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Is Spiritual Freethinking an Oxymoron?

Posted by OrnaRoss • 1/19/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: Belief, creativity, freethinking, philosophy, Spirituality

In a recent Blog Catalog discussion about freethinking, it was suggested that the concept of spiritual freethinking is an oxymoron. This seems to be a widespread belief in freethinking circles - that it must remain within the material realm.

I have questions about this:
www.ornaross.com/freethinking/2009/01/spiritual-freethinking-an-oxymoron/

What do you think? Can you be a rational freethinker and also spiritual?

User Comments

1/19/09

Praz

Religion and Spirituality have always more or less laid emphasis on the blind belief of their ideologies. (The majority, that is. Also, this comment is entirely my Opinion)

Free thinking, when viewed from this perspective where Religion and Spirituality are rigid, might make the term Spiritual Freethinking an Oxymoron.

But, its all dependent on the Perspective from which this concept is viewed.

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1/19/09

harveyavatar

Orna,

From your site: A freethinker, according to Dictionary.com (rapidly replacing the OED in my affections) is: “a person who forms opinions on the basis of reason, independent of authority or tradition”

If I am to understand reason as logic, logic only deals with "universals" (abstractions from singular concrete beings). Something spiritual is neither concrete nor abstract. On this premise, spiritual freethinking does indeed seem to be an oxymoron.

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1/19/09

Enlight

Independent spirituality is related to free thinking, although religion is not.

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1/19/09

flamingpoodle

I think freethinking is an oxymoron. Although the origins of the term indicated freethinking as in thinking free from the constraints of the church, thinking is hard work and it doesn't come easy or free.

In this regard, certainly your thinking should be free to explore even spiritual realms if you so desire, although I won't put much stock in EQ or SQ. IQ is the only Q that matters..

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1/19/09

ArsenicCookies

I don't think so. I was raised catholic, studied theology, demonology,Islam, Judaism, and various branches of Christianity until I found one that stuck. I was the catholic girl who asked the nuns, "if pergatory is no longer relevant and God has already judged people why does it say he will come again to judge the living and the dead"..... that's free thinking spiritually I think...lol... not sure

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2/18/09

NatetheGrate

Who are you calling a moron?

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