Spirituality
An anti-intellectual settlement for faithful egotists. A belief structure for moral relativists.
Residents of this settlement are purveyors of both mental and linguistic gymnastics, although their performances are always clumsy and uninspired.
In the midst of our search for something larger than ourselves, it is common to notice the shortcomings of a particular faith. That being said, religions are greater than the sum of their parts, and their shortcomings are often a conjugation of humanity in some sense that is important to notice. Recognizing this does not incline us any more than we might be otherwise, because we still find them distasteful. As a result, many forego traditional faiths and settle on a loosely knit substrate of new age incoherence comprised of ideas stolen from existing religions. The spiritual are patrons at a religious buffet, they take the items they want and leave the rest.
You can quickly identify adherents because they enthusiastically inform everyone that they are spiritual, second only to vegetarians and vegans in their proclivity to notify others of these mundane characteristics. Beyond these prideful offerings, they may introduce concepts such as energy, vibrations, extra sensory perception, positivity and negativity, and they will often make appeals to the cosmos or universe.
They often possess a whole host of items designed to restore balance or catalyze energy in some way. Strangely, there are always new trinkets coming out to assist them with these tasks, which means that there is both an industry and a market for these spiritual implements. Thank goodness those who deal in candles, bracelets, talismans and crystals are such honest and selfless brokers, otherwise this might constitute a racket.
If you ask any questions in an attempt to clarify or understand what is meant by anything they put forward, their answers will contain mysterious sounding conjecture that they hope you will confuse for profound wisdom.
There are two features of spiritual beliefs that glaringly demonstrate it is an analogue of egotism.
Every aspect of its amorphous structure is blended with a contrived optimism that classifies the believer as a conduit through which all energy is transformed into potential. They have replaced God with themselves, and so their faith is self-referential.
There are no major universally held beliefs or tenets; adherents can essentially believe whatever they want. It is a Choose Your Own Adventure style of belief, which in some way is an honest admission that the entire thing is made up.
Whether formalized religions have it right is irrelevant, as they are at least asymptotic. Without a model to follow, good and evil have no meaning because they cannot be compared to anything we can mutually agree upon. This introduces moral relativism into the conversation, which is a tried-and-true philosophy for those preoccupied with a hedonistic lifestyle while pretending to comprehend the totality of human suffering that exists beyond their own nose.
Being spiritual is a luxury belief for those who already occupy a stable existence. Give a salt lamp to someone who is poor, destitute and sick, and they will throw it at your face.
See: HUBRIS
Posted: 2 Jan 2023
