This is kind of similar to the question I asked in my Meditation and Yoga thread.. But I want to learn more about Atheism.
Is it possible to be a spiritual Atheist? If an Atheist has a 'spiritual awakening', how do they interpret the experience? or do you think the two are completely exclusive, and simply not a possibility?
The term 'God' has had an entire human history of religious and spiritual definitions, explanations, and theologies supporting, or defying the idea of a Supreme Being... So if you are a spiritual Atheist, I am also curious how you approach and/or define the Divine (i.e.. Sacred or Holy) within your life, and how you still retain your 'Atheist' status.
Any feedback will be appreciated. Thanks.
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Well I believe in spiritual energy. But don't believe in deity.
Personally, I think when it comes to peoples belief anything is possible. Atheism is not a defined set of beliefs but rather a lack of a certain type of belief or if you'll have it, a non belief in a certian thing which happens to be Deity. So yes even if others disagree with me it is possible to have a belief in anything else besides deity and not believe in deity and thus still be an atheist. Hope this was helpful.
True, by definition. If you're not a theist, then you're an atheist.
Now, I think we need to have a *comprehensive definition of Diety, not anyone's in particular, but the concept of it, in order to have a truly accurate definition of atheism, since it's defined in abstract.
Okay, very cool. It is helpful.
Could you tell me more about your belief in spiritual energy? Like E=mc2? Qi, Prana? Shakti?
How would you describe it..?
I love Quantum Physics.. And string theory.. We're all made of star dust and our energy never dies right? :)
It does sound ridiculous but thinking about it, we really *are* made of star dust, and I guess our energy never dies either. I can't wait to see the laughs I get from the office from spouting such fruity loops :)
But, being as the workings of the human brain are largely unexplored, a spiritual awakening most likely (imo) has more to do with what's inside of you than outside. Of course, I'm biased.
I believe all matter is made up of energy and energy can transform into different forms but never truly dies thus it continues indefinitely. I believe some of this energy at any given time is spiritual energy and some energy is used while other energy lies dormant or unused and may be trapped. I believe it is possible for one kind of energy to be to be in multiple states at one time. I suspect it could be all a grandiose timeline played out at infinitude but that's another discussion that get into all sorts of irony and speculation.
I agree, i think that knowledge regarding this energy was one the reasons why religions originally were created. Thus having a way to save this knowledge through time.(except Christianity, that was just a fraud)
as always leaders would use it to control the people, but I think it is more of a fabrication on something tangible rather then an entire fabrication altogether.
EG:
Cabala seems to originate from knowledge regarding the Platonic solids and the PHI ratio.
The pyramids in egypt are built in PHY ratio and in ration to the size of the planet.
Also the knowledge regarding the starts was stored in religion
They knew when eclipses would occur and the winter solstice.
I think there is much much more if we dig deeper there.
it is a shame that the leaders of this world do not want to invest money in such studies.
Very interesting. I think in the 'so what do you mean by God' thread me and you had similar ideas.
I'm not a physicist, but as I recall, Einstein proved that all matter contains energy, and that the potential energy of a single atom is astounding, especially when split along with uranium (ex. Nuclear Bombs). If everything in our world, including ourselves, is made of energy, and we consider this energy to be somehow 'spiritual', 'sacred', or 'divine', then we are basically advocating what is known as 'pantheism'.
Thus, Pantheism basically equates God with the Universe itself, which we are all a part of. Pantheism is usually related to Monism as well which declares that essentially 'we are all one'.
I want to learn more how pantheism and theism differ.. Or if they are compatible..
Do your beliefs in spiritual energy relate to this at all? Just thought I'd share some more ideas.
I'm also doing meditation and I believe that spiritual awakening is a valuable achievement that we can have in our lifetime. It doesn't involve any deity or religion (although Buddhism practices it), it's more about self-involvement, self-actualization, stronger intuition, universal love, self-realization and universal understanding. When we became spiritually awaken, we tend to understand more and become open to more knowledge, truth-seeker and value humanity and universe as we realize that we are just part of everything around us.
That's a great info, I think being spiritually awaken is realizing that fact that goodness should dwell in this world and that everyone should practice unconditional love... as Jesus had taught...
Can you define spirit? You say the word spirit and 50 people will come up with 100 differing versions of fairy dust. (energy is just a property of matter that enables it to do work)
If by spiritual you mean a reverence and awe for nature and existence then yes, I am spiritual. But If you mean some element that can only be believed on faith then no.
Energy is a product of matter
I think that is a statement not based on evidence.
it can easily be the other way round.
We know that 'empty space/vacuum has 'infinite energy', maybe it is this energy which is shaping the matter.
And matter is just the point of division in the vacuum energy.
Imagine the vacuum as a huge sea that has no surface and is in perfect equilibrium in such a way that all the energy forces are canceling each other out(else we would die of radiation).
The double slit experiment is evidence of this;
Where just by thinking of something different we might be changing the energy pattern and thus creating different/divisions in energy that we call matter.
When particles are accelerated scientist have found out that at the center of protons (that make up those particles) waves of energy appear and disappear from the vacuum.
So matter might be a product of energy and not "Energy is a product of matter"
"except at the sub-atomic level" we are made of those sub-atomic particles, so we are build up of energy fluctuations.