Are you religious or are you spiritual? Wake up to what? (page 11)

Viviane

I have been ridiculed for saying that I still feel spiritual even though I don't believe in God

No one should do that.

I would never ridicule someone for expressing a belief in God, as I see no point to it.

I've not seen anyone do that.

Village Idiot

I'm very spiritual. This is my goddess:

I'm very religious. This is my high priest:

stillin

I really don't care whether Deltawave is associated with this BK business or not. Actually, let him speak even if he is instead of jumping all over him!

Who knows, we might learn something.

but it appears to me that Deltawave is simply another disenchanted JW, looking for mature discussion. Too bad it got derailed by certain ones calling him a liar.

Viviane

Actually, let him speak even if he is instead of jumping all over him!

No one is stopping or attempting to stop DW from speaking.

but it appears to me that Deltawave is simply another disenchanted JW, looking for mature discussion. Too bad it got derailed by certain ones calling him a liar.

DW is promoting BK teachings, a group who has previously tried to recruit for their cult here. Why is it a bad thing to suggest someone is a BK if they are promoting BK teachings?

With regard to the lying, DW was telling lies. Why is calling a lie exactly what it is a bad thing?

DW may be exactly what you say he is; time will tell. Pardon me and a lot of us if we are suspicious of anyone joining the site and immediately posting a better way, an enlightened path, a clearer understanding. He's preaching even if it is nice preaching. I've stayed out of this OP other than to weigh in on my skepticism of DW's motives and to jab at Cofty and Viviane a bit. We should be nice to DW, and most of us are. But we should also be wary of anyone showing us a better way on their first OPs.

The premise of his OP sounds good on the surface, but he is essentially linking being an ethical, decent person with either religion or spirituality. So many of you are 'liking' what I consider utter BS. Being kind, decent, ethical, at peace with ones self and in harmony with nature haven't anything to do with either religion or spirituality. That's the only problem I have with the OP. Village Idiot illustrates what I'm saying with his clever pictures above (thanks VI).

And as those of us who are driven by evidence have pointed out many times, the more secular and atheistic a person, region or nation are, the more likely they are to be functional and ethical. So the premise of the OP is specious - it sounds good on the surface but it isn't backed up by reality.

Of course someone can be religious but not spiritual or spiritual but not religious. But linking either with the quality of a human and the life they live is the problem with the OP. They certainly can be linked; I suppose I would have 'liked' the OP and been less suspicious if DW had included reaching the same end result with a completely secular approach.

I am in awe of the beauty of nature. My relationships with my beautiful children and my amazing friends lift me up. Art, architecture and my girlfriend's ass inspire me (ok, her boobs too, but her ass is amazing). I live an ethical life, but I would never classify myself as either religious OR spiritual.

JWINQUESTION

@Vivianne

I never said it was tactless to address lies or irrational viewpoints but it can be done with tact, humility and kindness.

Going all out on the OP headstrong who is relatively new on the boards is something that must be taken with great caution.

Even though his views might seem naive or cultish to others, we can still question the OP with humility and address his views with whatever counterarguments and questions with kindness.

Some new posters who aren't thick skinned or get easily offended might get discouraged easily which is why I try to take the nice approach when dealing with such ones.

Anyways thanks for your response. Have a good day.

Village Idiot

DJS, Village Idiot illustrates what I'm saying with his clever pictures above (thanks VI).

You're welcome.

Half banana

Deltawave, when a person realises TTATT (the truth about the truth) the JW mindset does not immediately evaporate. Even if you have discovered that JWs are just another religious cult this does not deny you might still be looking for some invisible spiritual anchor. The tendency of most ex-JWs is to look elsewhere for some “spiritual” comfort because that is what we were led to believe. Spirituality is just another term to describe the religious impulse.

There are degrees of healing from the curse of having been immersed in the Watchtower scam and it truly does take some time to rewire the brain and get your life back.

Our tendency is to justify religion by saying that “spirituality” is the alternative answer, as if we must hold on to something supernatural--- after all it had been our way of life to do so.

Instead, to leave JWs is an opportunity to mature as an individual...we were all infantilised by the old cult... now we look after ourselves. This is the significant part; if we are to mature we cultivate the art of decision making on a pragmatic basis not an airy-fairy spiritual one. Spiritual is the word of the religious con man, indeed we are not just material we are also creatures of the mind. Mental play is a precious and vital human attribute, often distorted in religious belief. We enjoy our imagination and also the profoundly enjoyable art and culture that have arisen from it but we should not base our life decisions on unprovable edicts by great “spiritual” leaders. The lure of spirituality is strong but just look at the pits of despair and depravity the “spirituality” of Islam is forcing on people.

We were Jdubs, we were wrong...we were wrong about everything. My suggestion is that this time round we should seek our own welfare and that of family and mankind through provable, evidential based knowledge not through the yearnings of magic spirituality. It takes time to escape and recover from the religious dream... but all the best to you on your life journey from here on, it does get better!

Viviane

I never said it was tactless to address lies or irrational viewpoints but it can be done with tact, humility and kindness.

Yes, it can be. I used exactly the amount of tact, humility and kindness appropriate for a person I believe to be a retread of a cult recruiter.

Going all out on the OP headstrong who is relatively new on the boards is something that must be taken with great caution.

It is my belief that this person is not new in the least.

Have a good day.

You as well.

Deltawave

Ok again i would like to apologise as I did come across preachy. I am not going to debate whether or not I am a BK as you have your opinions either way. What I was trying to write though was my thoughts and feelings which I hope don't offend anyone on this forum. I see many a Ministerial servant and elder measuring their spirituality by the amount of jobs and comities they are on and totally neglect the caring of the (PEOPLE) in the congregation which is what i think those roles are supposed to be about. I am therefore dis-illusioned by the gap between spirituality and religion.

I think that if there is such a thing as "spirituality" it cant be measured through how much underlining you do in a book or by how many job you do in a Kingdom hall.

I as an individual do still desire some form of spirituality in my life. A higher purpose than eat, breed die. I have though developed after some research my own interpretation of what I think that might be which i was keen to share here as a newbie.

I hope this makes sense to you as fellow forum friends:0)

Deltawave xx

Are you religious or are you spiritual? Wake up to what?

Share this