Spirituality without Religion

[Skeptisch]

If more of us had the courage to doubt and examine our religious convictions we would find that spirituality can be had without religion.
Sam Harris makes a good case for just that in his new book “Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality without Religion.”

He writes:
“Confusion and suffering may be our birthright, but wisdom and happiness are available. The landscape of human experience includes deeply transformative insights about the nature of one’s own consciousness, and yet it is obvious that these psychological states must be understood in the context of neuroscience, psychology, and related fields.”

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Spirituality always seems like an extraneous word to me.

 

[LuisDantas]

I'm never quite sure whether there is a distinction between spirituality and religion. I don't think there should be.

 

[Skeptisch]

"Authors who attempt to build a bridge between science and spirituality tend to make one of two mistakes: Scientists generally start with an impoverished view of spiritual experience, assuming that it must be a grandiose way of describing ordinary states of mind—parental love, artistic inspiration, awe at the beauty of the night sky. In this vein, one finds Einstein’s amazement at the intelligibility of Nature’s laws described as though it were a kind of mystical insight."
"New Age thinkers usually enter the ditch on the other side of the road: They idealize altered states of consciousness and draw specious connections between subjective experience and the spookier theories at the frontiers of physics. Here we are told that the Buddha and other contemplatives anticipated modern cosmology or quantum mechanics and that by transcending the sense of self, a person can realize his identity with the One Mind that gave birth to the cosmos."

And my favored New Age thinker (charlatan) can even bend spoons with his mind.

 

[Skeptisch]

Spirituality always seems like an extraneous word to me.

Sam Harris:
"Throughout this book, I discuss certain classically spiritual phenomena, concepts, and practices in the context of our modern understanding of the human mind—and I cannot do this while restricting myself to the terminology of ordinary experience. So I will use spiritual, mystical, contemplative, and transcendent without further apology. However, I will be precise in describing the experiences and methods that merit these terms."

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Sam Harris:
"Throughout this book, I discuss certain classically spiritual phenomena, concepts, and practices in the context of our modern understanding of the human mind—and I cannot do this while restricting myself to the terminology of ordinary experience. So I will use spiritual, mystical, contemplative, and transcendent without further apology. However, I will be precise in describing the experiences and methods that merit these terms."

Ah, so semantics.

 

[Skwim]

I think we need a good working definition of "spirituality" here. What's yours, Skeptisch

 

[Sunstone]

If more of us had the courage to doubt and examine our religious convictions we would find that spirituality can be had without religion.
Sam Harris makes a good case for just that in his new book “Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality without Religion.”

He writes:
“Confusion and suffering may be our birthright, but wisdom and happiness are available. The landscape of human experience includes deeply transformative insights about the nature of one’s own consciousness, and yet it is obvious that these psychological states must be understood in the context of neuroscience, psychology, and related fields.”

I've got his book, but I've only read the first chapter so far. It seems to me that one of his goals in writing the book is to place mysticism or spirituality on a scientific footing. That is, to open that subject to scientific study. I suspect he will be to some appreciable extent successful.

 

[Sunstone]

Here's Chapter One of Harris' book, Waking Up.

And here's an excerpt:

Nothing in this book needs to be accepted on faith. Although my focus is on human subjectivity—I am, after all, talking about the nature of experience itself—all my assertions can be tested in the laboratory of your own life. In fact, my goal is to encourage you to do just that.

Authors who attempt to build a bridge between science and spirituality tend to make one of two mistakes: Scientists generally start with an impoverished view of spiritual experience, assuming that it must be a grandiose way of describing ordinary states of mind—parental love, artistic inspiration, awe at the beauty of the night sky. In this vein, one finds Einstein’s amazement at the intelligibility of Nature’s laws described as though it were a kind of mystical insight.

New Age thinkers usually enter the ditch on the other side of the road: They idealize altered states of consciousness and draw specious connections between subjective experience and the spookier theories at the frontiers of physics. Here we are told that the Buddha and other contemplatives anticipated modern cosmology or quantum mechanics and that by transcending the sense of self, a person can realize his identity with the One Mind that gave birth to the cosmos.

In the end, we are left to choose between pseudo-spirituality and pseudo-science.

Few scientists and philosophers have developed strong skills of introspection—in fact, most doubt that such abilities even exist. Conversely, many of the greatest contemplatives know nothing about science. But there is a connection between scientific fact and spiritual wisdom, and it is more direct than most people suppose. Although the insights we can have in meditation tell us nothing about the origins of the universe, they do confirm some well-established truths about the human mind: Our conventional sense of self is an illusion; positive emotions, such as compassion and patience, are teachable skills; and the way we think directly influences our experience of the world.

 

[Quintessence]

I'm never quite sure whether there is a distinction between spirituality and religion. I don't think there should be.

That's often how I feel about it as well. "Spirituality" is a buzzword that emerged out of a particular understanding of what religion means within the last hundred years or so, particularly in the United States. It was not long ago that these terms were considered synonymous. But because religion is so associated with organized, dogmatic forms of religion in my country, people end up feeling that they need another label for other forms of religion that don't fit the popular (mis)conception of what religion entails.

 

[Skeptisch]

"Spirituality" is a buzzword that emerged out of a particular understanding of what religion means within the last hundred years or so, particularly in the United States. It was not long ago that these terms were considered synonymous. But because religion is so associated with organized, dogmatic forms of religion in my country, people end up feeling that they need another label for other forms of religion that don't fit the popular (mis)conception of what religion entails.

Sam Harris, an American, writes:
“For many years, I have been a vocal critic of religion, and I won’t ride the same hobbyhorse here. I hope that I have been sufficiently energetic on this front that even my most skeptical readers will trust that my ******** detector remains well calibrated as we advance over this new terrain. Perhaps the following assurance can suffice for the moment: Nothing in this book needs to be accepted on faith. Although my focus is on human subjectivity—I am, after all, talking about the nature of experience itself—all my assertions can be tested in the laboratory of your own life. In fact, my goal is to encourage you to do just that.”

 

[Sunstone]

That's often how I feel about it as well. "Spirituality" is a buzzword that emerged out of a particular understanding of what religion means within the last hundred years or so, particularly in the United States. It was not long ago that these terms were considered synonymous. But because religion is so associated with organized, dogmatic forms of religion in my country, people end up feeling that they need another label for other forms of religion that don't fit the popular (mis)conception of what religion entails.

This is irrelevant to how Harris is using the word.

 

[Desert Snake]

If more of us had the courage to doubt and examine our religious convictions we would find that spirituality can be had without religion.
Sam Harris makes a good case for just that in his new book “Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality without Religion.”

He writes:
“Confusion and suffering may be our birthright, but wisdom and happiness are available. The landscape of human experience includes deeply transformative insights about the nature of one’s own consciousness, and yet it is obvious that these psychological states must be understood in the context of neuroscience, psychology, and related fields.”

My "religion" part of my beliefs is mostly cultural, ethical, like law codes etc, and some instructions on practical issues. My 'spirituality' is there regardless. Not sure if that agrees with your premise, but notice how I still have ideas of 'religion', and "That's a good thing" as Martha Stewart says.

'later.
~disciple.

 

[Whiterain]

Ain't that a Heathen? Welcome to the tribe. Just kidding.

 

[jidex]

If more of us had the courage to doubt and examine our religious convictions we would find that spirituality can be had without religion.
Sam Harris makes a good case for just that in his new book “Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality without Religion.”

He writes:
“Confusion and suffering may be our birthright, but wisdom and happiness are available. The landscape of human experience includes deeply transformative insights about the nature of one’s own consciousness, and yet it is obvious that these psychological states must be understood in the context of neuroscience, psychology, and related fields.”

Holy Spirit of God almighty is required for a relationship with God in the name of Jesus

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Holy Spirit of God almighty is required for a relationship with God in the name of Jesus

Magical Dust of the Pixie is required for a relationship with the Cupcake Fairy in the name of Tinkerbell.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Spirituality is figuring out how you fit in with the universe. Religions are ways to channel it, but sometimes I think they actually do more damage than help, as they have too much dogma, shame and guilt involved in them to be pure and beautiful.

 

[Tabb]

I don't understand how you can confuse spirituality and religion. Spirituality is really personal. It's what you feel and think about your relationship with a perceived entity that is your conception of a supernatural force responsible for all. Religion is a set of customs, scriptures, and beliefs that man has created over the years to worship a higher power.

I think where religion gets into trouble is because it involves more than one person so politics raises its ugly head. If you have enough people sharing the same belief system in politics it constitutes power. So as we all know Power corrupts. It becomes an entity in itself with survival instincts and a desire for more power. Religions will never say, "You know now that we heard what religion X is saying we think they got it right. We should follow them. ".

 

[1137]

I think the whole spiritual vs religious thing is meaningless semantics.

 

[BSM1]

If more of us had the courage to doubt and examine our religious convictions we would find that spirituality can be had without religion.
Sam Harris makes a good case for just that in his new book “Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality without Religion.”

I believe that in today's arena of beliefs spirituality and religion are almost competing philosophies. I agree one should question everything, boldly.