Are you a spiritual? - What is the definition?

by TastingFreedom 20 Replies latest jw friends

  • TastingFreedom
    TastingFreedom

    sir82: You're right... For the Watchtower, the meaning of spirituality is subjective to their agenda, to have more drones enslaved.

    Very interesting perspectives... I love some of your personal definition and perspectives on spirits related to alcohol...and how you get "spiritual". I guess it is also possible to smoke some herb and suddenly get very spiritual as well...I have heard.

    Anyway, the important thing or the essence for spirituality is that it is possible to transcend the material/physical world, to recognize something abstract within us.

  • Babyruth
    Babyruth

    I believe that being spiritual isn't measured by how long you have been a Christian, how much you know, or how often you go to church. Spiritual maturity is measured by the way you treat other people. It's measured by the love you allow to operate in and through you.

    Preach a sermon everyday....use words only when necessary

  • flipper
    flipper

    TASTING FREEDOM- I definitely believe a person can be spiritual without being religious. For sure. I kind of take the Native American view of spirituality being in nature and how we are all connected to nature or " mother earth " as humans. I'm agnostic as well and feel a deep peace when out in the forest breathing in the environment , flowers, pine trees, rivers, lakes, and all animals in the mountains. Also listening to music regularly gets me thinking deeply and meditating on life . Also I get meanings from my dreams as to what unfinished situations might be troubling my subconscious mind. So all of these things I define as centering myself in my spirituality where I'm at peace with myself and the universe. It has continued to get stronger in me the longer I've been out of the Jehovah's Witness cult. I think for myself once again and my individuality has blossomed with freedom of thinking. It truly is freeing and fantastic. Peace out, Mr. Flipper

  • tec
    tec

    Spiritual - a connection; a spiritual connection, feeling, awareness.

    It is more than ritual, rules, regulations. That is religion.

    I have faith, and I would say that this is spiritual.

    Tammy

  • willyloman
    willyloman

    It's easy enough to tell the difference between spirituality and religion: Spirituality unites. Religion divides.

  • djeggnog
    djeggnog

    @TastingFreedom:

    As a JW, the definition of spirituality is very limited and narrow minded. But I have realized that I'm a spiritual person even as an Agnostic. Watchtower's use of the word is completely wrong, and only used to benefit their own agenda. It's a loaded word with the incorrect meaning.

    People can define words as they please, and I don't just mean Jehovah's Witnesses, mind you, but even you are free to do so as well. If you and I were discussing the pleadings that one files in a courtroom called "motions," and the two of us understood what the other meant and the judge also understood what we meant when we used this word, there wouldn't likely be anyone thinking that by "motions" that any of us would be discussing a formal proposal (e.g., when voting) or movement involving a change of location, even if a seemingly imperceptible one. It is evident that you believe a spiritual person can be an agnostic, which is fine, but I would tell you that it isn't the case that someone that professes to be a Christian is automatically a spiritual person. I'd also say that just because someone attends church every Sunday, tithes a tenth of their income to their church and has even been baptized as a Christian doesn't necessarily make that individual a spiritual person.

    Regarding the natural man, the physical man -- it says he doesn't receive anything of the spirit of God because to him all of such things are foolishness, so he can't get to know them, he doesn't understand them, he perceives spiritual things to be foolish. That is why such persons don't have God's favor: They don't have God's point of view. But regarding the spiritual man, the apostle Paul states at 1 Corinthians 2:14, 15, using the KJV Bible, that he "judgeth all things." One way to describe him, he is a God-oriented person.

    So the spiritual man understands spiritual things, examines them, comprehends them, judges all things, because, unlike the natural man, he receives the things of the spirit of God, he examines all things, he perceives them and consequently is able to look at things from God's point of view. For this reason, his opposite -- the natural or physical man -- does not see things from God's point of view, he cannot see things from God's viewpoint, and being unable to comprehend spiritual things, he is in no position to judge the spiritual man.

    However, at1 Corinthians 3:1-3, Paul wrote:

    "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?"

    Did you notice what Paul called those Christians? Three times he uses a certain word to describe them. What kind of Christians did he say they were? He said that they were "carnal" or fleshly Christians. At Romans 8:6-8, the apostle goes on to write:

    "For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God."

    If you were to read Colossians 3:5, which states --

    "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry."

    -- then you would know that we should not be trying to satisfy certain fleshly cravings that we might have, that all such should be "mortified," for there are certain things that appeal to the sensory organs, that is to say, to sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch, should be 'mortified.'

    So in a nutshell, a spiritual person must have God's point of view, and so he cannot be an agnostic, since an agnostic doesn't know God. I'm giving here my opinion, of course, just as you have given your opinion of what you believe constitutes one a spiritual person, but the word "spiritual" is not a loaded one, the phrase itself, not "loaded," that is, in my opinion, for either one defines what a spiritual person is according to how the Bible defines the phrase, or one opts to reject the Bible's definition for some other definition, and how one defines this word or this phrase depends upon whose point of view one embraces.

    @djeggnog

  • poppers
    poppers

    I think TastingFreedom's definition is right on the mark.

  • ProdigalSon
    ProdigalSon

    Anything that is truly "spiritual" the Watchtower considers "occult" or "sorcery". Once again we can thank the Bible writers for that deception.

    Babyruth made an important point. The key is love, but unconditional love. Making judgments and acting like a Pharisee is the opposite of love. If you are love, you don't worry about bad influences, they have no effect on you and cannot hurt you. So there is no need to judge, you only show love by example. Show them the way by your words and deeds. That's what's wrong with JW's in a nutshell.

  • Heaven
    Heaven

    Tasting Freedom, I like what you have said.

    In addition, for me, Spirituality is also about the returning of positiveness from ourselves to the Universe as well as ourselves taking this back in. It is a reciprocal cycle. It is not limited to human beings either.

    This is why Witnesses have so many issues. They do not allow themselves to do this. They block their true Spirituality and in so doing, make themselves ill. They have allowed a bunch of strangers to define for them something that these strangers have no business defining. Each of our needs are nurtured and supported in different, personal, and private ways. No one can define this for us. Someone can assist, they can advise, but it is ultimately our choice, and must be, for us to be happy and healthy.

    Spirituality is one of 4 human needs. To stop this joyful, creative giving and receiving, is to cause harm. The 4 needs (Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual) are interdependent; they each assist the others; and must be nurtured and supported in order for a person to be truly healthy and happy.

  • poppers
    poppers

    Well said, Heaven.

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