Why do some atheists beleive there is a spiritual aspect to man when there is no empirical evidence for it?

Question

many atheists say they don't believe or affirm there is no God...because lack of evidence...but what about those atheists who claim there is a spiritual side of man...

Answer 1

I simply am aware that materialism is false. (1) This does not imply a supernatural to me, it simply means that nature is larger than a materialist thinks. This also does not imply a personality presiding over the universe, so I see no reason to posit a deity.

Answer 2

Because atheist means without god(s) and NOTHING ELSE, no matter what you try to link it to.

Answer 3

There is plenty of empirical evidence for the spiritual aspect of man.

All one has to do is read.

Answer 4

Being spiritual and being relgious are two very different things.

Answer 5

Spirituality need not involve a god,or "spirits".It can be the awareness that we are all connected.Science doesn't rule this out.Rather,the view that time and space may be illusory at a deeper,more fundamental level is actually supported by science

Answer 6

i have seen plenty evidence for a spiritual side of our biology that we do not know or understand yet

i do not know what it is, why its there, where it came from or any details or answers to many questions about the subject

but,.i do know there is 'something' there that we have yet to discover properly

i have experienced it myself, and thats why i know there is 'soemthing'

and thats why i beleive there is soemthing, because i experience it

and because it is biologically and spiritually possible and probable

Answer 7

I personally tend to redefine spirituality slightly so it is almost an expanded version of personality. It works then, and allows me to share some ideas with those who see it as a supernatural thing.

Answer 8

I think you're confusing "spiritual" with "supernatural"...

Answer 9

They're called weak atheists. They don't believe in a god, but can still believe in anything else.

I am a strong atheist. Which means NOTHING supernatural, and nothing spiritual, for me.

Atheistically yours,

JM Gendron.

Answer 10

Difference is, I don't try to convince anyone else of the spirituality I experience. I don't care if no one else ever experiences it, as we are all on different journeys.

If you ask my opinion about it, I'll give it to you. But there are no rules or dogma or magic higher power involved. For me, it is a state of mind or a state of being or a personal understanding of our connection to everything else (which IS supported by science, btw). It is not a belief system.

Spirituality is starkly different from religions or gods. While those who believe in gods and practice religions can also be spiritual; you do not need religion or gods to be spiritual.

Spiritual does not mean one believes in "spirits" or ghosts either. While some atheists may, and that is their choice, I do not.

It would be good for you to understand that atheism is a label used to describe those who do not believe in gods. It does not expand to other areas of belief or disbelief. Only gods.

Answer 11

Some don't want to let go of spirituality all the way. For us atheists its not always about empirical evidence, sometimes its about whats logical or makes sense.

Answer 12

They are making it up too.  At least for the normal "higher power" definition of spiritual.

Like Christians, we disagree on some issues.

Unlike Christians. we don't all claim to follow on infallible perfect book which tells us what to believe.  So, unlike Christians, we have a valid reason for not agreeing all the time.

Answer 13

What about them?  I don't know why ANYONE would believe in something without evidence, but I don't see how not having a belief in a god mandates that a person not be spiritual.  

Answer 14

Atheism is simply a lack of belief in a god or gods, other than that, atheists and other people believe in all sorts of strange things.  

Answer 15

Because some atheists want to keep some of the religious world in thier life. Just attachment to old ways

Answer 16

Well, that really depends on what you and they mean by spiritual.  Most atheists I know don't define spiritual as anything supernatural, so it is still consistent with an entirely empirically supported worldview.

Alternately, you may have met an atheist who does not believe in any gods, but does believe in some other phenomena that don't have scientific explanations (and won't ever).  All it means to be an atheist is to deny the existence of any gods, anything else is consistent with that label.

Answer 17

Atheism only asserts the non-belief in gods. Regarding spirituality and the paranormal to each its own.

I am an atheist because none of the religions present on earth have provided enough (if any) evidence for any kind of god/Deity. Personally, however, I like to believe (see:hope) that ghosts exists. I wish I could become a ghost pirate.

Answer 18

Many of the atheists on this board who hold pep rally's every five seconds for atheism should know that their buddy Sam Harris BELIEVES IN the spirit world! LOL

There is a real contradictory nature to many of these atheists, and I thank you for bringing this to the forefront.