What do you get out of spirituality?

cloudyday2

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I suppose I'm hoping to find some purpose in life.

So far I would agree with @Steve Petersen that religion/spirituality hasn't delivered a damn thing for me. (It has delivered many negative things though.) But I'm hopeful that I might find something that helps, because I have nearly freed myself from my childhood indoctrination in Christianity. Christianity has been of no use to me spiritually, but the residual belief and fears have prevented me from freely exploring other paths.

(Of course I know that Christianity is useful for many people. In fact, some people convert from atheism to Christianity as thinking adults and so forth.)
 
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dlamberth

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Spirituality is standing still for a moment and encountering the world afresh, marveling at the strangeness of it all.

Religion is slowly learning how to stay in that moment every day of your life.

(I might be a mystic.)
As soon as the mind figures out that there will be doctrine, and as soon as there is a doctrine there may be other doctrines and all of these belong to the mind-world. They are not activities of the soul itself.
 
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dlamberth

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I suppose I'm hoping to find some purpose in life.
I felt the same at one time. It's when I discovered the wisdom traditions with in the various spiritual traditions that things finally began to jell for me.
 
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Phil 1:21

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What do I get out of it? I get to be mocked by unbelievers. I get to be ostracized by progressive culture. I get demonized by people who think killing unborn babies is acceptable. I get to be called a homophobe for supporting the Biblical definition of marriage. I get to be ridiculed for worshiping a “Jewish zombie.” I get be called a closet homosexual for refusing to hang out in strip clubs or watch inappropriate contentography. I get to be called a snob for not getting drunk or doing drugs. I get to be lumped in with the KKK and neo Nazis by people who say they are Christians too. I get to watch as our elected leaders pass laws restricting the public practice of my faith while they legitimize the very behavior that is destroying our nation.

And I also get to spend eternity in the very presence of God when He calls me home. For that I am ever thankful.
 
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TheOldWays

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What do I get out of it? I get to be mocked by unbelievers. I get to be ostracized by progressive culture. I get demonized by people who think killing unborn babies is acceptable. I get to be called a homophobe for supporting the Biblical definition of marriage. I get to be ridiculed for worshiping a “Jewish zombie.” I get be called a closet homosexual for refusing to hang out in strip clubs or watch inappropriate contentography. I get to be called a snob for not getting drunk or doing drugs. I get to be lumped in with the KKK and neo Nazis by people who say they are Christians too. I get to watch as our elected leaders pass laws restricting the public practice of my faith while they legitimize the very behavior that is destroying our nation.

That's what happens when you tangle with pendulums or egregors as they get power by playing their adherents off adherents of other egregors and pendulums. Lessen importance and tune out the noise and things will be a lot better. :)
 
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cloudyday2

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...
And I also get to spend eternity in the very presence of God when He calls me home. For that I am ever thankful.
Assume for a moment that the atheists are correct. What does your spirituality give you? You get the psychological comfort of a false hope in a happy afterlife. That comfort is worth something, but what else do you get if atheism is true? There should be more I think.
 
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Phil 1:21

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Assume for a moment that the atheists are correct.

Honestly, that would be like asking me to assume that I'm a cocker spaniel riding a magic unicorn through a land ruled by purple manatees and that dead parrot from Monty Python. I don't have a vivid enough imagination to pretend that atheists are correct.
 
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cloudyday2

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Honestly, that would be like asking me to assume that I'm a cocker spaniel riding a magic unicorn through a land ruled by purple manatees and that dead parrot from Monty Python. I don't have a vivid enough imagination to pretend that atheists are correct.
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today... Aha-ah...
John Lennon Lyrics - Imagine
 
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awitch

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Honestly, that would be like asking me to assume that I'm a cocker spaniel riding a magic unicorn through a land ruled by purple manatees and that dead parrot from Monty Python. I don't have a vivid enough imagination to pretend that atheists are correct.

Let's frame it in a way that you can work with.

Imagine you're the one who is deceived by Satan, and it's really the liberal/progressive Christians who hold "The Truth".
 
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TheOldWays

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Not sure if I want this thread to be another "atheist vs theist" battleground.. lol.

It's the nature of these forums...well most forums. You will notice threads that are about something non-combative will die quickly. The most popular threads are always ones with lots of arguing and debate.
 
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juvenissun

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Curious as to why people are into religion/spirituality? What draws you to it the most?

As for me, I'd say emotions were the biggest thing.

For me, reasoning and logic are the biggest thing.
 
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Lukaris

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John 4:24

Since God is Spirit and those of us who worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth. We must strive to be holy ( Leviticus 19:1-2 ,
Romans 7:14 , Deuteronomy 6:4-6 , Matthew 22:36-40 ).

The truth of this is only by grace through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ can we strive for this ( Ephesians 2:8-10 ).
 
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dlamberth

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I can think of no better reward then knowledge of oneself. Then the sky is the limit.
Knowledge of ones Self...that's like opening a can of worms. Once opened who knows where that can lead. Which can be a scary thought to the ego, who wants to be in control.
 
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