Spirituality without religion?

[Darwin]

Do you think there can be spirituality (in life) without any religious attachment?

Would you like to tell about ways of approaching this in case you go for "yes"?

 

[justsaygnosis]

Accepting alternative woo-woo in lieu of religion can lend someone the appearance of spirituality.

 

[arcticpenguin]

I think everyone is going to have a different definition of "spirituality", making the poll fairly meaningless.

 

[evildave]

And that's why I chose both yes and no.

 

[Guest]

Do you think there can be spirituality (in life) without any religious attachment?

Would you like to tell about ways of approaching this in case you go for "yes"?

Yes, I think so.

One can respect, value, look up to, be awestuck about, drool over, highly regard, be thankful for, and explore, the universe.

-Who

 

[BillyJoe]

I think everyone is going to have a different definition of "spirituality", making the poll fairly meaningless.

I couldn't vote for this very reason.

And that's why I chose both yes and no.

I don't think so - you can vote only once.

Accepting alternative woo-woo in lieu of religion can lend someone the appearance of spirituality

Of course, so I should answer "yes" then.

except.....

Everyone is going to have a different definition of "religion"
....so I'm back where I started.

 

[crocodile deathroll]

The Australian Aborigine has no established religion, but that does not mean they do not feel spiritually attached to the Australian landscape. They really shout from the roof tops about their spirituality.

 

[BillyJoe]

The Australian Aborigine has no established religion....

The question was......

Do you think there can be spirituality.....without any religious attachment?

 

[Darwin]

Yes.
I realize one might define spirituality in differing ways but you´re free to interpret.

 

[woodguard]

I feel spirituality and religion are very different things.

Religion can have spirituality as part of it.

But most religions are formed by people so they can say the other people are wrong, and only their group is right.

Only religion would have the idea of killing someone to save them.

 

[Lalande]

The spirituality has nothing to do with religion. It is the measure of our acceptance of the "bad things" that we must face. It is dignity. It is morality. Is a man afraid of the god moral? No. Morality must be his own choice, not the choice of his fear.

 

[Yahzi]

I think a better question would be: can you have religion without spirituality?

 

[Lalande]

Of course. Christianity do not need spirituality. More: christianity is AFRAID of spirituality.

 

[justsaygnosis]

Of course. Christianity do not need spirituality. More: christianity is AFRAID of spirituality.

I infer your identifying spirituality with the occultism that christianity says it abhors.
Is this correct?

 

[Lalande]

I infer your identifying spirituality with the occultism

Rather mysticism.

 

[justsaygnosis]

Rather mysticism.

The roman catholics and eastern orthodox are ripe with mysticism as well as christian gnosticism.
Which non-mystically oriented bunch of christians are you referring to?

 

[Lalande]

The roman catholics and eastern orthodox are ripe with mysticism

There ARE mystics in christianity, but christianity is afraid of mysticism. It's like this: Mystics know the truth (lets suppose). But we (christians) already know the truth. What if their truth will be other than ours? It is impossible, their truth would be a lie than. They must be heretics.

 

[justsaygnosis]

They must be heretics.

You may want to research that before you make a sweeping generalization.
Many mystics have been canonized as saints in the roman church.
I can't speak too much of the others but roman catholicism is what I was raised and educated in.
There is an office of the 'devil's advocate' within the roman church that analyzes modern mystical claims in light of dogma.
If the church won't put its' imprimatur on the claim it is then labeled heresy and/or apostasy.
The emphasis is on the coninuation of the 'spirit' of the preceeding dogma so when confronted with irrefutable circumstances the claim is made that new evidence amplifies and testifies to precedent.
When Tielhard DeChardin, a Jesuit was working extensivley on the Java and Peking man projects his work was submitted first to rome.
While DeChardin was a great scientist he was also mystically inclined in his beliefs,(Oh Duh,he was a priest).
Interesting Ian had one of his quotes in his sig line.

 

[Lalande]

Many mystics have been canonized as saints in the roman church.

I know that. I didn't say that there are no christian mystics. All I say is that christians are not looking for the truth. They already know the truth (from their perspective).

analyzes modern mystical claims in light of dogma

- Hey guys, I know the truth
- Lets take a look at him... This is ok, this is ok... Oh, that's wrong. You're lucky inquisition is over. In other case...

 

[Cleopatra]

There ARE mystics in christianity, but christianity is afraid of mysticism. It's like this: Mystics know the truth (lets suppose). But we (christians) already know the truth. What if their truth will be other than ours? It is impossible, their truth would be a lie than. They must be heretics.

No my friend, you are definetely wrong about it. Especially if you refer to the eastern Ortodox christians. The edifice of their belief is based on mysticism and they are not heretics or "heretics" if you wish, at all.

And you are wrong regarding the relationship of Christians with the Truth. Truth is a superior stage of spirituality you acquire after following a specific lifestyle.It's not something that it's always there waiting for you to accept it.

and this brings us to our question.

Yes there can be spirituality in life without religion. Socrates and his Demon,Nietzsche and his superhuman one of the most striking examples that come to my mind. Who can accuse those two for being religious? Who can ever suggest that they didn't live a spiritual life?