A scholar who studies alternative expressions of spirituality visited secular, atheist and psychedelic churches and interacted with attendees. Here is what he found.
While abandoning mainstream religious affiliation, many turn to alternative expressions, including secular, atheist and psychedelic churches.
For about a decade, as a scholar who studies alternative expressions of spirituality, I have tracked these groups online
Atheists are not an “alternative expression of spirituality”. It is the absence of it. The same way drying is not an alternative form of watering plants.
You have blind faith that the scientific method can explain all of reality. Your priests wear white lab coats and you fill your altars with arcane devices that you pretend can explain everything to you.
Blind faith is believing something without any proof. Scientific method is exactly the opposite of that. It is apparent that you don’t understand what you’re talking about.
That seems really condescending to religious people.
Religion isn’t just believing things without reasons, and epistemology (faulty or otherwise) is not religion.
Edit: Wonder if anyone is going to give a reason for downvoting that isn’t intentionally dense and a misrepresentation of my point? Guess not; we should definitely aim for less nuance in discussions.
Congrats, you solved the easiest puzzle in the universe.
Maybe you’ll realize one of these days that it isn’t what religion is about. I’m not pandering, I’m pointing out that OP was wrong and condescending to their own side.
The context is: Alternative expressions of religious affiliation [which were explored, including atheism]. Which is why I included that quote in my comment.
Maybe I am too strict and you can read it in another way, where that list of things (including atheism) is not necessarily part of that next sentence. But the author should also take care to avoid such things.
Atheists are not an “alternative expression of spirituality”. It is the absence of it. The same way drying is not an alternative form of watering plants.
No, it’s an absence of theism. Atheist. You can do psychedelics and talk about spirituality without believing in theism and gods.
So what do you call a person who doesn’t beleive in anything supernatural/spiritual/divine?
A realist
The religion called Scientism. Belief in the scientific method and its ability to explain all things.
That is still a belief system, as much as a spiritual system is.
Blind faith and the scientific method are literal opposites. What a bad take.
You have blind faith that the scientific method can explain all of reality. Your priests wear white lab coats and you fill your altars with arcane devices that you pretend can explain everything to you.
Yeah, it’s a religion.
Scientific method is not a blind faith lmao.
Blind faith is believing something without any proof. Scientific method is exactly the opposite of that. It is apparent that you don’t understand what you’re talking about.
Science is not a religion.
Wrong. The scientific method is defined by the absence of blind faith.
That seems really condescending to religious people.
Religion isn’t just believing things without reasons, and epistemology (faulty or otherwise) is not religion.
Edit: Wonder if anyone is going to give a reason for downvoting that isn’t intentionally dense and a misrepresentation of my point? Guess not; we should definitely aim for less nuance in discussions.
Why should we pander to religious people? Wake up dude there’s no sky daddy lol.
Congrats, you solved the easiest puzzle in the universe.
Maybe you’ll realize one of these days that it isn’t what religion is about. I’m not pandering, I’m pointing out that OP was wrong and condescending to their own side.
Unless you think “scientism” is a real religion?
The context is: Alternative expressions of religious affiliation [which were explored, including atheism]. Which is why I included that quote in my comment.
Maybe I am too strict and you can read it in another way, where that list of things (including atheism) is not necessarily part of that next sentence. But the author should also take care to avoid such things.