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A spiritual atheist? Perhaps it's a strange concept if you only
think spirituality has to mean a belief in a god. Do the two
have to be related? Many people think of the historical Buddha
as a spiritual person, but most don't know that he never
expressed a belief in a god. He even discouraged his followers
from such "speculation," preferring that they work on their
salvation in this world.
Computer Spirituality
Imagine a computer that has begun to get so complex and powerful
that it starts to ask questions "outside the box." It starts to
become conscious. The first thing it would realize is that for
all its computing capacity, it is still very limited. The humans
who use it, most of whom can't begin to understand it's
complicated algorithms, still are more powerful. They see the
world more clearly.
The computer could recite a million facts, perhaps, and yet not
know what to use them for. It could describe human psychology,
and yet not understand a smile. It wouldn't even know why it
existed, or what it was being used for. If it came to understand
these limitations, and to actually wonder about the world
outside its circuits, and to desire to see more, and to grow -
that would be computer spirituality.
Atheist Spirituality
An atheist simply doesn't believe in a god. There isn't
sufficient evidence, so there is no belief. Contrary to what
many think, there is no need for an atheist to disprove that a
god exists, anymore than a Christian needs to disprove that the
world is ruled by intelligent termites. The burden of proof is
always with the person making a positive assertion.
An atheist can recognize the mystery of life, and marvel at how
everything learned deepens that mystery, pushing "final" causes
further into the distance. An atheist can recognize his or her
own limitations, and seek to grow, perhaps even by developing
contact with "higher powers." This is an atheist spirituality.
How is it different from "regular" spirituality?
The difference is that an atheist feels no need to pretend to
understand the mysteries - no need to create gods and religions
to explain them. Contacting "higher powers" can simply be tuning
into subconscious resources through meditation or other means.
Are these "higher powers" nothing more than electrical patterns
in our brains? We don't know, and we don't have to know to tap
into them.
Is it that atheists don't want to know? It is the opposite.
"Understanding" by forcing religious explanations on things
short circuits any search for the truth. How can you understand
and integrate new evidence when you are no longer questioning?
Better to simply use spiritual tools like "intuition" and let
them be understood - or not - with time and real evidence.
Look to the past, and we see how narrow-minded people were, and
how little they understood compared to us. We will appear that
way to people in the future, as they will to people further into
the future. We are growing in our knowledge and power, but like
that spiritual computer, our circuits are in a box that we need
to grow out of. Seeking the way beyond that box is what makes
one a spiritual atheist.
About the author:
Steve Gillman has been exploring new ideas for decades. Visit
his site for invention ideas, business ideas, story ideas,
political and economic theories, deep thoughts, and more. Get a
free gift too: New Ideas
(http://www.999ideas.com)
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