Yes, I too find that many atheists avoid the word ‘spiritual’. I’m sure the reasons are numerous, and at least one of which is as you find the term, ambiguous or unclear.
I hope you were able to glean my intention from my response. A sense of unity. “spiritual Adjective 1. relating to a person's beliefs as opposed to his or her physical or material needs” At the core of most theology and much philosophy is this innate human attribute, a sense of the eternal and unity of all. People do not need to embrace religious dogma to embody this state. So, I find the term quite useful, pointing at that which is not physical and in the context of a couple, a sense of ‘forever’ and commonality. Without this sense, even IF the physical, emotional and intellectual aspects are working out fairly well, it is difficult to maintain the union for long. On Nov 19, 5:32 pm, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > The word spiritual is often confusing because of it's equivocal nature. I > find that most rationalists avoid it's use so as to not be mistaken as a > supernaturalist. > > of, pertaining to, or consisting of spirit; incorporeal. of or > pertaining to the spirit or soul, as distinguished from the physical nature: > a > spiritual approach to life. of or pertaining to spirits or to > spiritualists; supernatural or spiritualistic. of or pertaining to the > spirit as the > seat of the moral or religious nature. of or pertaining to sacred things > or matters; religious; devotional; sacred. > > "Please replace the word "spiritual" with something else. Geesus! - > J." > > Perhaps you would like everyone to share your view about the word > 'spiritual'? The result would be a true type of unity...a spiritual > notion. "Geesus!" indeed! HaHa > > On Nov 19, 3:11 pm, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > > Please replace the word "spiritual" with something else. > > Geesus! > > > J. > > > I’ve found that as I age, there are those who wish to ‘assist’ an old > > fart like me. And, there are those who couldn’t care less. I’m not > > sure this has changed nor is even different from when I was young. > > > When it comes to a couple’s relations, the 4 major areas must all be > > met for success. Any one or more missing will more often than not > > result in the failure of the couple. > > > Physical. > > Emotional. > > Intellectual. > > Spiritual. > > > On Nov 19, 2:12 pm, "Liz Purkrabek" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > I just thought about your response. I'm not suggesting that it's unfair > > and > > > mean that men aren't sexually attracted to older women. I'm just > saying > > > that a woman should be recognized for having value after she has lost > > > physical attractiveness. > > > > Intellectually, I think men realize that this should be the case, but I > > have > > > seen firsthand how quick men are to dole out hugs and affection to an > > > "attractive" woman and an older woman not even be acknowledged. The guy > > > doesn't have to fake attraction or French kiss the old lady, but some > token > > > of respect should be given to the lady! > > > > And what about this opening doors for ladies bit!? I noticed that when > I > > > was pregnant, men stopped opening doors for me. So, at the times when > I > > > have or eventually will need assistance (when I get old) the guys are > > > letting the door slam in my face, I assume because there is no perceived > > > (consciously or otherwise) potential nookie exchange. > > > > Having had these experiences (of visibility and invisibility), I can > easily > > > imagine how my world is going to change over time. I need to find a > gimmick > > > for when I get old, so I will still be a recognizable individual. I > was > > > toting with the idea of being the town's crazy cat woman, but the smell > > > would get on my nerves, so I'm thinking of only having a few cats, > letting > > > my hair grow out and being the crazy, mysterious witch lady that lives on > > > the hill and is rumored to cavort with the devil. > > > > liz > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jason > > > (Memphis) > > > Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 1:54 PM > > > To: Memphis Freethought Alliance > > > Subject: Re: I like this picture. I found it while looking for other > > > pictures > > > > Liz, > > > > I agree. Attractive women get way, way too much attention. How do me > > > make society give attractive women less attention so ugly women get > > > more or as much attention especially from men? > > > > Jason > > > > On Nov 19, 7:13 am, "Liz Purkrabek" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > It's not the same thing at all. Being ignored because you belong to a > > big > > > > family or disinterested parents is not the same issue as being > ignored > > > > incrementally based on physical attractiveness or perceived value to > > > > society as a whole. > > > > > liz > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > Jason > > > > (Memphis) > > > > Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 10:57 PM > > > > To: Memphis Freethought Alliance > > > > Subject: Re: I like this picture. I found it while looking for other > > > > pictures > > > > > Aren't kids in the "invisibility syndrome" category too? I know > > > > quite a few kids that are essentially ignored especially with big > > > > families. It is starting to be less of an issue because many couples > > > > (or singles) aren't having as many children so their one or two > > > > children get lots and lots of attention. > > > > > On Nov 18, 9:09 pm, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > > I like old chicks. > > > > > > J. > > > > > > “I do agree with Liz about the "invisibility syndrome". But, > isn't it > > > > > cultural to the western world?” – CB > > > > > > One can generalize about any thought. I find that age alone can > > > > > produce a type of ‘invisibility’ for some people. When I was a > kid, I > > > > > seldom knew how to relate to the old folks let alone found them > easy > > > > > to get to know. Ignoring them was the easiest defense mechanism. . . > > > > > as ignorant as avoidance can be in the long run. > > > > > > On Nov 18, 7:17 am, CrossBow <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:> One > theory > > > > is that women go through menopause in order to dump the hormones > > > > > > and switch the ability to produce for focus on caretaking of > > > > grandchildren. > > > > > > Sounds like evolution wants us to be social servants and makes use > of > > > > us to > > > > > > further survival that way... > > > > > > > I do agree with Liz about the "invisibility syndrome". But, isn't > it > > > > > > cultural to the western world? > > > > > > > I have mixed feelings about losing what beauty I have had. > > Sometimes > > > > it is > > > > > > a relief not to maintain it. Nice to be needed for something > > > > approaching > > > > > > wisdom instead of my bosom:) > > > > > > > On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 4:41 PM, ornamentalmind > > > > > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>wrote: > > > > > > > > "Because of the loss of status I feel as I age..." - Liz > > > > > > > > Thanks for the stream Liz! And, this quote of yours is what I > see > > > as > > > > > > > the 'crime' of our culture. Historically, age has represented > > > wisdom, > > > > > > > the opposite of a loss of status. And, as I see it, door > opening, > > > as > > > > > > > much as I was programmed to do it and still do on occasion, > has > > not > > > > > > > been continued as a 'social grace' in many pockets of our > culture > > > > and/ > > > > > > > or has become a curiosity due to the notion of being > politically > > > > > > > correct. > > > > > > > > On Nov 17, 1:28 pm, "Liz Purkrabek" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > wrote: > > > > > > > > Although I agree that beauty can be more than skin deep, > I've > > > > always > > > > > > > thought > > > > > > > > men were likely to respond first to positive visual > stimulation. > > > > If, > > > > > > > after > > > > > > > > the attention was caught, then other factors like > personality or > > > > > > > > intelligence entered into the picture. I've thought about > just > > > > this > > > > > > > subject > > > > > > > > more and more as I get older and realize that with every > year > > > that > > > > > > > passes, > > > > > > > > fewer and fewer men stop to open doors for me. Where once > even > > > the > > > > > > > > teenagers did so, now just the men about my age and older > do. I > > > > > imagine > > > > > > > at > > > > > > > > some point that the few men who respond to me in such a > fashion > > > > will be > > > > > > > > doing so out of pity when I am old and unable to open the door > > > > myself. > > > > > > > > > Because of the loss of status I feel as I age (and also for > > > > other > > > > > > > > reasons), I am educating myself and developing myself in ways > > > that > > > > have > > > > > > > > little to nothing to do with the way I look. I don't want > to > > be > > > > caught > > > > > > > > unprepared when at last the body completely gives and the face > > > > sags. > > > > > > > > > I am already starting to see wrinkles that don't go away > when I > > > > stop > > > > > > > > smiling, and I never feared wrinkles until I started seeing > > them. > > > > I > > > > > > > think > > > > > > > > that to become unattractive is much more problematic or even > > > > > devastating > > > > > > > > because it seems as though women become invisible as they > lose > > > > their > > > > > > > > beauty. > > > > > > > > > This was sort of a rambling email. Sort of stream of > > > > consciousness... > > > > > > > > > liz > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf > > Of > > > > > > > > ornamentalmind > > > > > > > > Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 12:29 PM > > > > > > > > To: Memphis Freethought Alliance > > > > > > > > Subject: Re: I like this picture. I found it while looking > for > > > > other > > > > > > > > pictures > > > > > > > > > What is obvious to me, perhaps because of my gender, is that > in > > > the > > > > > > > > current US culture, the omnipresence of beauty industry > > > advertising > > > > > > > > along with programs on corporate tv and radio have been > fairly > > > > > > > > successful in producing a trance like state within too many > > > women. > > > > > > > > > The 'avarousness' found at the > > ... > > read more »- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
