The Language of Spirituality

[Griffin NoName]

spirituality: having an interest in finding common ground rather than trumpeting differences.

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[Bluenose]

I'm pretty sure I have said this before, but to me - a devout atheist - spirituality is synonymous with what Carl Sagan called the sense of the numinous, that feeling of awe and wonder that we experience when we gaze upon the deep or we look at the face of a baby orang utan, or, perhaps, if you are a believer, when you contemplate the face of god.

It seems a pity to me that some feel that religion has the right to claim spirituality for its own.  Religion may be a form of spirituality, but it is IMHO by no means the only receptacle for it.  The Toadfish Monastery is that rarest of rare beasts - a place where we accept all forms of spirituality.  Because of our emphasis on tolerance and respect I don't have to give up my unbelief to be able to have meaningful conversation with others including the many types of believers.  Neither do believers have to give up their belief to talk to me.  Together we can build a new way of thinking about spirituality, one based on inclusion rather than exclusion.  It can be a deeply meaningful experience for us all, yet we can each take our own perspective from it.  Those of us who believe in a god or gods can have our belief affirmed while those who do not can have our own feelings of awe and wonder affirmed.  It is not an either or scenario.

[Sibling Chatty]

Ya know, I know a LOT of religious folks.

Outside of here, I know very few truly spiritual ones...

Ops, your sister needs to remember that it's NOT religion that's the problem. It's man's ABUSE of religion... OF course, anybody that has been through a cult-type thing usually has trouble differentiating between the two.

[Opsa]

I have tried to explain that to her, but she has a wall up against it.

I guess I can't blame her for putting up the wall. A religion abused her, so I suppose she has decided to block them all in self-defense.

It is interesting though- if she wasn't spiritual, she wouldn't need to block them, as they would have no effect on her, whatsoever.

[anthrobabe]

Quoting Bluenose:
"that feeling of awe and wonder that we experience when we gaze upon the deep or we look at the face of a baby orang utan,"

Oh- that's it--- awe. I was so --privileged is an understatement- to be allowed to be a part of the first hours and days of our baby boy Mosi (western lowland gorilla) at our zoo, he's now a 30 pound year old- but that tiny perfect being that was born last October is astounding.

thankfully he has been mother raised and never touched by us humans- we've only been witness to the amazing life( oh and we deliver raisins on a regular basis, and sometimes peanut butter)