Monday, September 21, 2009

Atheists Void of Spiritual Beliefs?

"Whilst atheism tends to lean towards skepticism regarding supernatural claims and the existence of an actual 'spirit', for some atheists being "Spiritual" can be defined as nurturing thoughts, emotions, words and actions that are in harmony with the idea that the entire universe is, in some way, connected; even if only by the mysterious flow of cause and effect at every scale." [quote from Wikipedia]

When many people hear the word 'atheist' they begin to cringe with disgust. The word has taken on such a negative connotation that it is almost impossible to use the term in a conversation without getting a negative reaction filled with misconceptions, emotional angst, and devotion to a specific stance. The word 'atheist' has become a blanket term that covers everything from being cold and godless, to being a hedonist with no sense of purpose. With that said, I want to clarify that the word means lack of a belief in a specific deity. That's it. No lack of morals, no soulless void, and best of all: no devil worship.

Today I came across someone who claims they do not believe in atheists. Ironically, I was shocked at such a lack of belief! How can you deny that someone does not believe in something?! As crazy as this claim may sound, I shortly realized why this person took such a stance: They were wrong in their definition of atheism. They had followed up the remark saying:

"I don't believe in atheists because I feel everyone is looking for something in their lives ... everyone is looking for greater propose or something similar."

Quick to point out this error in perceived atheist living, I went on to show that it is important to distinguish between atheists and persons who do not have any religious or spiritual belief; I would call the latter the common modern day drifter who has little or no spiritual opinion and is unconcerned with such topics.

If I said Buddhism is an atheistic religion, I don't suspect I'd hear too many complaints since it is an explicitly objective fact. Although Buddhists are not concerned with the existence of a god, they are highly spiritual and live by a strong ethical code. In pointing out this simple fact I was confronted by a wall of ignorance:

"I don't think it's fair to say Buddhists are atheists. They are spiritual and believe in a greater purpose ... and don't they worship the Buddha?"

This is where I feel like giving up. Aside from the improper definition, the Buddha is not a god! He's similar to a non-mystical Jesus who laid out a certain way of life based on his experiences.


The problem is in the negative connotation of the perceived definition of the word 'atheist'. Living a fulfilling spiritual life does not necessarily need to include a deity. This lack of belief in a god does not prohibit one from contemplating the nature of the universe and creating their own spiritual meaning. Spirituality is a personal endeavor that should be sacred. Although, there will always be those who will still feel the need to shove their god in your face.

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