Say one believes in a supreme being, re-incarnation/past lives, karma...but not a specific religion (particularly Christianity).  Can one have a spirtual approach to life?  Would that person be describe as agnostic?
132441
yes in fact true spirituality supercedes any religion. Spirituality is the ability to look at things from the standpoint of divinity, or from their essense. Religion is reliving or basicially living by a set of rituals to constantly remind oneself of the supreme being. Religion can be and is usually practiced devoid of any real spirituality. Most people do the things that their 'religion' dictacts without really understanding why or what it means (holidays, fasts, prayer five times a day, easter). When one is spiritualy connected all of that becomes unneccesary. One does not have to have reminders to put themselves in harmony with god's will, they have understanding of how all things relate to God and operate from that.
604968
I see it as a religion of those who don't believe in a supreme being. Since religion is a belief in something then same goes for them.
151840
Believing in Religion and having a since of Spirituality are two different things. I believe in God and consider myself a very spiritual person (which I define as a person who has belief in something more than just the physical/principles/morals, etc). However, I do not believe in organized religion or the institution of Church. Yet I have a strong connection to God. \n\nSo I say it all depends on your friends core belief. He can still have a belief system that does not revolve around choosing a religion.
87895
Yes. Atheism only consists of a belief (or disbelief) in a deity. If someone actively does not believe in the existence of any deity, he/she is an Atheist regardless of what other supernatural based beliefs he/she places faith in.
359008
Even though I do not believe in god I do not compare god with Santa. You're not taking the people who believe in god serious by calling them addicts. All religions are not only something to believe in, but also a set of morals to live by. In practice most religions are more a way of life then a belief. Also does this believe help a lot of people, giving them more strength. If this religion helps them and makes them better people who are you to call them addicts? \n\nA part from that it is okay if you do not believe in god, but you have to understand that that is a belief al the same. You believe that there is no god. That is your reality, but for people who believe it is their reality that there is a god. Your reality is unique. By that I mean that what you see, feel, hear and most importantly think is unique. There is a point for every kid that they start calling themselves "me" and "I". That's when they're able to understand that they have their own mind. Self-conceptualization. You have to place yourself a bit more in other people and do not assume that your reality, your truth, is the only reality there is.
669495
Understand that I'm not coming at this from a religious viewpoint.You need to examine your terms.You can be any of the first three things you call yourself,no problem,but you can't be the first AND the last.There is a basic confict there-and so you can't be a Christian Atheist.Now,I know,you're gonna say,I believe Jesus was a good man,but not necessarily God with a capital G.Well okay,but but atheism believes there is nothing in the spiritual realm AT ALL.No soul,No spirit,no gods,etc.etc.So you can be an atheist,but you can't be a Christian,at least not in the the traditional sense.
351348
I think they're referring to agnostic theists, those who think there is no way to know absolutely if there is a god, but believe in one anyway.\n\nAccording to Theism, the opinion that gods or deities exist, and Agnosticism is that existence unknown or inherently unknowable. Belief is defined as a conviction of the truth of a proposition without its verification. Agnosticism does not violate this, and this definition of theism does not violate agnosticism.\n\nThey can act upon their belief as though it is true but again, without verification.  They believe while admitting that it cannot be absolutely PROVEN that what they believe in is true.  Hey, I never said it was logical.\n\nBelief: to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so.  I pulled that directly from the dictionary.  So you're right in that they might as well be called theists since theists would possess the same belief... but to get unnecessarily technical, most theists would insist that they DO have "absolute proof", so those who admit to being without "absolute proof" or at least incapable of attaining such would be "agnostic" in that regard.
669445
No, once you start believing in a god, you stop being an atheist. Knowing that god doesn't exist is the definition of atheism. An atheist could still have a religion, though. Buddhists, for example. An atheist might believe in other supernatural things, besides god. Usually not, though. Atheists don't think that religion doesn't exist, if that's what you mean. That would be stupid. I'm perfectly aware of the existance of religion, I just find it pointless.
575263
Agnostic is someone who believes that it is impossible to know wether there is a God.\nSo he would have to be referring to Creation. Since Evolution has nothing to do with creation.
121958
There is only one agnostic belief that I know of.\nGenerally, agnostics don't believe or disbelieve... they ponder the existence of a God, and are open to any suggestion that may prove or disprove thier opinion.
299842
Well, in so far as religions are concerned you might like to do a web-search on spiritualist churches. They believe in ghosts, spirit communications, and a wide variety of paranormal things. You'll also find wide acceptance of such things in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Wicca. For myself I don't need hard evidence, just a logical premise. That's good enough for me. And I don't discount emotions in such things. Logic has its place. So do emotions. So as often as not I follow my feelings, just as I often follow my thinking.
536545
well, isn't this the core question of the human race? Is there a point to it all? From a bigger perspective (like the billions of years old unimaginably big universe perspective) I'd say probably not as we're very finite beings and the time and space we take up in the universe at large doesn't really register as more than a blip, but on a personal level there are many things I aspire to like expanding my knowledge, sharing love and warmth, experiencing interesting sensations (think food, music, reading, sex, etc) and seeing as much of this vast and fascinating universe as I possibly can and I try my best to do good by others.\n\nJust because I do not believe in the human soul, the god(s) and an afterlife doesn't mean I don't intent to get the most out of the short timespan I've been given in this bizarre place. Although I must admit it is sometimes hard to resolve the human ego that screams 'I am the center of the universe' with the rational knowledge that in the grand scheme of things I do not really matter. But everybody should be allowed a crisis of faith from time to time, we're all human after all.
564336
Apologize profusely for not believing, but I would plead my case and explain that all that I have done in my life would add up to the same. And that in all cases I have nothing but the utmost respect for anyone who stands by their religion. I learned a long time ago that nothing should change the way you feel about your convictions, not even angels, because the evil one can disguise himself as an angel of light.
95194
Agnostic, I imagine.  Although what you're explaining could be Judaism as well...
586993
i am very tollerant of other peoples religion on the condition that they don`t try and shove it down my throat! my beleifs can`t really be put into a neat little box. maybe i could say i beleive in Katherineism?! (my name is Katherine) i beleive everything happens for a reason, we will meet all our departed loved ones when we die, there is some higher power or force up there, i`m just not sure if it`s god? Also, the spirits of departed loved ones show themselves in the form of birds.  i`m going to keep checking your answers, because i`m also interested in other people spiritual beleifs.
515165
This is a good question.  \n\nSimple answer:  All religions are based on faith.  Once you accept that religion, on faith, it is truth to you, but not necessarily truth to other people.\n\nThe same is true of each and every one of your perceptions, they are real and true to you, but, other people may not accept your perceptions.  \n\nThus to find truth, you need to look for it.  Let's say you never have prayed or meditated, and thus do not believe in spiritual experiences.  However, some else has prayed or meditated and has had some spiritual experience.  Then you have 2 different and independent truths, don't you.  \n\nHowever, in a court of law with jury, which truth would have the greatest defense?  You cannot disprove spirituality if you have never experienced it.  However, if you have experienced it then it is true for you, and others like you.  A court and jury would have to rule that spirituality appears to exist.  All a skeptic has to understand, that in their reality, their mind, they are not looking for spirituality, in fact they are actively against it at times, thus they will never see it, and that is ok, it is their choice. \n\nThus, truth in religion is "faith that becomes truth" only for those who believe in the religion.
265856
Your perception of God is your own.\n\nAs a Hindu I believe that there is one God, but that God is so vast and large that we each individually experience and approach God differently (thus lots of different religions). That all will discover the same ultimate truth in any religion because it dwells within our inner self (and every religion ultimately takes the practictioner to look within). Thus all religions are valid paths. "Truth is one, though humanity calls it by different names." Rig Veda\nAs a Hindu I believe that God always listens to us regardless of what name we call God by that whatever form we meditate upon God, God will always come to us. "What I am is utterly beyond your minds ability to fully comprehend, thus call me by whatever name and worship me and meditate upon me in whatever form. I promise that by whatever name you call upon me I shall hear you and by whatever form you worship me I shall come to you." Tripura Rahasya. \nUltimate God is beyond name and form, and yet manifested the entire cosmos into existences and thereby took form, too. \nHindus believe that when one dies our consciousness projects the experience we will have. Thus, when we die it is our consciousness that creates the temporary heaven we go to. If we have expected heaven to be a place where we gather with our ancestors...then our consciousness will project a heaven with our ancestors and God will take on the form of ancestors to be with us. If we expect a heaven with, say, Jesus, then our consciousness will project a heaven and God will take the form of Jesus. Heaven is just temporary and our karma (actions) and desires will lead us back to samsara (the cycle of birth, death, rebirth) and we will reincarnate. The ultimate goal of a Hindu is moksha or liberation of samsara and union with God completely. They often use the example of an ocean. The water evaporates and forms clouds, the clouds get so heavy that eventually the water falls in the form of rain. The rain forms streams and the streams come together and form rivers. The rivers ultimately merge back into the ocean. God is the ocean and we are the droplets of water. The rivers and streams are just religions and paths back to God.\n\nAnd that is what I believe, as a Hindu.