For the last 20+ years (now 30+ years) I have been actively exploring and promoting SPIRITUAL Atheism (and NON-LITERAL Theism). During that time I have observed that extreme Atheists are often as irrational as extreme Theists. In fact, I am often stunned by the wholesale prejudice that many extreme Atheists harbor. It is as though their often overbearing disdain for Theism has made them blind and deaf to anything that happens to "trigger" them.
It makes complete sense, though. It's overwhelming to imagine how much suffering, disability, death, and general destruction has been intentionally imposed over the aeons by those under the spell of (LITERAL) Theism. This can be enraging.
Of course it is more that just that. It's also rage against any potentially non-critical thinking; especially if it results in "followers". Why? For many diverse reasons; including the fact that such a scenario is very likely to result in even more suffering, etc.
It is obvious to me that many extreme Atheists live in completely understandable and genuinely disabling levels of pain and fear. Unfortunately for all, this tends to manifest itself in the form of philosophical bigotry. Bigots are rarely able to see and hear the object/s of their bigotry. (Just look at the current political climate in the USA!)
I can only speak for myself; but as a Spiritual Atheist, I identify as a skeptic and an Atheist FIRST. The Spiritual part is the result of a serious ongoing personal study of the world inside of me and outside of me. It has always been very important to me to separate what I believe I know to be true from what I theorize might be true. If I don't have the means to properly test a theory, it remains speculation.
That being said, it seems to me (a layman when it comes to religious studies), that the fundamental essence of most spiritual and religious philosophies reflects, generally, what I have personally concluded to be true; even if it is sometimes heavily symbolized and more heavily bastardized.
With all of this in mind, I can't help but wonder if it is simply "Spiritual Illiteracy" (the inability to recognize spiritual symbols as such; including words, which are nothing but symbols) that actually divides our human family at the most fundamental level. For the same reasons, I wonder if "Spiritual Literacy" (its opposite) might have the power to begin the process of awakening, healing, empowering, and uniting our human family.
Being an eternal optimist, I am doing what I can to contribute to the cause. It is obvious to me that countless men and women over the centuries have also labored for the same general result. In fact, at this point in time, there are probably more enlightened men and women laboring simultaneously for the spiritual awakening of humanity than at any other time in recorded history... and the Internet continues to amplify the power of our efforts. Even so, it will still be decades or centuries before our human family is effectively awakened, healed, empowered, and united.
But what a truly amazing era that will be! Can you imagine how effectively and efficiently we could transform our world, consciously co-creating an ever-better world and an ever-more enjoyable life experience? I have absolutely no doubt that it will be well worth the effort and the wait!
This is what I dream of. This is why I do what I do.
In love, I offer you some of my thoughts about "global awakening".
Thank you for your interest and support! I welcome your topical suggestions!
Would you like to be notified when I publish a new article?
