Greetings! 

I grew up Christian and was turned off by the dogma in my fundamentalist church, however I was left wanting to believe in some form of divine being because this was a major part of my upbringing and shaped my early experience with the world. Later I became interested in Buddhism because of its ties to spirituality without directly affirming an existence of god. 

Is it possible to be spiritual but not religious, and if so could someone still be considered an atheist?

(March 29, 2019 at 5:23 pm)yogamaster Wrote: Greetings! 

I grew up Christian and was turned off by the dogma in my fundamentalist church, however I was left wanting to believe in some form of divine being because this was a major part of my upbringing and shaped my early experience with the world. Later I became interested in Buddhism because of its ties to spirituality without directly affirming an existence of god. 

Is it possible to be spiritual but not religious, and if so could someone still be considered an atheist?

Welcome to the Forum, and of course it's possible to be spiritual but not religious.  Spirituality is simply concern for the human spirit (defined in its widest possible sense) and doesn't require belief in gods.

Enjoy your time here!

Boru

I never refer to anything I think or feel as spiritual but some atheists do.

Spiritual not religious is just a conceit claiming one to be in possession of a superior grade of woo.........

(March 29, 2019 at 5:23 pm)yogamaster Wrote: Greetings! 

I grew up Christian and was turned off by the dogma in my fundamentalist church, however I was left wanting to believe in some form of divine being because this was a major part of my upbringing and shaped my early experience with the world. Later I became interested in Buddhism because of its ties to spirituality without directly affirming an existence of god. 

Is it possible to be spiritual but not religious, and if so could someone still be considered an atheist?

Not in my book, but that may be because I hear spiritual used by the religious when they want to hide that they're talking about religion.

And Welcome Woof.

(March 29, 2019 at 5:23 pm)yogamaster Wrote: Greetings! 

I grew up Christian and was turned off by the dogma in my fundamentalist church, however I was left wanting to believe in some form of divine being because this was a major part of my upbringing and shaped my early experience with the world. Later I became interested in Buddhism because of its ties to spirituality without directly affirming an existence of god. 

Is it possible to be spiritual but not religious, and if so could someone still be considered an atheist?

 Possible? Yes.

------and be taken seriously by atheists? Not by this atheist. I can't speak for others.

Reasoning; I don't believe in gods due to lack of proof.

I also do not believe in the soul, the devil, angels, demons, the after life, the paranormal, fortune telling, trolls, dragons   and fairies at the bottom of my garden for the same reason------ that all comes under the general heading of 'woo'-

Welcome to AF

(March 29, 2019 at 5:23 pm)yogamaster Wrote: Greetings! 

I grew up Christian and was turned off by the dogma in my fundamentalist church, however I was left wanting to believe in some form of divine being because this was a major part of my upbringing and shaped my early experience with the world. Later I became interested in Buddhism because of its ties to spirituality without directly affirming an existence of god. 

Is it possible to be spiritual but not religious, and if so could someone still be considered an atheist?

It depends on which sect of atheism you expect to join. There's Militant, Orthodox, and Reform.

Militant-- Religion is the root of all evil. Religion must be destroyed. There will one day be a golden age in which no one will be religious and there will apparently be peace on earth. Spirituality is the gawddam devil.

Orthodox-- There is no deity or deities, and spirituality is woo.

Reform-- All are welcome. Even theists.

(March 29, 2019 at 5:23 pm)yogamaster Wrote: Is it possible to be spiritual but not religious, 

Yes, why not!?

It's a bit fuzzy definition-wise, but there are times in life when uncertainty is the right choice. Hurrying to label yourself one thing or another might only shut down your options. 

You can have the great pleasure of working out, in your own life, what form this spirituality takes. Through action, through love, through the arts, etc. There's a great richness to be had. 

Quote:and if so could someone still be considered an atheist?

If you want to be. But it's just a label.

(March 29, 2019 at 6:09 pm)Yonadav Wrote: It depends on which sect of atheism you expect to join. There's Militant, Orthodox, and Reform.

Militant-- Religion is the root of all evil. Religion must be destroyed. There will one day be a golden age in which no one will be religious and there will apparently be peace on earth. Spirituality is the gawddam devil.

Orthodox-- There is no deity or deities, and spirituality is woo.

Reform-- All are welcome. Even theists.

I see you've given up all pretence at being a genuine interlocutor!*

yogamaster, as you can see, thread topics can and often do splinter like protons in a hadron collider. For example: could you give me a coherent, consistent, falsifiable definition of the word 'spiritual'.

And welcome to the forums.

* That is the first time in my life I've typed out that word. I feel a new thread is in order.