Spiritual but not religious

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Some atheists are just people who happen to not believe in god. A lot of atheists are as bad as evangelical Christians. They constantly try to convince people that god doesn't exist and everyone who believes in god is delusional.

I was one of those preachy atheists when I was younger, but I eventually learned to cool it, since it was making me look like the evangelicals I despised so much. As well, I've been becoming more open to alternative spiritual and philosophical viewpoints on things, and I have been thinking about them a lot, but I'm still firmly materialist and non-spiritual.

Ah, thank you, now I have some idea what is meant by the phrase. It always seemed to me to be a distinction without a difference, because I look at the issue epistemologically: if you believe in a "higher power," or even if you subscribe to a moral code which you take on faith, I consider you religious to that extent. Whether or not you adhere to any organized denomination is your business (and not of much interest to me).

If nothing else, SBNR is more concise than "having some religious beliefs, but not belonging to any particular denomination."

I think religion is related to following a book and schedule and spirituality is believing in a god. My dad used to be religious, but not spiritual. He regularly went to church, but he was secretly an atheist.

I agree with this, but it sounds more Socratic than spiritual to me...

What does believing in god get you?

I see the belief in (a) God(s) as nothing more than a general ontological viewpoint: "I believe there are greater powers responsible for our existence" vs. "I believe there are no greater powers responsible for our existence". It's religion which promises all the "perks", e.g. getting into Heaven or having your prayers answered.

But there are a lot of Christians who don't follow organized religion in favor of a "personal relationship" with God, a lot of deists and agnostics who can agree with the existence of God but be otherwise non-spiritual and non-religious, and also a lot of nontheistic religions like Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism in which a belief in God is irrelevant to their wider philosophies, so who knows? There are too many factors.

It helps a lot of people redirect personal responsibility for things. I'm not saying all theists are like this, but there are many who are.

To quote Democritus, "Men ask in their prayers for health from the gods, but do not know that the power to attain this lies in themselves. By doing the opposite of what they should do, through lack of control, they themselves become the betrayers of their own health to their desires."

^^^
And IRONICALLY enough although the message is still NOT HEARD OR practiced as whole, that was the message of THE REAL HISTORICALLY reported Jesus that GOD IS ALIVE within us for healing power, not some far far away imaginary entity of cultural and religious illusion.

But of course the real SCHOLARLY REPORTED HISTORICAL Jesus PER IF HE EXISTED was a naturist and more of A YOGI LEANING PERSON and a realist not an 'Illusionary or Delusionary', AS LATER WHAT he was made into by the early Catholics in charge and the Roman Emperor Constantine and others per a MYTHOLOGICAL ICON OF A WARRING RELIGION.

I have never seen people in this group get hassled more than any other group. Religious freaks are going to proselyte anyone who is not part of their particular denomination; whether they are atheist, agnostic, spiritual, another religion or another denomination. I haven't seen them harassing spiritual, but not religious, people anymore then the other aforementioned groups.

QFT

Quantum Field Theory?


(j/k)

^^^
The acronym QFT means Quoted For Truth like Amen as affirmation. :)