Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

icymist

(15,888 posts)
Sat Sep 8, 2012, 10:20 PM Sep 2012

Spirituality without the Supernatural?

New Organization Promotes ‘Naturalistic’ Spiritual Practices

(PRWEB) September 04, 2012
A new non-profit, the Spiritual Naturalist Society, is launching today with a mission to “spread awareness of spiritual naturalism as a way of life”. What is spiritual naturalism? The organization’s Executive Director and Humanist minister, Rev. Daniel Strain, explains, “Spiritual naturalism (or religious naturalism) is a term that covers a myriad of different forms of spirituality that don’t involve faith-based beliefs in the supernatural.”


Rev. Strain notes that as secularism rises, naturalistic (non-supernatural) interpretations of religious worldviews and practices are growing within Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, Paganism – even within Christianity. In addition to these naturalistic leanings within traditional faiths, the self styled ‘reason-based community’ is meanwhile finding its way toward spirituality. Some atheists and agnostics are beginning to discover the usefulness of meditation, other traditionally religious practices, and even ritual.


This, says Rev. Strain, means there is a growing convergence toward the intersection of naturalism and spirituality happening from groups on both sides of the theistic and supernatural divide. Many individuals across these groups are finding more in common with one another than with other members at the more supernatural-end of the spectrum in their respective groups. This, the Spiritual Naturalist Society states, calls for a new kind of organization and community that cuts across familiar categories – a new paradigm for understanding human spirituality.
http://news.yahoo.com/spirituality-without-supernatural-072437779.html

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Spirituality without the Supernatural? (Original Post) icymist Sep 2012 OP
Thanks, that is so interesting Tumbulu Sep 2012 #1
And here I thought this was going to be about nude group meditation! southerncrone Sep 2012 #2
Too many words. Just do what love demands. Fire Walk With Me Sep 2012 #3
Kinda like the Deism of many of the Founding Fathers of the U.S.A. SarahM32 Sep 2012 #4

southerncrone

(5,510 posts)
2. And here I thought this was going to be about nude group meditation!
Sat Sep 8, 2012, 11:08 PM
Sep 2012


All joking aside, great article. Thanks for sharing, icymist!

SarahM32

(270 posts)
4. Kinda like the Deism of many of the Founding Fathers of the U.S.A.
Mon Sep 10, 2012, 06:20 PM
Sep 2012

Deism is the belief in Divinity but without the supernatural religious trappings and dogma.

It was popular in the 1700s and early 1800s in both Europe and America. Freemasons like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin identified with it, as did Jefferson, Madison, Paine, Allen, Adams and others.

I think it stems from Kabbalistic Judaism, but when the Kabbalah became Westernized by the original Freemasons and Rosicrucians in Europe, who were instrumental in bringing about the "Enlightenment" and the "Age of Reason," Deism became very popular, and it's becoming popular again.

That's a good thing, I believe, because it tends to foster religious tolerance, which is so sorely needed in these times of religious bigotry and "holy wars."

See http://cjcmp.org
.

Latest Discussions»Culture Forums»Astrology, Spirituality & Alternative Healing»Spirituality without the ...