How to/Can you shed your spirituality?

[an anarchist]

Suppose someone is innately spiritual. I suppose I am. I suppose I still believe in a higher power. The other day, I clenched my fist and waved it in the air as I cursed at whatever is up there in the sky. I did not do so ironically; I did so seriously and furiously.

I’ve only been attempting to be an agnostic/atheist for around 2 years I think. So maybe I need more time. But I got 6 senses ya kno? And I sense the metaphysical.

So, my method to become agnostic/atheist is complete disregard and disinterest in religion. I’m not doing that so well as I’m here in RF lol, but perhaps with time I’ll leave this joint. In my day to day life, I have replaced reading religious texts with playing video games.

I wonder aloud if some people are innately spiritual. If an individual is, can they ever hope to possibly shed their spirituality through force of will? That is what I would like to debate/discuss.

 

[JustGeorge]

Suppose someone is innately spiritual. I suppose I am. I suppose I still believe in a higher power. The other day, I clenched my fist and waved it in the air as I cursed at whatever is up there in the sky. I did not do so ironically; I did so seriously and furiously.

I’ve only been attempting to be an agnostic/atheist for around 2 years I think. So maybe I need more time. But I got 6 senses ya kno? And I sense the metaphysical.

So, my method to become agnostic/atheist is complete disregard and disinterest in religion. I’m not doing that so well as I’m here in RF lol, but perhaps with time I’ll leave this joint. In my day to day life, I have replaced reading religious texts with playing video games.

I wonder aloud if some people are innately spiritual. If an individual is, can they ever hope to possibly shed their spirituality through force of will? That is what I would like to debate/discuss.

I'm not sure why you'd want to do this.

I'm not sure why a non spiritual person would push to make themselves spiritual, either, so its not necessarily bias here... "Attempting to be agnostic/atheist" says a lot here. It seems to me you're trying to be something you're not.

I think you'd do better to accept yourself as you are. Unless your spirituality is causing you harm in some way, I'd discourage you from discouraging it.

 

[The Hammer]

No, in my experience of "being atheist" for several years, one does not simply "fake it 'til they make it".

 

[an anarchist]

I'm not sure why you'd want to do this.

Perhaps it’s because I tend to think in absolutes.

"Attempting to be agnostic/atheist" says a lot here. It seems to me you're trying to be something you're not.

aye, that’s what it feels like.

I think you'd do better to accept yourself as you are. Unless your spirituality is causing you harm in some way, I'd discourage you from discouraging it.

My case is unique. Let’s suppose harm can come from me being spiritual and it is something I am aware of. Idk, I might become a crazy anti gov cult leader or something (hypothetically).
In my day to day life, I am in the process of being “tamed”. I am a wild fella, and my religious thoughts have always amped me up. So my case is unique. I am indeed trying to be something I am not. But what am I? I believe I am the messiah, and messiahs get martyred, so I’d rather not.

 

[an anarchist]

No, in my experience of "being atheist" for several years, one does not simply "fake it 'til they make it".

Some things you can see from a mile away ya kno? Like, I can keep trying and see if time proves you wrong, but I know it won’t.

 

[an anarchist]

I think you'd do better to accept yourself as you are.

I think what I can take away from this is perhaps there is a healthy way for me to express my spirituality.

 

[JustGeorge]

I think what I can take away from this is perhaps there is a healthy way for me to express my spirituality.

I think so, too.

Perhaps you have a belief or two that is unhealthy, but that doesn't mean you're best off just flushing it all down the toilet.

 

[Jimmy]

Be what you are.

 

[an anarchist]

Perhaps you have a belief or two that is unhealthy, but that doesn't mean you're best off just flushing it all down the toilet.

I think I’ll start with what I was in the process of doing before I said “boooo religion”. I was making a shrine to Julius Caesar. A form of ancestor worship ya know? I know he existed, and I have a sneaking suspicion that an essence of a person persists after death, so I feel most comfortable revering the dead who I know existed once and perhaps still do.

 

[JustGeorge]

I think I’ll start with what I was in the process of doing before I said “boooo religion”. I was making a shrine to Julius Caesar. A form of ancestor worship ya know? I know he existed, and I have a sneaking suspicion that an essence of a person persists after death, so I feel most comfortable revering the dead who I know existed once and perhaps still do.

I think that sounds like an interesting practice.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I think I’ll start with what I was in the process of doing before I said “boooo religion”. I was making a shrine to Julius Caesar. A form of ancestor worship ya know? I know he existed, and I have a sneaking suspicion that an essence of a person persists after death, so I feel most comfortable revering the dead who I know existed once and perhaps still do.

Nothing wrong with that. That sounds really cool. I'd love to see your shrine if you ever want to share.

 

[1213]

...
I wonder aloud if some people are innately spiritual. If an individual is, can they ever hope to possibly shed their spirituality through force of will? That is what I would like to debate/discuss.

I think the secret to get rid of any habit or desire is to first think, why is the matter not good. After that it is possible to get rid of it. So, why is spirituality not good in your opinion?

 

[IndigoChild5559]

Suppose someone is innately spiritual. I suppose I am. I suppose I still believe in a higher power. The other day, I clenched my fist and waved it in the air as I cursed at whatever is up there in the sky. I did not do so ironically; I did so seriously and furiously.

I’ve only been attempting to be an agnostic/atheist for around 2 years I think. So maybe I need more time. But I got 6 senses ya kno? And I sense the metaphysical.

So, my method to become agnostic/atheist is complete disregard and disinterest in religion. I’m not doing that so well as I’m here in RF lol, but perhaps with time I’ll leave this joint. In my day to day life, I have replaced reading religious texts with playing video games.

I wonder aloud if some people are innately spiritual. If an individual is, can they ever hope to possibly shed their spirituality through force of will? That is what I would like to debate/discuss.

Yes, I think most people are born with a God radar, and some people are not.

I'm a little confused here. If your natural instinct is to believe in God, why would you WANT to be an atheist? I mean, I have little problem with atheists, but they are atheists because they do not perceive God. That doesn't appear to be the case with you.

Basically, if you perceive God, you can no more talk yourself out of that than trying to tell yourself that the green grass is really purple.

 

[LuisDantas]

Your situation puzzles me, @an anarchist .

I am not sure it is even possible to will oneself into either agnosticism or atheism... but may I recommend that you try Shamata, Zazen or Vipassana practices if you have not already?

If nothing else, that may provide you the opportunity for some clarity of feeling and purpose, including on what spirituality means to you and how you may want to express it.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I think what I can take away from this is perhaps there is a healthy way for me to express my spirituality.

And that's what you need to find. We are all free to form our own relationship with a Higher Power of our own understanding, and while guidance from a trusted source may be useful, no one can tell you how or what to believe.

 

[an anarchist]

I am not sure it is even possible to will oneself into either agnosticism or atheism

Do we control our beliefs or do our beliefs control us? I think that is the question.

 

[LuisDantas]

Do we control our beliefs or do our beliefs control us? I think that is the question.

I suspect that ultimately it is a bit of both.

Our beliefs certainly motivate us and direct our behavior and sensations to some extent.

But they are also informed by what we perceive and pursue.

 

[Quintessence]

Do we control our beliefs or do our beliefs control us? I think that is the question.

I'd say neither - the vast majority of our lives are dictated not by internal beliefs at all, but by the tangible things that surround us in our environment. I can very clearly point at the things in my environment that opened doors to Paganism - the fact that I grew up in the woods playing in the woods, that I had parents who were environmentally conscious, that I went to libraries and read books about nature. What you become is a reflection of the environmental influences of your life. Which basically means if you want to change who you are, you need to put yourself in an environment that molds you into something different.

 

[an anarchist]

I'd say neither - the vast majority of our lives are dictated not by internal beliefs at all, but by the tangible things that surround us in our environment

Perhaps I’m an outlier. Or perhaps it’s possible to break free from environmental influences. More than half of my life has been spent as a patriotic American who bled red, white, and blue. That was a result of my environment for sure. But I broke free from it through my internal beliefs developing. Most of my life was spent as Christian, but I am free of that through internal beliefs.

 

[Secret Chief]

Do we control our beliefs or do our beliefs control us? I think that is the question.

I'd say it's a dynamic two-way street.