Practicing Godless or Naturalistic Religions

[Left Coast]

As an agnostic atheist, the only religion I can see myself practicing at this point is some type of secular Buddhism. I attend meditation sits and dharma talks occasionally at a local Buddhist center, which I generally enjoy although I don't universally agree with everything the speakers say.

Mindfulness meditation, I can say, seems helpful to me when I do it regularly in terms of reducing anxiety and giving me a healthy sense of detachment from my emotions.

I've heard other people share (on RF and elsewhere) that they practice a religion without gods or any supernatural beliefs, including versions of faiths that are traditionally theistic, like Christianity.

As non-theists, what are your experiences with this type of religion? Have you found it insightful or beneficial to you? If you don't practice such a religion, would you consider it? Why or why not?

 

[Sand Dancer]

I think Buddhism makes a good philosophy or religion. It is practical and kind.

 

[Straw Dog]

I periodically attend yoga lessons from a philosophically Buddhist teacher. It’s enjoyable and occasionally insightful, but I don’t consider it necessarily essential to my human experience.

The flaws in Buddhism and Hinduism are more subtle than those in more abrasive Abrahamic renditions of irrational faith, but there’s still there waiting to be discovered or ignored.

However, many practical methods have been developed through these traditions that aid one in self-realization. I suspect that this is the area that you’re more interested in.
Meditation and mindfulness can help with grounding oneself and understanding thoughts & feelings. I recommend it in moderation.

 

[Twilight Hue]

As an agnostic atheist, the only religion I can see myself practicing at this point is some type of secular Buddhism. I attend meditation sits and dharma talks occasionally at a local Buddhist center, which I generally enjoy although I don't universally agree with everything the speakers say.

Mindfulness meditation, I can say, seems helpful to me when I do it regularly in terms of reducing anxiety and giving me a healthy sense of detachment from my emotions.

I've heard other people share (on RF and elsewhere) that they practice a religion without gods or any supernatural beliefs, including versions of faiths that are traditionally theistic, like Christianity.

As non-theists, what are your experiences with this type of religion? Have you found it insightful or beneficial to you? If you don't practice such a religion, would you consider it? Why or why not?

My practice is a breath of fresh air actually.

No dogma, no books , no outlandish or fabricated sermons with sky Daddy's , angels, demons. Free of fabrication and embellishment because the practice deals with direct experience as it plays out.

It's pretty astonishing what comes out of the woodwork when you take your mind off the aforementioned and just sit. Not putting anything into the experience, and not taking anyting out of whatever happens that comes across the table.

Those moments of satori incorporates nature via the form of ungraspable thoughts that naturally come and go along with its recognition in countless form, echoing the coming and going of passing clouds reflected in the big pond as you let go of the branch.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I think Buddhism makes a good philosophy or religion. It is practical and kind.

Then I had to come along*. *Grin*

*Brad Warner was a very bad influence on me in the best possible way. I think. Maybe?. Eh.... I'm hopelessly lost, but you can still be saved.

 

[Left Coast]

I periodically attend yoga lessons from a philosophically Buddhist teacher. It’s enjoyable and occasionally insightful, but I don’t consider it necessarily essential to my human experience.

The flaws in Buddhism and Hinduism are more subtle than those in more abrasive Abrahamic renditions of irrational faith, but there’s still there waiting to be discovered or ignored.

The misogyny and homophobia are particularly troubling. In the West we seem to get a sort of white-washed version of Buddhism that's free of those hangups.

However, many practical methods have been developed through these traditions that aid one in self-realization. I suspect that this is the area that you’re more interested in.

Mainly, although Buddhism's philosophical insights into impermanence, not-self, and ethics are also appealing and fascinating. I'm sure people could reach similar conclusions outside a Buddhist paradigm, that's just the particular vehicle I've found them in.

Meditation and mindfulness can help with grounding oneself and understanding thoughts & feelings. I recommend it in moderation.

Agreed! Mindfulness meditation has been helpful to me when I do it regularly. Trying to get back in the habit.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Then I had to come along*. *Grin*

*Brad Warner was a very bad influence on me in the best possible way. I think. Maybe?. Eh.... I'm hopelessly lost, but you can still be saved.

Yeah, now I don't know what to think.

 

[Straw Dog]

The misogyny and homophobia are particularly troubling. In the West we seem to get a sort of white-washed version of Buddhism that's free of those hangups.

Mainly, although Buddhism's philosophical insights into impermanence, not-self, and ethics are also appealing and fascinating. I'm sure people could reach similar conclusions outside a Buddhist paradigm, that's just the particular vehicle I've found them in.

Agreed! Mindfulness meditation has been helpful to me when I do it regularly. Trying to get back in the habit.

Yes, the ‘West’ in the past few centuries has been fascinated with a watered down and edited version of Eastern philosophies and religions. It’s difficult to fully understand and appreciate these ways of thinking outside of their historical and cultural context.

I find the new age notion that all religious and philosophical dogmas are essentially saying the ‘same thing’ to be deplorable and lacking in both academic and/or personal insight.

When challenging this dissonance in the popular imagination and culture, I do often come acrossed as a narcissistic A-hole, but the truth is that I don’t care about being ‘right’. I care about what is actually true, or truth independent of ego or dogma.

If I really cared about ego or dogma, would I really throw this ego to the wind in such a devil-May-care way? Dust in the wind and all that