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So if I get the gist of it, what we are saying here is that spirituality is a direct connection with a high power. Call it God or Higher energy etc. And there is no need for a subscription to any organized Religion, it's God, and it's set of rules and boundaries.
And based on that connection, there could be some effects in your life
I hope I am correct so far?
I can only speak for myself. Organized religion can be the portal, the opening, for someone’s experience of God. I had a profound “Jesus experience” when I was 19 (I’m now 71) although I am not “religious” or affiliated with any organized religion, Jesus was definitely the opening for me to know God. Ive found spiritual truth and growth in Christianity, Buddhism, and Advaita There are many perennial spiritual truths that have run through most of the major organized religions ie —- basic idea of Karma is the same as the biblical “you reap what you sow.” The teachings of lovingkindness and compassion in Buddhism open the heart like the compassion and forgiveness teachings of Jesus. “ Be STILL and KNOW that I am God” from the Bible is the tool for connection to THAT which runs in most religions ——> through deep stillness one experiences a wisdom and KNOWINGNESS thats behind the chattering mind and ego.
Many “spiritual” people stay with a certain religion as they continue to grow even though they don’t adhere to or believe parts of it.
Now, we know that we are all humans and we interact with fellow humans. And no one among us is an angle.
One time or another, we ALL have done mistakes in our lives where we have done something to another human or animal or nature, that was perhaps morally not approved and/or whatever wrong we did to someone else, is/was not punishable by law of the land. But it was still considered wrong by your inner voice.
So when a spiritual person who does not believe in an organized religion, it's God and it's moral values and it's rules, makes such a mistake, does he feel answerable or obligated to accountability in front of this higher power/energy/God that he feels directly connected with?
Again, I can only speak for myself — I believe my true self is spirit/soul experiencing being human — so all of this is a spiritual journey of learning and growing. Yes, I feel obligated to SEE my (often) bad behavior and to do inquiry and to mature spiritually. It’s my relationship with God and mostly during contemplative prayer/meditation that gives me direction—it’s never harsh judgment it’s just quiet “truth” that shows up..
How do you feel obligated to this energy/God that passed a certain morality to you, but you didn't live by it 100%?
Is there a sense of accountability?
Yes — we are here to grow, mature spiritually while navigating through this life. Bad behavior feels crappy and we learn the consequences of it .
And if all spiritualist are "going home" then what's the point of this morality passed onto you guys by the God you felt directly connected with?
The point is (for me) — we are here to learn and grow spiritually. Here as a human —I have no idea what the REALLY BIG point is— I can only surrender to the mystery of it all. Ironically, It’s the surrendering lesson that gives peace….
?
Last edited by mountainrose; 11-21-2022 at 08:15 AM..
I walk in a Covenant with God. The term religion would only apply to religiously seeking God, like a well-worn path. Not a boxed in thing but a growing.
When God instructed Abraham concerning circumcision, it is the acknowledgement of God being in the lead concerning the life that is brought forth. God also spoke of circumcision of the heart, which is the opening of the heart to God's leading in a most personal depth and ownership.
In Psalm 51 David's heart is being circumcised. He followed God's lead until he didn't, and committed adultery and then thought he could cover it up, by having a faithful man put to death. Circumcision of the heart goes deep to the core. David was a King and leader of the nation of Israel. David found forgiveness when he was brought to face what he did head on. And many people suffered because of what he did.
David's son Absolmon thought he could rise up and replace his father David, declaring himself good and David a disgrace. Trying to place himself in the lead, while undercutting his father. David was still God's chosen leader and God had dealt with him. And when Absolmon chose his own leading and pursued David to overtake him as King, David went to sleep that night and rested and gave the instruction to his fighting men not to kill his son, showing experienced forgiveness in his heart for his son. Joab followed his own leading and killed David's son.
Personally, I have no desire to try and cover my wrongs by pointing at someone else's wrongs to justify my own. That is just playing the moral equivalency game and changes nothing in engaging in that. Better to have my heart laid bare and face up to it and seek God, because only that can effect any change in me. Then I can follow where God leads me from there. And leave all that awful stuff behind and to hopefully not repeat it. The moral equivalency game is something that just gets repeated over and over as it spreads and just gets old.
Last edited by chief scum; 11-21-2022 at 08:57 AM..
In general, I think a religious person who believes in God and religion, automatically is spiritual.
But how does “being spiritual without believing in God and religion”, work?
I know there may be definitions varying from practitioner to practitioner, but can we have a few explanations or elaboration on this state of awareness?
Those who consider themselves spiritual but not religious, do they believe in life after death?
And what EXACTLY does it mean to be “spiritual” when you don’t believe in the existence God or in any religion?
Do you believe in soul?
If yes, what happens to the soul after death?
I did a whole thread on my take on this some time ago if you care you peruse.
There was a Star Trek episode that dealt with a comparable situation to the existence of Spirits as I currently see it. The beings existed at an accelerated level of existence but could interact at the normal level. Our Spirits effectively exist at a higher energy level of existence (quanta) than our low-energy physical bodies and senses. This presents a similar situation except that Spirits, once disconnected from physical bodies, do not normally interact at our level of existence. I say normally only because of the anecdotal reports that do exist.
My post above is the last one from that thread, Cruithne. It really is all about existence at different energy levels. Our consciousness is at the level of quanta but our body isn't! What complicates it is that our consciousness has already experienced everything before we even begin to. We live in a delayed playback which is sort of like the movie The Sting. It is like we are living the "horse race" that already happened thinking it is currently happening (delayed playback). Much of the psychic "woo" could be attributed to some sort of "leakage" from our actual Self. The spiritual realm is not supernatural. It is very natural!
You perhaps don't even quali[f]y to be a spiritualist because you don't feel connected to God or a higher power, outside of religion. Do you?
I think this is the nail on the head why I don't qualify as a spiritualist or call myself spiritual too...
I've tried to describe my thoughts, feelings and experiences along those lines that seem to be what spiritual people are describing, but without the god or higher power. Inside or outside of religion. Me and religious or spiritual people just have different notions about the nature and source of those thoughts, feelings and experiences is all.
It's been a while since I have the latest communicated on this matter but maybe from my own personal experiences as a spiritual individual and have been all my life, maybe I can add a little bit to this thread and to the question. Let me start by saying that to me being spiritual is a way of life, a way of how you treat individuals, I always try to treat others with respect regardless of their beliefs. Unlike many others I do not have a belief in any kind of organized religion mainly because there are too many restrictions on what to believe and what not to believe nor do I try to force my beliefs on others, this is a path that I must travel alone. Others may travel with me for a period of time but the path is mine and mine alone to travel. This is what I see as Spiritualism no pretense.as for whether we believe if we have the spirit or not, my belief is every living thing has spirit and I believe that when I have reached the end of my path, whenever that will be, I will crossover into the next world and be with my ancestors.spiritualism is not a hard thing to believe in, religion is a much harder thing to believe in because of all of its rules and one has to live by. I remember I once asked my father why he never went to church, my mother was a devout Lutheran, my father said to me look around you, this is my church all of nature is my church, I don't need any middleman to speak to my creator for me when I can do it myself. there have been many times that I have said, religion is for those who are afraid of hell, spirituality is for those who have been there. In the many years that I have traveled this Earth I have been through a lot of hell many times.
I think this is the nail on the head why I don't qualify as a spiritualist or call myself spiritual too...I've tried to describe my thoughts, feelings and experiences along those lines that seem to be what spiritual people are describing, but without the god or higher power. Inside or outside of religion. Me and religious or spiritual people just have different notions about the nature and source of those thoughts, feelings and experiences is all.
sounds like an apple pie without the apples.
or the time i baked peanut butter cookies for my three toddler sons. the oldest of the bunch (he was around four) solemnly said he likes cookies but next time to please make them without the peanut butter.
It's been a while since I have the latest communicated on this matter but maybe from my own personal experiences as a spiritual individual and have been all my life, maybe I can add a little bit to this thread and to the question. Let me start by saying that to me being spiritual is a way of life, a way of how you treat individuals, I always try to treat others with respect regardless of their beliefs. Unlike many others I do not have a belief in any kind of organized religion mainly because there are too many restrictions on what to believe and what not to believe nor do I try to force my beliefs on others, this is a path that I must travel alone. Others may travel with me for a period of time but the path is mine and mine alone to travel. This is what I see as Spiritualism no pretense.as for whether we believe if we have the spirit or not, my belief is every living thing has spirit and I believe that when I have reached the end of my path, whenever that will be, I will crossover into the next world and be with my ancestors.spiritualism is not a hard thing to believe in, religion is a much harder thing to believe in because of all of its rules and one has to live by. I remember I once asked my father why he never went to church, my mother was a devout Lutheran, my father said to me look around you, this is my church all of nature is my church, I don't need any middleman to speak to my creator for me when I can do it myself. there have been many times that I have said, religion is for those who are afraid of hell, spirituality is for those who have been there. In the many years that I have traveled this Earth I have been through a lot of hell many times.
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