French Patriot Posted May 9, 2018 Report Share Posted May 9, 2018 Can you be spiritual without being religious? Spirituality might be exemplified by this quote. John 6 ; 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. One can practice spirituality alone. One cannot practice religiosity without a group/tribe. Religiosity, I would define roughly, as promoting an organized or local church/temple/tribe etc. Spirituality ignores our tribal instincts. Our religiosity demand that we cater to our tribal/fellowship needs. If you are spiritually minded and have a working moral system that you think is the best, I think that you should want to share it and have others follow it. To share it should have you join a church or religion so as to promote your good thinking. Does a spiritual mind, if truly spiritual, have to join a religion, even if not morally up to your standard, in order to share your view and perhaps help that religion rise up to your better standard of excellence? If you answer yes to that question, is that why spiritually minded atheists and others now forming atheist churches or churches that take a more secular role within society? Regards DL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betsy Posted May 10, 2018 Report Share Posted May 10, 2018 (edited) May I ask what's your purpose for being........... spiritual? Edited May 10, 2018 by betsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Patriot Posted May 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2018 4 hours ago, betsy said: May I ask what's your purpose for being........... spiritual? I think it is likely attached to our selfish gene. It is the best way to think to enhance our chances of survival. It would lead to cooperation instead of competition. Regards DL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betsy Posted May 10, 2018 Report Share Posted May 10, 2018 Just now, French Patriot said: I think it is likely attached to our selfish gene. It is the best way to think to enhance our chances of survival. It would lead to cooperation instead of competition. Regards DL I want to understand this. Are you an atheist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Patriot Posted May 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2018 22 minutes ago, betsy said: I want to understand this. Are you an atheist? That is irrelevant to the issue, but no, I am a Gnostic Christian. Regards DL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betsy Posted May 10, 2018 Report Share Posted May 10, 2018 (edited) It never hurts to ask a simple question - see? Now you're like an onion that's getting peeled, by the looks of it. Your simple admission says a lot. I said I want to understand this..........not get my head spinning. You're giving me a headache here. Here's what you said in that other thread: Quote French Patriot Run along child. You have yet to put away the things of children. The supernatural. Heck, that's why I asked if you're atheist! Good thing I did.....and didn't just simply assume you are. Now, the plot thickens. 25 minutes ago, French Patriot said: That is irrelevant to the issue, but no, I am a Gnostic Christian. Regards DL Oh boy. That's a real - BIG - head-scratcher. On one hand, you're mocking the supernatural......and yet, on the other it's a basis for your belief, IF - and I mean, IF - you are indeed what you say you are : a gnostic christian. Maybe you just mistakenly think you are a gnostic christian? Because, here's what they're supposed to believe. Quote Influenced by such philosophers as Plato, Gnosticism is based on two false premises. First, it espouses a dualism regarding spirit and matter. Gnostics assert that matter is inherently evil and spirit is good. As a result of this presupposition, Gnostics believe anything done in the body, even the grossest sin, has no meaning because real life exists in the spirit realm only. https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-gnosticism.html So, there. the supernatural is a HUGE PART of your belief - as a gnostic christian. You might want to re-eveluate your belief again.....and ponder deeply, what you are. Wait a minute - let's be clear on this - you do know that the spirit realm is supernatural, don't you? Edited May 10, 2018 by betsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 11, 2018 Report Share Posted May 11, 2018 "I'm not religious, but I'm spiritual." I like to reply with "I'm not honest, but you're interesting!" - Daniel Tosh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Patriot Posted May 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2018 On 5/10/2018 at 9:23 AM, betsy said: I want to understand this. Are you an atheist? No. I am a Gnostic Christian. We are esoteric ecumenists and free thinkers. On 5/10/2018 at 9:57 AM, betsy said: Oh boy. That's a real - BIG - head-scratcher. On one hand, you're mocking the supernatural......and yet, on the other it's a basis for your belief, No it is not. My belief system has no supernatural content. If you would have asked, instead of going to a site that represents the same religion that used their Inquisitions on us, while expecting them not to lie about us, you would have gotten more than just the usual Christian lies. On 5/10/2018 at 9:57 AM, betsy said: Gnostics assert that matter is inherently evil and spirit is good. Really? Which God in Gen 3 cursed the earth/matter? Your God did. Seems to me that it is Christians, if they believe their bible which most have not even read, you might reverse what you said. Here is our belief and not the lies you have been looking at. I do not expect you to even understand it. Gnostic Christian Jesus said, "If those who attract you say, 'See, the Kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is under the earth,' then the fish of the sea will precede you. Rather, the Kingdom of God is inside of you, and it is outside of you. [Those who] become acquainted with [themselves] will find it; [and when you] become acquainted with yourselves, [you will understand that] it is you who are the sons of the living Father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty." As you can see from that quote, if we see God's kingdom all around us and inside of us, we cannot think that the world is anything but evolving perfection. Most just don't see it and live in poverty. Let me try to make you see the world the way I do. Here is a mind exercise. Tell me what you see when you look around. The best that can possibly be or an ugly and imperfect world? Candide. "It is demonstrable that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end.” That means that we live in the best of all possible worlds, given all the conditions at hand and the history that got us here. That is an irrefutable statement given entropy and the anthropic principle. Regards DL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Patriot Posted May 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2018 On 5/10/2018 at 9:57 AM, betsy said: Wait a minute - let's be clear on this - you do know that the spirit realm is supernatural, don't you? You do know that spirituality has nothing to do with the sprite world don't you? It is a way of thought. Not the supernatural stupidity you believe in. Regards DL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betsy Posted May 13, 2018 Report Share Posted May 13, 2018 (edited) 10 hours ago, French Patriot said: You do know that spirituality has nothing to do with the sprite world don't you? It is a way of thought. Not the supernatural stupidity you believe in. Regards DL I'm not talking about what spiritual means! I'm pointing out your own comment about the supernatural! This one: Quote On 5/10/2018 at 9:26 AM, French Patriot said: IOW, your do not back up or support your delusional supernatural thinking. Run along child. You have yet to put away the things of children. The supernatural. You mock me for believing in the supernatural.....and yet, as a Gnostic Christian, you have to believe in it too! So, either you're lying about being a Gnostic Christian, or you're ignorant of your own religion! In both cases, you don't have the credibility. Go and learn something about your own belief! Stop wasting my time. Edited May 13, 2018 by betsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
French Patriot Posted May 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2018 3 hours ago, betsy said: You mock me for believing in the supernatural.....and yet, as a Gnostic Christian, you have to believe in it too! More of your lies. 3 hours ago, betsy said: Go and learn something about your own belief! Stop wasting my time. You go ahead with your religion, and wonder why your follow a genocidal son murdering prick of a God. Regards DL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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