Spirituality without God?

[Stryder06]

So I happened to stumble upon a repeat episode of Oprah today when i got home from work. The program was entitled Spirituality 101. She had three guest, two which are ministers, and one which was an author of several books.

Each guest gave there definition of what it meant to be spiritual, along side Oprah, but not one of them mentioned that spirituality had anything to do with God. More disturbing was the fact that the two ministers stated that homosexuality is a gift from God.

With this in mind I would like to discuss what it means to be spiritual. I'm not sure how long ago this topic has been circulated on this board, so perhaps this will prove a good topic to discuss.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

So I happened to stumble upon a repeat episode of Oprah today when i got home from work. The program was entitled Spirituality 101. She had three guest, two which are ministers, and one which was an author of several books.

Each guest gave there definition of what it meant to be spiritual, along side Oprah, but not one of them mentioned that spirituality had anything to do with God. More disturbing was the fact that the two ministers stated that homosexuality is a gift from God.

With this in mind I would like to discuss what it means to be spiritual. I'm not sure how long ago this topic has been circulated on this board, so perhaps this will prove a good topic to discuss.

LLOJ subscribes but will just lurk awhile

I know there are a few but this one particular thread was the largest concerning relics.

I find it interesting looking back on some of the posters of older threads, some have gone on and a few are still here. Hope this helps

http://www.christianforums.com/t2658028-20/http://www.christianforums.com/t2658028/
Relic Veneration: Aid to Spirituality ???

Theologically is this practice of venerating relics:
Positive
Neutral
Negative
in cultivating one's spiritual life?

 

[Sphinx777]

Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and faith, a transcendent reality, or one or more deities. Spiritual matters are thus those matters regarding humankind's ultimate nature and meaning, not only as material biological organisms, but as beings with a unique relationship to that which is perceived to be beyond the bodily senses, time and the material world. Spirituality in this sense implies the mind-body dichotomy, which indicates a separation between the body and soul. But spirituality may also be about the development of the individual's inner life through specific practices.

The spiritual is traditionally contrasted with the material, the temporal and the earthly. A perceived sense of connection forms a central defining characteristic of spirituality — connection to a metaphysical reality greater than oneself, which may include an emotional experience of religious awe and reverence, or such states as satori or nirvana. Equally importantly, spirituality relates to matters of sanity and of psychological health. Spirituality is the personal, subjective dimension of religion, particularly that which pertains to liberation or salvation (related concepts are mysticism and esoterism).

 

[buzzini]

spirituality is the first step to discover God. Hence they choose to stop there is fine.

Homosexuality is a gift from God. For even Jesus did not punish pharisee for their hypocrisy right there, yet christians in the name of God would strip away all gays rights for their love. Hence God allows all verity of mankind to test the charity of everyone who claim to know God.

 

[peace4ever]

So I happened to stumble upon a repeat episode of Oprah today when i got home from work. The program was entitled Spirituality 101. She had three guest, two which are ministers, and one which was an author of several books.

Each guest gave there definition of what it meant to be spiritual, along side Oprah, but not one of them mentioned that spirituality had anything to do with God. More disturbing was the fact that the two ministers stated that homosexuality is a gift from God.

With this in mind I would like to discuss what it means to be spiritual. I'm not sure how long ago this topic has been circulated on this board, so perhaps this will prove a good topic to discuss.

That's called human pride. "Every good thing comes from above." So those who think they have a good spiritual nature are being deceived by Satan into thinking that without God, man is good. But that's what the secular world has to believe since they reject God and thus can't feel loved by God.So they have to boast and brag about their own goodness. "He who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted." The secular world doesn't understand that. So I don't listen much to the beliefs of the secular world.

 

[Dark_Lite]

You can be spiritual without acknowledging a deity. See: the atheistic sects of Buddhism, pantheism, or other non-deistic systems.

Of course whether those systems are correct or not is another matter entirely.

 

[Randya]

To be fooled into thinking that spirituality just a christian god thing is a bit on the ummm.....well. I don't really know any nicer way to put it than to say pick up a history book...and then another...and then another. Notice that the bible falls in the middle of all of those in dated history. That's something to think about.

 

[JacksLadder]

To be fooled into thinking that spirituality just a christian god thing is a bit on the ummm.....well. I don't really know any nicer way to put it than to say pick up a history book...and then another...and then another. Notice that the bible falls in the middle of all of those in dated history. That's something to think about.

The Bible is a revealing of God's word through time so of course it is not going to appear in full form till later. I mean religion 101 here. I mean Wow! you have opened my mind with this new information I had no idea about.......not

Yes we know that spirituality exist apart from Christianity. We also know that only full and or correct spirituality exist within Chrisitanity.

BTW unless your other church is a Christian one you have no right to post in this forum.

 

[Stryder06]

You can be spiritual without acknowledging a deity. See: the atheistic sects of Buddhism, pantheism, or other non-deistic systems.

Of course whether those systems are correct or not is another matter entirely.

Well how do or rather should we, define spirituality?

 

[E.C.]

So I happened to stumble upon a repeat episode of Oprah today when i got home from work. The program was entitled Spirituality 101. She had three guest, two which are ministers, and one which was an author of several books.

Each guest gave there definition of what it meant to be spiritual, along side Oprah, but not one of them mentioned that spirituality had anything to do with God. More disturbing was the fact that the two ministers stated that homosexuality is a gift from God.

With this in mind I would like to discuss what it means to be spiritual. I'm not sure how long ago this topic has been circulated on this board, so perhaps this will prove a good topic to discuss.

"Spiritual is the man who allows the Holy Spirit to dwell within himself and to manifest the Holy Spirit from him" - Metropolitan Heirotheos of Vlachos (quoted from slight memory, may be wrong).


There can not be spirituality without God.

 

[talitha]

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. (1 Corinthians 2:14-15)

.

 

[sunlover1]

Well how do or rather should we, define spirituality?

Having to do with the spiritual realm (I'd think)
(Oprah needs our prayers)