"Spiritual but not religious"

[MCWAY]

The standard is the golden rule (which we know was not original to your Jesus). Christians are obsessed with authority but you don't need a cosmic tyrant to tell you what is right and wrong. It is rational and logical to not want have pain inflicted on you and hence it follows that it not be inflicted on others by you either. Pretty simple.

And who made this Golden Rule? If your implication is that a mere man made that rule, it means that another man (with more military, financial, and/or political power) can make a "Platinum Rule", stating that they can inflict pain on YOU, even if they don't want such put on themselves.

I'm sure no rapist wants to be raped. No murderer wants to get shot. No thief wants his goods taken from him. And, no man, whoring around on his wife, wants to have another guy laying the pipe to his Mrs.

So, contrary to your claim, people can easily rationalize inflicting pain and harm to others, without such happening to themselves.

[Deicide]

And who made this Golden Rule? If your implication is that a mere man made that rule, it means that another man (with more military, financial, and/or political power) can make a "Platinum Rule", stating that they can inflict pain on YOU, even if they don't want such put on themselves.

I'm sure no rapist wants to be raped. No murderer wants to get shot. No thief wants his goods taken from him. And, no man, whoring around on his wife, wants to have another guy laying the pipe to his Mrs.

So, contrary to your claim, people can easily rationalize inflicting pain and harm to others, without such happening to themselves.

Sure they can rationalise this all and they do so with or without a god. Plenty of 'god fearing' folk rape and murder. Their belief in the authority of a god does nothing to stop them. It is not about authority and proclamation, it is about what is good in a rational and constructive way. You, being a Christian, are obsessed with authority, yet that alleged authority doesn't stop many Christians and religious people from committing crimes.

[loco]

Sure they can rationalise this all and they do so with or without a god. Plenty of 'god fearing' folk rape and murder. Their belief in the authority of a god does nothing to stop them. It is not about authority and proclamation, it is about what is good in a rational and constructive way. You, being a Christian, are obsessed with authority, yet that alleged authority doesn't stop many Christians and religious people from committing crimes.

Deicide,
You still haven't given an acceptable answer to the question "who sets the standard for morality and good?"

The standard is the golden rule (which we know was not original to your Jesus). Christians are obsessed with authority but you don't need a cosmic tyrant to tell you what is right and wrong. It is rational and logical to not want have pain inflicted on you and hence it follows that it not be inflicted on others by you either. Pretty simple.

MCWAY just showed you that your are incorrect.  Just because someone does not want others doing him/her harm, it does not follow that he/she won't want to and won't do harm to others.

A huge part of the reason we are in this bad global economy is because economists and investors were sure that when it comes to financial decisions, "most people will do the right thing most of the time."   But guess what, we all eventually found out the hard way that "most people will do the wrong thing most of the time."  And it's not because of ignorance, but because of greed, irresponsibility, negligence and selfishness. 

[MCWAY]

Sure they can rationalise this all and they do so with or without a god. Plenty of 'god fearing' folk rape and murder. Their belief in the authority of a god does nothing to stop them. It is not about authority and proclamation, it is about what is good in a rational and constructive way. You, being a Christian, are obsessed with authority, yet that alleged authority doesn't stop many Christians and religious people from committing crimes.

Scripture has long addressed that, particularly in 1 John 2:4, "He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

So, it's hardly a surprise that such things happen. But, your claim about what is "good" and "rational" and "constructive" makes no sense. The aforementioned rapists, murderers, and adulterers rationalized their actions and thought that, at some level, they were good and constructive.

Again, who's making the rules as to what's good, rational, and constructive? Who makes the call, ultimately?

[Deicide]

Scripture has long addressed that, particularly in 1 John 2:4, "He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

So, it's hardly a surprise that such things happen. But, your claim about what is "good" and "rational" and "constructive" makes no sense. The aforementioned rapists, murderers, and adulterers rationalized their actions and thought that, at some level, they were good and constructive.

Again, who's making the rules as to what's good, rational, and constructive? Who makes the call, ultimately?

We all do as individuals, even if someone believes there is some divine power watching his/her every move, we generally accept that there is free will, so individuals, regardless of their particular belief system, make those calls, divine invigilation or not. And I seriously doubt people who commit serious crimes, (rape, murder, etc.) actually think of much of what they are doing at all, let alone, good.

[OzmO]

What does this mean?

I am not sure what the standard definition of it is, but to me it means:

-  belief in a afterlife
-  belief that spirits in the afterlife influence our lives
-  belief that there is singular god
-  does not adhere to organized religion
-  belief religion is man made 

[Dos Equis]

I am not sure what the standard definition of it is, but to me it means:

-  belief in a afterlife
-  belief that spirits in the afterlife influence our lives
-  belief that there is singular god
-  does not adhere to organized religion
-  belief religion is man made 

Thanks.  That's pretty consistent with what I thought it meant. 

[wavelength]

What does this mean?

In case of most people, both means nothing. They are following an ideology, a construct of their egos.
What it could mean is that one has found the spiritual core in one's religion, which is the essential part of it.

[24KT]

I think it could mean that they do believe in a spirit world and maybe God as well but don't subscribe to any existing religion or belief system.

Maybe they believe in angel like entities and beings that are not seen....

I've talked to a few who say they aren't religious but spiritual. I was left with the impression while they don't believe in the typical biblical type god, they believe there are spiritual forces at work in the universe, it may be nature itself. Or all humans are interconnected with other humans and nature through some type of vague bond. Mostly I find it means different things depending on who is speaking. 

While I can't and won't speak for anybody else, for me, STella's & Agnostic's definitions comes closest to describing my identity as one who is extremely spiritual, but not "religious".

I definitely believe life exists in many forms and on many planes & dimensions invisible to the naked eyes, and while usually undetectable to us in our 3 dimensional existence, exert influence in our lives based on how we choose to live our lives, and how open we are to the influence. I also believe these entities & forces do not exist in the forms traditionally assigned to them by the hypocritical lies and self-serving bullshit often preached in traditional dogmatic "religious" circles.

[Migs]

i think it depends on the person you ask.  for me, I don't believe in religous dogma/practices.  I also think that the bible is more of a fairy tale story book trying to teach lessons than anything truly literal

[loco]

While I can't and won't speak for anybody else, for me, STella's & Agnostic's definitions comes closest to describing my identity as one who is extremely spiritual, but not "religious".

I definitely believe life exists in many forms and on many planes & dimensions invisible to the naked eyes, and while usually undetectable to us in our 3 dimensional existence, exert influence in our lives based on how we choose to live our lives, and how open we are to the influence. I also believe these entities & forces do not exist in the forms traditionally assigned to them by the hypocritical lies and self-serving bullshit often preached in traditional dogmatic "religious" circles.

 

Look who is talking.  You are a Nation of Islam follower.  How is this for "hypocritical lies and self-serving bullshit"?

Nation of Islam Core Beliefs:

God:  Wallace D. Fard came as God incarnate (God is man)

Muhammad:  Elijah Muhammad is the prophet to tell about incarnation of Fard

Race:  The original black race of man is superior, especially to the white man: a race of "blue-eyed devils" created by the black man

Creation:  Black scientists created the plan which repeats every 25,000 years

Qur'an:  Black scientists created and revealed the Bible and the Qur'an

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nation_of_Islam#Comparison_with_traditional_Islam

[24KT]

Look who is talking.  You are a Nation of Islam follower.  How is this for "hypocritical lies and self-serving bullshit"?

Nation of Islam Core Beliefs:

God:  Wallace D. Fard came as God incarnate (God is man)

Muhammad:  Elijah Muhammad is the prophet to tell about incarnation of Fard

Race:  The original black race of man is superior, especially to the white man: a race of "blue-eyed devils" created by the black man

Creation:  Black scientists created the plan which repeats every 25,000 years

Qur'an:  Black scientists created and revealed the Bible and the Qur'an

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nation_of_Islam#Comparison_with_traditional_Islam

I'm not a Nation of Islam follower.

I will listen to what Farrakhan has to say on occasion, just as I might listen to what the Dalai Lama has to say, or even what Billy Graham may have to say on occasion.  If I listened to Christopher Hitchens argue against waterboarding and agreed with his sentiments, would that make me an atheist?