Spiritual and Religious - same or diff.?

[canis 191,101]

What is the difference between being spiritual and being religious?

 

Can one be spiritual without being religious?

 

Is there a difference? Or is the spiritual like a unique property of religion?

Edited October 12, 2011 by canis

[canis 191,101]

Some things to think about...

 

Do you consider yourself religious?

 

Do you consider yourself spiritual?

 

Do the two overlap?

 

Is there a difference between how you perceive the two?

[zenwalk 597,452]

Religion to me implies creed, catechism, rules and rulers across the knuckles, threats, people with no idea telling you how you should act because of something said in a book. Spirituality does not deny God, it views dogma with skepticism. It is more anti-clerical than anti-God.

[canis 191,101]

Religion to me implies creed, catechism, rules and rulers across the knuckles, threats, people with no idea telling you how you should act because of something said in a book. Spirituality does not deny God, it views dogma with skepticism. It is more anti-clerical than anti-God.

 

I think you have stated how many in our modern world are differentiating the two. Many years ago that wasn't the case, and spirituality and religion were almost synonymous. Nowadays, the term 'spirituality' seems to have been re-defined.

 

I hope this thread gives us some insights into this.

 

Here are a couple of blogs that I found interesting since they are coming from different perspectives.

 

The first is by Roya R. Rad, MA, PsyD.

 

How to look for genuine spirituality when your religion cannot give it to you?

 

The question is how to look for genuine spirituality when your religion cannot give it to you?

 

Through interactions and interviews with people from a wide variety of backgrounds, I have come to notice that many of them have one theme in common. Whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim or any other religious background, many people have specific spiritual questions that are similar in nature.

 

Why is it that sometimes I feel like my religion is giving me junk food for the soul? Why does my religion confuse me about God, give me a sense of mandatory optimism and encourage me to deny my truth about how I really feel? And why do I sometimes feel like these confusing messages are encouraging me to betray myself?

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/roya-r-rad-ma-psyd/how-to-look-for-genuine-s_b_995647.html

 

The second is by Lillian Daniel, Pastor.

 

Spiritual But Not Religious? Please Stop Boring Me.

 

On airplanes, I dread the conversation with the person who finds out I am a minister and wants to use the flight time to explain to me that he is "spiritual but not religious." Such a person will always share this as if it is some kind of daring insight, unique to him, bold in its rebellion against the religious status quo.

 

Next thing you know, he's telling me that he finds God in the sunsets. These people always find God in the sunsets. And in walks on the beach. Sometimes I think these people never leave the beach or the mountains, what with all the communing with God they do on hilltops, hiking trails and ... did I mention the beach at sunset yet?

 

Like people who go to church don't see God in the sunset! Like we are these monastic little hermits who never leave the church building. How lucky we are to have these geniuses inform us that God is in nature. As if we don't hear that in the psalms, the creation stories and throughout our deep tradition.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lillian-daniel/spiritual-but-not-religio_b_959216.html

[Norman 20,881,637]

Is this a renegade religion forum?

[zenwalk 597,452]

Is this a renegade religion forum?

No, you're thinking of Zealotry down the hall. The room where all the noise is coming from.

[canis 191,101]

Timeout:

 

There were two lovers, who were really into spiritualism and reincarnation. They vowed that if either died, the other one remaining would try to contact the partner in the other world exactly 30 days after their death. Unfortunately, a few weeks later, the young man died in a car wreck. True to her word, his sweetheart tried to contact him in the spirit world exactly 30 days later.

 

At the seance, she called out, "John, John, this is Martha. Do you hear me?" A ghostly voice answered her, "Yes Martha, this is John. I can hear you." Martha tearfully asked, "Oh John, what is it like where you are?" "It's beautiful. There are azure skies, a soft breeze, sunshine most of the time." "What do you do all day?" asked Martha. "Well, Martha, we get up before sunrise, eat some good breakfast, and there's nothing but making love until noon. After lunch, we nap until two and then make love again until about five. After dinner, we go at it again until we fall asleep about 11 p.m."

 

Martha was somewhat taken aback. "Is that what heaven really is like?" "Heaven? I'm not in heaven, Martha." "Well, then, where are you?" "I don't know, but I'm a rabbit."

[canis 191,101]

I think spirituality is something innate that we are born with that makes us want to understand what we are all about and how we connect with the rest of existence. You don't have to believe in God and the supernatural to be spiritual, but if you do, that's also a part of it . It's about the path we take through life and about making sense of our inner life.

 

All the different religions have been made by man. They contain rituals, rules and commandments for how to live this life and getting along in society. They also tell you what's required for salvation after death. They come close to the spirituality mentioned above, but it's questionable whether they make it or not.

[zenwalk 597,452]

Spiritual is what you are before Big Religion gets a hold of you. Everyone knows there's something afoot, an operating system if you will. Religion is the attempt to attach a storyline to it. The problem comes in when wars are started over details in the storyline.

[canis 191,101]

Spiritual is what you are before Big Religion gets a hold of you. Everyone knows there's something afoot, an operating system if you will. Religion is the attempt to attach a storyline to it. The problem comes in when wars are started over details in the storyline.

 

In spiritual circles some call that the 'inner source.' They say it's a place where the heart and mind come together.... where a person can go for emotional healing and cleansing. They also say it can be a source of inner wisdom, on an intuitive level.

[zenwalk 597,452]

Put more simply it's looking at yourself/everything minus the filter of ego.

[Olive 15,867,298]

i don't believe in religion ...at all ...yet i feel i live a very spiritual life ...

[canis 191,101]

i don't believe in religion ...at all ...yet i feel i live a very spiritual life ...

 

It's part of your inner nature.

 

Zen people, in their unique way of expressing things, say that it's part of the original face you were born with.

[zenwalk 597,452]

I think we're all the same when we're born. It's what happens after that that shapes our face. Life guru Errol Flynn said we all have the face we deserve by the time we hit 50.

[zenwalk 597,452]

i don't believe in religion ...at all ...yet i feel i live a very spiritual life ...

With the waves of the Pacific about 12 inches from your porch your spirituality comes from living on the edge.

[stagefright 10]

i don't believe in religion ...at all ...yet i feel i live a very spiritual life ...

 

Spiritual is living in the present, appreciating what is now, reality.

 

Religion is betting on there being something after this and looking toward that.

 

JMO

[canis 191,101]

Spiritual is living in the present, appreciating what is now, reality.

 

Religion is betting on there being something after this and looking toward that.

 

JMO

 

And it always carries the past with it.

 

Spirituality is uniting.

 

Religion creates dualities....... such as good and evil, god and the devil, right and wrong, heaven and hell, etc.

[zenwalk 597,452]

The Science channel did a physics show recently called What is Reality or something like that. They interviewed a handful of theoretical physicists and asked each of them to explain reality. The question stumped all of them. The problem in defining this stuff is that the universe can never be anything other than what your brain thinks it is. The Hindus and Buddhists feel life is an illusion of our own making. I think it's an interactive math project if that makes any sense, with compassion being the answer.

 

This is all you'll ever need to know about the universe.

 

http://freespace.virgin.net/sarah.peter.nelson/lazyman/lazyman.html

[georjec2 15,236]

Spiritual is what you are before Big Religion gets a hold of you. Everyone knows there's something afoot, an operating system if you will. Religion is the attempt to attach a storyline to it. The p

 

 

Bravo !!!

[canis 191,101]

The Science channel did a physics show recently called What is Reality or something like that. They interviewed a handful of theoretical physicists and asked each of them to explain reality. The question stumped all of them. The problem in defining this stuff is that the universe can never be anything other than what your brain thinks it is. The Hindus and Buddhists feel life is an illusion of our own making. I think it's an interactive math project if that makes any sense, with compassion being the answer.

 

This is all you'll ever need to know about the universe.

 

http://freespace.virgin.net/sarah.peter.nelson/lazyman/lazyman.html

 

Thanks for the link. I'm still reading. I can relate to this stuff pretty well.

[zenwalk 597,452]

Thanks for the link. I'm still reading. I can relate to this stuff pretty well.

Golas is dead now. He was an interesting guy. He was a physicist so any truths about the universe had to pass that filter. The book is more accurately a thoughtful LSD experience as his truths came to him under the influence. He was at loggerheads with the New Age movement because he was repelled at what he saw as a nirvana for sale industry. His point is that no creed or holy book is necessary to experience an epiphany which runs counter to the New Age movement's penchant for fads and marketable "systems." The book has stood the test of time and is remarkably brief. The forward and first chapter covers most everything.

[Hexexis 102,746]

Spiritual is the firm belief that something (literally) outside your ken can control events; always or only occasionally. Being religious is the organization of belief: naming the something or a deity, laws & regs.

 

Example: as described in Genesis, a tribe of people were spiritual & worshiped a single god or deity, unlike brethren elsewhere. God came by & organized their spiritually into a religion: I AM your single God; here are some commandments & laws which you should keep for your worship & obedience. Some time later, they even acquired a name; by then, tho, they were already sliding off the single God issue, which caused that single God great consternation.

[canis 191,101]

Spiritual is the firm belief that something (literally) outside your ken can control events; always or only occasionally. Being religious is the organization of belief: naming the something or a deity, laws & regs.

 

Example: as described in Genesis, a tribe of people were spiritual & worshiped a single god or deity, unlike brethren elsewhere. God came by & organized their spiritually into a religion: I AM your single God; here are some commandments & laws which you should keep for your worship & obedience. Some time later, they even acquired a name; by then, tho, they were already sliding off the single God issue, which caused that single God great consternation.

 

Was God an accountant..... keeping track of each and every single one of them?

[Hexexis 102,746]

Was God an accountant..... keeping track of each and every single one of them?

Not an accountant, but He did demand a census; to see how many were eligible to go off to war. But, as we know from most "management" personnel, He did play favorites: Aaron's admonished for fashioning the Golden Calf, but he still gets to be Padre Uno.

[canis 191,101]

Spiritual is the firm belief that something (literally) outside your ken can control events; always or only occasionally. Being religious is the organization of belief: naming the something or a deity, laws & regs.

 

Example: as described in Genesis, a tribe of people were spiritual & worshiped a single god or deity, unlike brethren elsewhere. God came by & organized their spiritually into a religion: I AM your single God; here are some commandments & laws which you should keep for your worship & obedience. Some time later, they even acquired a name; by then, tho, they were already sliding off the single God issue, which caused that single God great consternation.

Hex, what about people that do not have a firm belief that something out there controls events in life, that do not believe in a deity? Do you think that they can be spiritual?  Let's say they go out at night and look at the sky and their surroundings and get a deep sense of awe from it all and begin to wonder about their own existence and their place in the universe (without any reference to a deity)?  Would you consider that being spiritual?