What DOES "spiritual" mean, anyway??? Posted by John on January 06, 19100 at 12:45:29:
It seems to me, after reflecting this afternoon, that most people in our
society would probably define "spiritual" as meaning anything at all
having to do with any kind of religious or sacred beliefs. That would
be the most general definition of "spiritual" that I can think of,
pertaining to people at large. Does anybody here in class come up with
a more general definition of "spiritual" than that?
In more specific terms, a definition of "spiritual" that is important to
all religions is: "that which is based on an ethical foundation." So,
perhaps we could say that, to many people, being "spiritual" means: "to
have an ethical foundation that comes from religious beliefs."
I am just jamming here, coming up with whatever I come up with. If any
of you students would like to add to these speculations, please feel
free. What does "spiritual" mean?
Webster's Dictionary gives an interesting array: "of, relating to, or
consisting of spirit" — "of or relating to sacred matters" —
"ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal" — "spiritually akin or
related" — "of or relating to ghosts or similar supernatural beings"
— "things of a spiritual, ecclesiastical, or religious nature."
So . . . . . do we *really know what "spiritual" is yet? . . . . . What
does "spiritual" mean, anyway???
Douglas (at the end of last semester) would like to know when things are
going to get spiritual around here in Classroom Talk. {look of delight
on my face} That's a *wonderful subject to discuss!!! I'd really like
for us all to spend some time on that topic! What d'ya say, Kiddees?
Would you define your term a little more precisely, please, Douglas?
What do you mean, in short, by "spiritual." And what about the rest of
you? What does "spiritual" mean? Any body . . . . . ???
Coach
Let's keep the comments in this thread to a page, or less than a page,
for awhile, and see what it's like to be doing it that way together for
awile.
And by the way, threads of conversations that were already going on last
semester can continue right along here—side-by-side—in the second
semester of First Grade. For instance, I'm eager to hear how things are
going with you, Michael, and hoping it's going well. And new threads on
new topics *can be added at any time here, especially by any of you
newcomers with questions who are still coming along in Kindergarten.
Feel free, *any of you, to post whenever you'd like, on whatever is most
important or most interesting to you.
Continue with Winter 1999/2000 Classroom Talk or
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Archived February 13, 2000