Americans who identify as spiritual, experience greater life satisfaction

wegs said:
When I labeled myself an atheist, I had an indifference to faith, to all things considered spiritual or religious.
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That is fairly unusual.

Most atheists, even (or especially) those without a religion, are deeply concerned with matters of faith and spirituality - and if not religious they do not have the option of the formal weekly ritual that can be used to box their concerns away from their daily life.

wegs said:
lol Now, I know you meant to post this in the other thread, right
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What for? (Wasn't paying attention - didn't matter). The issue is the same: reliable source of straight news - with a handy example, here.
 
iceaura said:
That is fairly unusual.

Most atheists, even (or especially) those without a religion, are deeply concerned with matters of faith and spirituality - and if not religious they do not have the option of the formal weekly ritual that can be used to box their concerns away from their daily life.
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What I mean by that, there wasn't one stand out choice or one particular ah-ha moment that led me to identify as an atheist, then. It was a slow fade...that led to indifference and a general apathy about my own beliefs. I would talk with others about their faith views, but for me personally, I was indifferent. Most of my current atheist friends just live and let live, and aren't very vocal about their thoughts to religion.
 
iceaura said:
What for? (Wasn't paying attention - didn't matter). The issue is the same: reliable source of straight news - with a handy example, here.
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I'll look into that news source and report my findings.
 
wegs said:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/american-...ea2631c34e
...
When you find the time to read the article, I'd be curious to know what you think.
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From the article:
The survey asked a random sample of 2,016 adults how often they “felt particularly connected to the world around you,” “felt like you were a part of something much larger than yourself,” and “felt a sense of larger meaning or purpose in life.”
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I honestly do not know how anyone could answer to any of those in a concise and meaningful way, and without asking for further clarification of the queries in the first place.

Like, "meaning or purpose in life"--life in general? My own life? That detail would make for some strikingly disparate responses. "Connected to the world around you?" Again, I'm gonna need some serious clarification there. I often, if not always, feel a strong connection to "the world," in a sense, whilst simultaneously feeling a profound sense of disconnection to pretty much all of the people in that world, to the point of nausea. But am I supposed to be considering the world's human inhabitants a part of "the world?" I suspect that I am, but who knows? They don't really spell it out for me. I prefer to think of the humans as apart (that is, not a part), an invasive contaminant, perhaps, simply because it makes me feel better (strangely), but I wouldn't have a clue as to what the pollsters are actually looking for here, so...
 
wegs said:
While I see your points, I don't think Huff Post would have published an article discussing the benefits of spirituality, if there was no substance to it.
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I don't think it is discussing the benefits of spirituality at all.
It gives a nod to the notion of spirituality as a benefit: that claim is not examined.
But, and under that cover, it says that
1. you don't need a church for spiritual fulfillment and
2. churches don't necessarily provide spiritual fulfillment.
 
Jeeves said:
I don't think it is discussing the benefits of spirituality at all.
It gives a nod to the notion of spirituality as a benefit: that claim is not examined.
But, and under that cover, it says that
1. you don't need a church for spiritual fulfillment and
2. churches don't necessarily provide spiritual fulfillment.
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Well, it might not be enlightening to us, but there's a big world out there...maybe someone else came away...enlightened.

I spent my entire childhood in church services, and when I became an adult, I thought that church automatically = faith and spirituality. I doubt I'm alone in that thinking, and happy to say, that mindset is completely gone. Indoctrination is a powerful tool of religion.
 
Seattle said:
The Lord works in mysterious ways. :)
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He does. ;)

Jeeves said:
Maybe. I suppose many Americans need to be told the obvious, again and again.
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What do you feel is the ''obvious'' take away from the article?

Not all articles need to provide moments of cerebral ecstasy...sometimes, they're just pieces where as the reader you nod...and move on with your day.
 
wegs said:
He does. ;)
What do you feel is the ''obvious'' take away from the article?
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Didn't i say?
Yes, I did
1. you don't need a church for spiritual fulfillment and
2. churches don't necessarily provide spiritual fulfillment
(3. - not stated - even though the churches try to convince you otherwise)
 
wegs said:
What do you feel is the ''obvious'' take away from the article?
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It's easier to come up with a takeaway if the correlation is viewed from the other side - if one reported that those who experience greater satisfaction in life are more likely to identify as spiritual.

For starters, they would be more likely to have "leisure" time not dominated by stress or pain - opportunity for meditative thought, reading, etc.
 
iceaura said:
It's easier to come up with a takeaway if the correlation is viewed from the other side - if one reported that those who experience greater satisfaction in life are more likely to identify as spiritual.

For starters, they would be more likely to have "leisure" time not dominated by stress or pain - opportunity for meditative thought, reading, etc.
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Well, there are contemplative traditions--even strains within Abrahamic traditions--which emphasize incorporating "mindfulness" (or whatever term or notion fits the respective tradition) into one's work. Still, in order to get there in the first place one need sufficient "leisure" time.
 
iceaura said:
actual, bona fide, apparently competent journalist:
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plausible denial ... ?

i always got a hint of arianas conservative middle european nature much like arnald swatshisface
compared to american puritan (backwaters)christian conservatives they are comparatively space age.

hufflepufs first few years were met with massive amounts of centre left social peer review(not sure if that was manufactured or alt-right-tea party think tanks testing for leaks.
who knows.

i never took the huff empire to be a prey the gay away anti gay marriage brown shirt brigade so i was always happy for them to run with the scissors.

Michael 345 said:
Years and years later the elders look back at their spiritual past and complain about the system
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they fashion their religion to fit the system that fits their religion...
wegs said:
if you're the type of person that you accept that things exist only if you can physically see, hear or touch them - then you won't
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the irony of the perception of reality, is that it seems like reality
non belief in perception is equal to illusion by all perception.

philosophers define logic as laws
spiritual people define magic as real
both share the perception of experience which self validates
both have nothing without their perception
soo it would appear

Psychology of the human condition
wegs said:
Not that a non-believer ''must'' empathize,
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failure to empathize means any drive to deliver an outcome for any other human is for personal gain, which is narcissism.
everyone has a certain amount of narcissism in them as it is required to function.
yet the nuance of empathic embodiment by virtue of selflessness is quite a different art of being and most often confused with dictatorship of morality[i.e 'save a ho syndrome'].

iceaura said:
Again the choice: do you want straight news and accurate reporting by well informed journalists, or do you want the comfort of feeling no influence or pressure regardless of your prior opinions?
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many turn on the news to buy a feeling of being lucky, better off and comforted in knowing the world is as they thought it probably was and in varying degrees of each of those to varying points.
 
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wegs said:
lol ^^

Well, if one's expectations of God is that he is to be a grantor of all wishes...one might come away disappointed, indeed. ;)

We're all different, and I respect your views, too. :)
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God is that he is to be a grantor of all wishes

You have another use for him?

:)
 
cluelusshusbund said:
What God grants is the ability for all to be beter than they are.!!!
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Sorry but (God is that he is to be a grantor of all wishes) is NOT my quote (is why in italics)
From wegs (see the panel above) and I was questioning if god is NOT the granter of all wishes, did wegs have another use for him

:)
 
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