To identify any part of the individual self as 'divine' by nature is a complete fantasy – it is not what the traditions teach, and it is metaphysically and philosophically impossible ... within any context of an Abrahamic notion of God.
If it were true, it would imply we are all gods — and therefore is a polytheism, or it would require that God is parcelled out piecemeal throughout creation, and has become the hapless victim of man's actions.
What does the word spiritual mean to you?
Non-Biblical usages:Opening Question said:What does the word spiritual mean to you? What does the word spirit mean to you in the context of spirituality? What is spirituality?
Just a quick point from the standpoint of the Abrahamic Traditions:
To identify any part of the individual self as 'divine' by nature is a complete fantasy – it is not what the traditions teach, and it is metaphysically and philosophically impossible ... within any context of an Abrahamic notion of God.
it is man trying once again to possess as his own that which he is aware of as a gift and grace ... it is pride.
...... If it were true, then the Divine must necessarily be 'contained' than the contingent being that surrounds it ... that the Absolute is determined by the relative, the Infinite by the finite ...
Define spirit, spiritual, or spirituality? If you try to grasp it, you cannot hold it.What does the word spiritual mean to you? What does the word spirit mean to you in the context of spirituality? What is spirituality?
-- Dauer
You are forgetting God's freedom. His 'immutability' needs to be understood in the context of He can be no other than Himself. Within that, God is Love, as John says (1 John 4:8) ... so Christian metaphysics needs to be understood in the context of a Christian epistemology.To preserve the Supremacy of G-d one may be compelled to argue His immutability.
Are all signs of His mercy, which is Infinite.G-d willingness ... His willingness ... His response ... His continued availability to negotiate ... His willingness ... when He sees evidence of repentance, His responsiveness to prayers of intercession
No, otherwise 'the unmoved mover' would be moved ... God is neither swayed nor controlled, but rather the more we know Him, the more we are aware of His goodness, His mercy and His love. God is only 'moved' in the sense that He allows us to move Him, because He is free, not because of compunction, obligation, determination ...G-d is clearly willing to allow Himself to b swayed and controlled to some extent.
Actually Scripture does portray God as Absolute, but immutable and unresponsive were your terms, not mine ...A portayal of G-d as Absolute Transcendent, immutable, and unresponsive is not supported by the Scripture. In fact, the Scripture indicates quite the opposite.
What does the word spiritual mean to you? What does the word spirit mean to you in the context of spirituality? What is spirituality?
-- Dauer
To me, spirituality points to that which transcends the material. I tend to organize my spirituality concepts around the idea of Love, our empathy toward others, our actions toward the best for others, toward good for the world.
Hello Vajradhara, nice to see you as well. :namaste:Namaste Lunamoth,
nice to see you around again![]()
As I am a physical being my actions can only be physical, but the choices I make in those actions are affected in part by a transcendent aspect of my being that I can only point to, not capture in words or actions.wouldn't actions be physical and thus not spiritual?
I use 'Love' to mean more than an emotion or relationship or attachment. Probably 'loving-kindness' and 'compassion in concert with wisdom' better describe what I mean by Love. More broadly, love is feeding, healing, nurturing, supporting, forgiving, ... striving (humbly) for the best for others and the world.it would seem that we agree on the surface that spiritual is related to consciousness even to particular mental states that a being may experience. i wouldn't really put love in my category though i can understand why it would be there especially if one fell in love as my spouse and i did, at first sight and all of that.
Our motivation for choices and actions are never pure, but I think that a certain mindfulness can help us make decisions, choose actions, that are Christ-like (skillful?). I also believe that the source of the Will to Love is 'spiritual' and beyond the bounds of cause and effect.with regards to actions are you meaning to suggest that ones intention or motivation for ones actions is spiritual? if so, i would agree with such an assessment.
Our motivation for choices and actions are never pure, but I think that a certain mindfulness can help us make decisions, choose actions, that are Christ-like (skillful?). I also believe that the source of the Will to Love is 'spiritual' and beyond the bounds of cause and effect.
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Define spirit, spiritual, or spirituality? If you try to grasp it, you cannot hold it.
To me, spirituality points to that which transcends the material. I tend to organize my spirituality concepts around the idea of Love, our empathy toward others, our actions toward the best for others, toward good for the world.
Our motivation for choices and actions are never pure, but I think that a certain mindfulness can help us make decisions, choose actions, that are Christ-like (skillful?). I also believe that the source of the Will to Love is 'spiritual' and beyond the bounds of cause and effect.
2 c![]()
lunamoth said:As I am a physical being my actions can only be physical, but the choices I make in those actions are affected in part by a transcendent aspect of my being that I can only point to, not capture in words or actions.
I use 'Love' to mean more than an emotion or relationship or attachment. Probably 'loving-kindness' and 'compassion in concert with wisdom' better describe what I mean by Love. More broadly, love is feeding, healing, nurturing, supporting, forgiving, ... striving (humbly) for the best for others and the world.
Our motivation for choices and actions are never pure, but I think that a certain mindfulness can help us make decisions, choose actions, that are Christ-like (skillful?). I also believe that the source of the Will to Love is 'spiritual' and beyond the bounds of cause and effect.
2 c![]()
Here is something from Buddhist scriptures regarding four things that "if you try to grasp them, you cannot hold them." I wouldn't call this definitive list of things that might qualify as spiritual, though.Define spirit, spiritual, or spirituality? If you try to grasp it, you cannot hold it.
What about the instances that could not be attributed by any possible means to one's own mind?Spirit to me means its time to uncork a bottle of Ardbeg.
Spiritual, to me, means trying to apply an unseen, unprovable dimension to the human experience. While it is an apparently real and to some important aspect of self I go down the track with Vaj that it is probably just a side effect of our other higher cognitive functions. Perhaps a safety valve for what SG refers to as the 4 imponderables or more likely an evolved response to these unanswerables.
Looking at man's senses through the lens of science it quickly becomes apparent that all of our faculties are severely restricted and limited. Our brains work with very limited actual input and fill in the gaps with experiential memory. I think given the brains abilities to 'invent' and to rationalise for the psyche it would be rather naive to say that spirituality has any truth to it. It is a function of mind developed over time to give some sense of peace and meaning where in fact there is none.
tao