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Books for those of no fixed religion but want 'life guidance'

Marianne72

I tried and failed to find the thread asking people's favourite philosopher, hence this new post. I'm near the end of my journey [on earth] and seeking decent books on spirituality not allied to a particular faith. I wanted to share books I've found useful for day-to-day living, with all its difficulties and stressors.

I've joined a lot of different 'styles' over the years - Christianity, Quakerism, Vedanta, Black Baptist.. They each have merits, not least social opportunities, inclusion and support. But I lost belief in a God, and sliding toward being humanist and a Stoic. I want to live a moral life but not chained to a formal faith.

For the last 7 years I've followed the books by modern philosopher, Ryan Holiday, who follows Stoicism - The Daily Stoic. I've found daily Journal writing really helpful, particularly when recovering trauma or my tendency to ruminate on past hurts and abuses.

I am also fond of modern philosopher Alain de Botton. The one I'm reading now is, 'Religion for Atheists' - by turn amusing, amazing and thought-provoking. He puts forward an interesting idea that ditching formal religion as a whole is like throwing out the baby with the bathwater; that  precepts of major religions have a lot to teach about how to live. So, why not use these to form a religion for atheists [those who do not formally believe in a God but want 'morals' to live by]. With the loss of church power and nothing to take its place, Botton makes interesting reading.

  • I've been a Pagan for many years now, I started with Wicca, but my spirituality has grown a bit now, or Wicca has narrowed, I'm not sure which, although it does seem to be becoming more codified something I don't feel it was ever intended to be. To quote Sir Terry Pratchet, '.. witches [Wiccans] believe in their gods like they believe in the postman', this is very much how I feel, it's beyond belief or faith, it just is. 

    I notice all the faiths you mentions are basically Christian, have you ever moved outside of Christianity or montheism? For me a multiplicity of Gods and Goddesses is obvious and I can't get my head around montheism anymore, it's taken me a while to reach this point having been brought up with the idea if not the practice of montheism. I dont' find myself with a lack of morals although I sometimes find myself with moral conumdrums and sometimes my moral compas is like that of Cpt Jack Sparrow, in that it points to what I want rather than whats a particularly "good" thing. But then one of the things about following a path such as Wicca is that it makes you conciously think about morality and what good and bad/evil actually mean.

    Have your ever read The Tao of Pooh? Or Buddhism for Sheep? The Tao of Pooh, looks at Taoism via the medium of Winnie the Pooh, its a whimsically wise book. Buddhism for Sheep is a short book using the life of sheep as a metaphor for Zen Buddhism. Both of these books should be easy reading and a good way to start exploring spirituality.

    I think an atheist religion is a contradiction, I get where de Boton is coming from, and it's been a conundrum for humanists and atheists for many many years, how do you have morality without a deity to enforce it? Personally I find it quite easy, our deities don't enforce in the way a monotheistic deity does, or at least what priests tell us pleases their god to punish or allow.

    A lot of Christianity is based around Plato and Neo-Platonism, so you may find those interesting.

  • in reply to Cinnabar_wing
    Cinnabar_wing said:
    I don't want to offend anyone, but I find so often they are used by some people to persecute those who don't share the same faith (or even within it, tp create inequality and privilege, such as by gender).

    Exactly! Some religions have marginalised 50% of the faithful by gender alone. For too long women have been written out of the history of religions. Religion has been used to control populations and influence those who have political power or civil control. I recognise though that some religions have done a lot of good but I don’t think it’s possible weigh up the arguments for and against religion to reach a credible conclusion one way or the other. Many people will have a personal opinion on that. 

    Man made God in his own image (The Golden Bough, Frazer)

  • I don’t know of any books on spirituality without religion.

    I read a few of Alain de Botton books years ago and liked how he integrated philosophical teaching into modern day life and illustrated the use of philosophical teachings with practical examples.  

    I’m an ex Catholic (I’m biased) and agnostic, and someone who used be involved in Fransiscan spirituality and later Ignatian spirituality.  I’m interested in religion and I’m currently reading The Lost art of Scripture by Karen Armstrong. It is probably not what you are looking for but the author has written many books on different religions and spirituality, drawing on their various teachings. She is a theologian and used to be a Roman Catholic nun and her journey resonate with parts of my own spiritual journey. I don’t know if she is Christian or not now, but I do remember her talking about her difficulties with taking the Bible literally and doesn’t consider it factually true. 

    She has written a number of books which you could check out on Amazon.

    If you are interested in climate change and nature you might like to read a sample of this book  https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/443025/sacred-nature-by-armstrong-karen/9781529114799

    Alain de Botton thinks highly of her. 

    'Karen Armstrong is one of the handful of wise and supremely commentators on religion' Alain de Botton

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Armstrong

    Marianne72 said:
    So, why not use these to form a religion for atheists [those who do not formally believe in a God but want 'morals' to live by]

    That is something I would be interested in, although I wouldn’t want to be resistant to good morals just because they come from Hinduism, Christianity etc. At the moment I think of myself as a follower of Jesus as a man rather than as God. He appeals because of his concern for the marginalised and because some of his moral teachings are relevant today. Also, I have known of him all my life, but I am not a Christian. Have you read the writings of Rumi? 

    I tend to bundle together different spiritualities that resonate with me and I practice meditation. 

  • I don't have any books or philosophers to recommend, but interested in the book you mention by Botton so might check it out some point. I am not religious, I don't want to offend anyone, but I find so often they are used by some people to persecute those who don't share the same faith (or even within it, tp create inequality and privilege, such as by gender). I know many use religion as a source for doing good, which is beneficial to the wider world too, so I don't think they are bad in general.

    I've always preferred to live by my own moral code (basically be kind to everyone), or as you suggest, find the good bits and leave out the parts I find troublesome. The world itself is troublesome, so I can see why still having some guidance is beneficial.

    EDIT: I think there is some philosophy that Bill Gates and his wife follow, which involves philanthropy, and they are busy trying to make sure all their money is given away and want to live modestly. (Their foundation has issues, but the idea bilionaires don't need to sit on billions is good). I think things like this help us see the value in life over materials, which is counter to the way the world is run.