.

Those that do find awe in nature can only attach it to their religion. "This forest is so cool, thank god for it" or "isn't how god designed things great?" are common things to hear from them. I don't understand why nature can't simply be incredible on its own. There's one thing in being a mathematician that finds awe in god from mathematics, there's another thinking that every blade of grass can only be awe-inspiring with a deity.

What's the general opinion on here about this sort of "spirituality"?

reply to post by madnessinmysoul


Hello there, and may Peace be upon you!
People are people. One may love ice cream, one may love hotdogs. Does this mean that each does not comprehend delicious because their opinions vary? Religious people and non-religious people all too easily stereotype their opposition. Does it truly matter if one enjoys a flower based on a belief of evolution or a belief of creation? As long as one can enjoy a thing, the varying beliefs of it's origin doesn't matter in this regard. It is limiting to categorize all religious people just because you personally have met many that dwell on God rather than nature, or dwell on the creation aspect of a thing rather than it's natural progression.

Natural, accidental evolution is no less remarkable than the ability of a creator to create the intricacies that we are able to experience and understand.

Now, to answer the question posed in the thread title; "What would you consider "spirituality"?

In my opinion, spirituality is about improving on one's character, thoughts, words, and actions in a positive way. Once one does this, they are more apt to appreciate nature, appreciate life, and be more loving to all of existence.

reply to post by madnessinmysoul


I feel much the same way, to be honest. There is nothing, nothing, like staring up at the sky on a dark night (one of the benefits of living in such a lonely state as mine is a lack of light pollution) and contemplating the depth of what one is looking at. Absolutely incredible.

That brings me two directions. The first, that there is nothing that will allow me to truly understand what I am viewing, what I am seeing, save God, in the enlightenment that will come when I become a realized spiritual being. It is purely speculative, of course, but my view of Heaven includes the opportunity to explore these places that exist only as a distant fragment.

The other is that the Universe is a pretty big place, and I find it highly unlikely that we are alone in this existence. I am curious as to the relationship of God with whatever other intelligences might be out there, which leads me to think about his relationship with ours. Does he randomly create the Universe, and then, when evolution produces life capable of intelligence, does God nip in and add that final bit that creates sentient beings? Or have we been somehow singled out as being unique?

Excellent thread, by the way, S&F for the effort. I'd claim credit for my earlier challenge, but you know I'm too humble for that, lol.

reply to post by adjensen


You're the best adjensen
I was a bit taken back by the OP... so I forgot to mention or acknowledge the great articulation of awe illustrated in the OP.




So I offer you my apologies madnessinmysoul, in that regard. It's just, I savor the world, the heavens (cosmos), existence, and each experience of my life! I enjoy the warmth of the sun while pondering the amount of time it took to reach me. Then "knowing" that vitamin D is being created inside me as a result. Love standing still and closing my eyes while a gentle wind blows. I enjoy watching animals and trying to fathom their consciousness, and understand their ways. I even, at times, place my hands on trees, "knowing" they are alive and aware on some level. They have to be, how else would they be able to follow the sun's light?

All of this, and in many ways I am a believer in a creator. So once again, I apologize if my reply was taken negatively. I have more in common with being awe struck by existence as you painted in your OP. May Peace be upon you

reply to post by madnessinmysoul
Madnessinmysoul,

Well there is no doubt I have a different see of this than you do since I am a Christian. Our body is not the real part of us, it is the house the spirit dwells in. We are but babes and should be in a continual learning process and building up a solid structure of understanding. When this body gives up and dies our spirit goes on. To where is the question. I've answered that question for myself and you would not see it. We have a conscience we've built up to be our guide. Well a Christion knows that guide is not the safest as the blind leading the blind end up in the ditch or worse. God is also Spirit and your spirit came from Him and to Him it will return. Your spirit was meant to be immortal to begin with but certain dire circumstances have changed that and just how you or I will reconcile to them will determine what must be done with that spirit entity. Realizing I need a sure guide I go to Him and ask Him to dwell in me, His spirit and I continually hear His still small voice, not audible away form me but I hear it and let It be my guide. Then I continually reprogram this conscience of mine to be in sync. with the True guide. A Christian believes this, Christ in you is the hope of Glory. The only hope of Glory period. Nothing else anywhere gives the sureness of eternal life which we were meant to have had not a destroyer overcome our first parents. Spirituality for me is Christ in me and that is the true Spirituality.

Truthiron.

madnessinmysoul, I do appreciate the beauty of nature. Whereas I do not always make a 'praise God' statement, I do credit Him with being the painter of the canvas I am viewing. It could be said that I view the world as His art gallery. (And people who say 'praise God' every other sentence get on my nerves. Using the saying as punctuation robs it of its meaning.)

If it does not already exist, I would like to invent a term; spiritual hygiene.
Taking care of your spirit. Everyone has within their being, a spirit so by default everyone is spiritual.
What we might think of as spiritual is really a spirit well taken care of and nourished, to be positive, rather than negative. And like the OP says, to see the important qualities to things and life in general.