Americans who identify as spiritual, experience greater life satisfaction

Discussion in 'Religion' started by wegs, Jul 22, 2019.

  1. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    That is fairly unusual.

    Most atheists, even (or especially) those without a religion, are deeply concerned with matters of faith and spirituality - and if not religious they do not have the option of the formal weekly ritual that can be used to box their concerns away from their daily life.

    What for? (Wasn't paying attention - didn't matter). The issue is the same: reliable source of straight news - with a handy example, here.
     
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  3. wegs Matter and Pixie Dust Valued Senior Member

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    What I mean by that, there wasn't one stand out choice or one particular ah-ha moment that led me to identify as an atheist, then. It was a slow fade...that led to indifference and a general apathy about my own beliefs. I would talk with others about their faith views, but for me personally, I was indifferent. Most of my current atheist friends just live and let live, and aren't very vocal about their thoughts to religion.
     
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  5. wegs Matter and Pixie Dust Valued Senior Member

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    I'll look into that news source and report my findings.
     
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  7. parmalee peripatetic artisan Valued Senior Member

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    From the article:
    I honestly do not know how anyone could answer to any of those in a concise and meaningful way, and without asking for further clarification of the queries in the first place.

    Like, "meaning or purpose in life"--life in general? My own life? That detail would make for some strikingly disparate responses. "Connected to the world around you?" Again, I'm gonna need some serious clarification there. I often, if not always, feel a strong connection to "the world," in a sense, whilst simultaneously feeling a profound sense of disconnection to pretty much all of the people in that world, to the point of nausea. But am I supposed to be considering the world's human inhabitants a part of "the world?" I suspect that I am, but who knows? They don't really spell it out for me. I prefer to think of the humans as apart (that is, not a part), an invasive contaminant, perhaps, simply because it makes me feel better (strangely), but I wouldn't have a clue as to what the pollsters are actually looking for here, so...
     
  8. Jeeves Valued Senior Member

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    I don't think it is discussing the benefits of spirituality at all.
    It gives a nod to the notion of spirituality as a benefit: that claim is not examined.
    But, and under that cover, it says that
    1. you don't need a church for spiritual fulfillment and
    2. churches don't necessarily provide spiritual fulfillment.
     
  9. wegs Matter and Pixie Dust Valued Senior Member

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    Well, it might not be enlightening to us, but there's a big world out there...maybe someone else came away...enlightened.

    I spent my entire childhood in church services, and when I became an adult, I thought that church automatically = faith and spirituality. I doubt I'm alone in that thinking, and happy to say, that mindset is completely gone. Indoctrination is a powerful tool of religion.
     
  10. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    The Lord works in mysterious ways.

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  11. Jeeves Valued Senior Member

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    Maybe. I suppose many Americans need to be told the obvious, again and again.
     
  12. wegs Matter and Pixie Dust Valued Senior Member

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    He does.

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    What do you feel is the ''obvious'' take away from the article?

    Not all articles need to provide moments of cerebral ecstasy...sometimes, they're just pieces where as the reader you nod...and move on with your day.
     
  13. kx000 Valued Senior Member

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    Belief in life = happiness
     
  14. Jeeves Valued Senior Member

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    Didn't i say?
    Yes, I did
    1. you don't need a church for spiritual fulfillment and
    2. churches don't necessarily provide spiritual fulfillment
    (3. - not stated - even though the churches try to convince you otherwise)
     
  15. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    Who doesn't believe in life?
     
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  16. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    It's easier to come up with a takeaway if the correlation is viewed from the other side - if one reported that those who experience greater satisfaction in life are more likely to identify as spiritual.

    For starters, they would be more likely to have "leisure" time not dominated by stress or pain - opportunity for meditative thought, reading, etc.
     
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  17. parmalee peripatetic artisan Valued Senior Member

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    Well, there are contemplative traditions--even strains within Abrahamic traditions--which emphasize incorporating "mindfulness" (or whatever term or notion fits the respective tradition) into one's work. Still, in order to get there in the first place one need sufficient "leisure" time.
     
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  18. RainbowSingularity Valued Senior Member

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    plausible denial ... ?

    i always got a hint of arianas conservative middle european nature much like arnald swatshisface
    compared to american puritan (backwaters)christian conservatives they are comparatively space age.

    hufflepufs first few years were met with massive amounts of centre left social peer review(not sure if that was manufactured or alt-right-tea party think tanks testing for leaks.
    who knows.

    i never took the huff empire to be a prey the gay away anti gay marriage brown shirt brigade so i was always happy for them to run with the scissors.

    they fashion their religion to fit the system that fits their religion...
    the irony of the perception of reality, is that it seems like reality
    non belief in perception is equal to illusion by all perception.

    philosophers define logic as laws
    spiritual people define magic as real
    both share the perception of experience which self validates
    both have nothing without their perception
    soo it would appear

    Psychology of the human condition
    failure to empathize means any drive to deliver an outcome for any other human is for personal gain, which is narcissism.
    everyone has a certain amount of narcissism in them as it is required to function.
    yet the nuance of empathic embodiment by virtue of selflessness is quite a different art of being and most often confused with dictatorship of morality[i.e 'save a ho syndrome'].

    many turn on the news to buy a feeling of being lucky, better off and comforted in knowing the world is as they thought it probably was and in varying degrees of each of those to varying points.
     
    Last edited: Jul 24, 2019
  19. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

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    God is that he is to be a grantor of all wishes

    You have another use for him?

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  20. Jeeves Valued Senior Member

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    What have we learned?
    Many people who say they're spiritual also say they're satisfied with their life.
    Ho-kay...
     
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  21. cluelusshusbund + Public Dilemma + Valued Senior Member

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    What God grants is the ability for all to be beter than they are.!!!
     
  22. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

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    Daily sleep does it for me

    My experience hes slacked off the last 2,000 years

    I believe in life each moment I am awake. When I am dead - will stop believing

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  23. Michael 345 New year. PRESENT is 72 years oldl Valued Senior Member

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    Sorry but (God is that he is to be a grantor of all wishes) is NOT my quote (is why in italics)
    From wegs (see the panel above) and I was questioning if god is NOT the granter of all wishes, did wegs have another use for him

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