What the heck is "spirituality"?

[_TAO]

Spirituality is trust in things "which are not seen, which are true" (Alma 32:21)

Hope I helped zeez... if you need a more descriptive answer, just ask, and I'll do my best.

An eternal principle that the prophet Alma, somewhere in the Western hemisphere circa 74 B.C., learned from the New Testament epistle to the Hebrews.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

And how does one know that it was based off that scripture?

[_huckelberry]

Honorentheos, thanks.
I have been trying from time to time to say what I find valuable in Christianity in plain regular life terms. It helps me. It could come off as too simple sometimes I suppose. I do wonder about when it communicates something and when it just falls flat.

I did not want to try and say some ideas of spirituality are wrong.There is probaly something to the believing true things not seen idea though it is not to my taste. I tend to see the Hebrews definition of faith as evidence of things not yet seen as saying that faith is a gift which is a token of things to come from God previewing the completion in the future of the hope which faith creates in our present life. I am not sure how many people see it that way. It just makes limited sense to me to make belieiving things not seen into some labor and foundation for faith. I can on the other hand see faith as a foundation for a hope in a future not yet seen which helps for better living now.

[_moksha]

I imagine for Buddhists, spirituality would be found in being awake enough to see the true essence of reality. For Confucians, perhaps spirituality could be found in observing proper forms and behaviors as set forth by tradition. For Maxwellians, it could mean gratitude in being part of a private institution that does not have to change its donut consumption habits due to the new healthy eating initiative in school lunch programs.

[_Inconceivable]

Spirituality is trust in things "which are not seen, which are true" (Alma 32:21)

TAO,
I don't make this connection: Spirituallity = trusting unseen true stuff.

I do not trust certain things that I cannot see, even if they are true.

I can give you some examples if you'd like.

[_Inconceivable]

This comes up so often. For example, "That man is so spiritual" or "I really need spirituality in my life."

So what the heck is it?

Spirituallity must have something to do with a mortal entity that can become connected in some way to another on a spiritual level - Spiritual: that finer intangible essence that animates all things mortal that many define as the soul.

Some consider this ability to recognize this essence a way of seeing or knowing the heart of another. I've experienced this phenomenon. It's truly awesome and humbling.

I was inspired by the phrase "I see you" in the context it was given in the movie Avatar. I think it refers to that symbiotic relationship between all living things that illuminates motive, understanding, compassion, empathy, respect and a recognition of intrinsic value.

Those that are truly spiritual seem to have a hightened awareness that all life has a sacredness about it and has value. They manifest this awareness by being drawn toward healing the pain of all living things.

When I think of someone who is spiritual, I think of a person that countenances charity - to see as we are seen.

Something like that..

[Anonymous]

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[_CaliforniaKid]

It's like a used car salesmen calling himself "Honest Joe." "Spirituality" is a buzz word intended to be a shortcut to appearing deep and/or moral. It's practically meaningless (except as a code word between people who think they have some mystical god connection). I doubt people who really are deep/moral would ever use that word to describe themselves.

Maybe it just sounds better to say "I'm spiritual" than to say, "I'm biologically wired by evolution to be altruistic, and I don't intend to fight my programming." If appeal to "spirituality" helps people be at peace with their altruistic impulses, what's wrong with that?

[_Inconceivable]

Washington Washington waaa..

Radio check. Over?

[_Some Schmo]

It's like a used car salesmen calling himself "Honest Joe." "Spirituality" is a buzz word intended to be a shortcut to appearing deep and/or moral. It's practically meaningless (except as a code word between people who think they have some mystical god connection). I doubt people who really are deep/moral would ever use that word to describe themselves.

Maybe it just sounds better to say "I'm spiritual" than to say, "I'm biologically wired by evolution to be altruistic, and I don't intend to fight my programming." If appeal to "spirituality" helps people be at peace with their altruistic impulses, what's wrong with that?

I suppose there would be nothing wrong with it if that was all there was to it, but the word contains some pretentious baggage that goes beyond altruism (or perhaps, more accurately, stops short of real altruism).

I suppose I'm biased against mystical sounding words when there are reality based words (like "altruistic") that are more appropriate. I don't like the word "evil" either, for instance.

[_Buffalo]

Two words, three syllables: mule muffins