I'd disagree, since I'd argue that a need to understand the world and why it's come to be, backed up by field observations, as universal. That statement comes uncomfortably close to Eurocentrism, for me. Is your definition the pretty rigorous, repeatable, modern definition? Because then yeah, I'd agree with you.
I don't like the idea of defining any external authority as the be-all and end-all for what I think about spirituality, including an afterlife. I don't really believe in an afterlife - actually, I'm pretty unsure of what I do believe - but I bristle at the idea of blankly accepting what some external authority says because it's "childish" for me to think differently.
Also, from a spiritual standpoint, I think the whole question is academic anyway. We're here, now. The world needs both justice and love, and if someone is just and compassionate because they're looking for some sort of divine pay-back, then at least it gets the job done.
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dancing_serpent
(no subject)
Date: 2011-05-17 07:34 pm (UTC)I'd disagree, since I'd argue that a need to understand the world and why it's come to be, backed up by field observations, as universal. That statement comes uncomfortably close to Eurocentrism, for me. Is your definition the pretty rigorous, repeatable, modern definition? Because then yeah, I'd agree with you.
I don't like the idea of defining any external authority as the be-all and end-all for what I think about spirituality, including an afterlife. I don't really believe in an afterlife - actually, I'm pretty unsure of what I do believe - but I bristle at the idea of blankly accepting what some external authority says because it's "childish" for me to think differently.
Also, from a spiritual standpoint, I think the whole question is academic anyway. We're here, now. The world needs both justice and love, and if someone is just and compassionate because they're looking for some sort of divine pay-back, then at least it gets the job done.