Down To Earth
A 16 year old female describes her skeptism regarding organized western religions.
My mother was raised a Unitarian, and my father United. Neither of them kept up with their religion, I think my mom's family mostly went to church for its community involvement. So religion was never a part of my upbringing, however I was always aware of it, as my paternal grandparents are very involved in their church. I always feel uncomfortable when we are expected to say grace at family dinners with them. They are evidently unaware that our beliefs are not mutual. I've always been skeptical of religion, Christianity in particular, since it's what I've been most exposed to. The concept of God has never appealed to me, and I don't think that there have been any instances in my life where believing in a god would have comforted or helped me. I do believe that one can be spiritual and not have religion as a part of their life. When I was around 13, my friends and I thought we would become Wiccans. We took it seriously, but it proved to be a phase. I am also taking a world religions course (gr. 11) and out of all the religions we have studied (African and Native American religions, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Budhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam,) I have most identified with the the animistic Native and African religions and Budhism. I have huuuuge problems with people who make derogatory comments about religions (other than Christianity). Most people have absolutely no knowledge of eastern religions, or any for that matter, and still make assumptions and generalizations and say stupid things. If anything, I guess nature takes the place of religion in my life. So maybe that's what I 'concentrate' on.
She states that "one can be spiritual and not have religion as a part of their life" and "nature takes the place of religion" in her life. But what does it really mean to be spiritual? In addition to a connection with something mystical, or a belief in God, can it include something within yourself?
May 3, 2006 at 2:26 am
On meaning of spiritual: being spiritual depends on beliefs since it is upon those assumptions that one predicates acts of faith. Skeptism, for instance, is spiritual for atheism, is its “high” (whether material or immaterial) being built upon belief/assumption that God is an idea that can be questioned and examined, which would be its (cerebral) act of faith. But what if God is not an idea?
The need to transcend, regardless, remains transcultural and particular to no historical period. What does it mean to be spiritual then? Perhaps we should unask that question and ask instead:
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO NOT BE SPIRITUAL?
May 21, 2006 at 2:09 am
I think that to be spiritual you just have to believe in something greater than yourself. I personally believe in fate. Very much so. And that all the littel things we do are pretty much irrelevant. So if I happen to walk down this road, I will meet this person, but if I choose this road, I’ll meet this person. Either way, I will make a new friend, or either way it won’t make a difference. There have been a great number of times for me where I’ve remembered something last minute that I need so I spend an extra minute getting it. And because of that minute, I miss seeing someone I know. In that case, I think that even If I hadn’t gone back for it, something else would have happened to stop me seeing said person. I dunno, maybe I’m just off my rocker.