text: atheists, why? if you don't believe in god or any other higher power than man, why do you spend so much time on the religious/spiritual questions? i'm just really curious. spirituality has a couple of different meanings. one involves non-material beings, in which i don't believe. the other simply expresses an amazement with the universe around us and ways to learn how to love and help others. this i strongly believe in. since many religions ask and try to answer the second type of question, i have found it useful to look at the answers they have come up with to see if i can use them in my life. not all of the answers require belief in a deity. also, given the number of religios people around, it is important (to me) to understand the various religions so i can relate better to those i share this planet with. when i disgree, i *try* to do so politely unless impoliteness started somewhere else.