Religion and Spirituality

[Coxhere]

What do you think might be a difference between religion and spirituality? Or do you think they are the same thing?

 

[Kitsuna]

As a Christian (United Methodist specifically), I consider them separate. Religion is organized, but you can practice spirituality within one. Spirituality can be anything.

 

[Outdated]

I'm not religious and I never understood the term Spirituality. I've heard people describe me as being very grounded, not sure I understand that comment either.

 

[717]

I see religion like an organized system that requires the believe on a God... you pretty much do what the God says...

If there is not God, but there is still a system, I consider that magic.

Spirituality does not have a God or a system... the person pretty much just follow what feels right, might pic and chose from different systems and pretty much made up their own stuff.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

What do you think might be a difference between religion and spirituality? Or do you think they are the same thing?

Very different... but there can be some overlap, like a Venn diagram.

Religion, more or less, is about prophets, divinity, scripture, worship practices, etc.

Spirituality, more or less, is a state of consciousness. Awareness of "something else" beyond the physical world, perhaps an unseen dimension(s) outside our very limited human sensory experience. There is often an awareness and respect of consciousness in non-human life... animals, fish, birds, plants, fungi, etc... for "Mother Earth".

Some religious people are quite spiritual. Some atheists are quite spiritual.

 

[TBRS1]

It seems to me that spiritual feelings come first, then humans codify those feelings into a religion.

Or they don't codify it, and live with the spiritual feelings without the addition of a religion.

Or, I suppose, sometimes a codified religion can be created without first having spiritual feelings, in which case the "religion" would be a secular construction without actual spirituality.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Or, I suppose, sometimes a codified religion can be created without first having spiritual feelings, in which case the "religion" would be a secular construction without actual spirituality.

Agree, a co-worker of mine and I were having a conversation about this. He was very much into his religion... even had an internet blog... was a Christian youth leader. However, a few years ago, he had a bit of an epiphany of sorts, and realized he was simply "going through the motions" and despite being immersed in his religion, realized he and many others were of the same mind. Their critical thinking and self-questioning had come to the conclusion that in some cases, they may have been living a lie. I am not at all a religious person, but it was difficult for me to listen to this conversation and not feel a bit sad for him... he almost seemed a bit bitter. I just wanted him to know that he can still be a good and kind soul, that he can still be spiritual and be aware of what consciousness is, that there can still be "something else" out there beyond that of the physical world.

When I brought up the Telepathy Tapes and how many of our non-verbal, apraxic, autistic brothers and sisters were not only able to share a consciousness, but in many cases, able to access that another dimension of consciousness that allowed them to communicate with others who have passed on, out of the physical world...relatives they never knew that their parents did. It may seem that there is another dimension outside of our human sensory experience that may explain what religions might call "Heaven" or "Valhalla"...but it appears to be another dimension where "unembodied" consciousness resides... or what some religions might call "spirits" or "souls".

At any rate, unless you have listened and viewed the videos of these individuals... at first, it seems a bit "out there"...until it is witnessed, tested, repeatedly, over and over, by multiple individuals...with 97-100% accuracy. FYI, 30% accuracy is considered statistically "extraordinary" during testing... trillions:1 of that happening by chance. 100%...multiple individuals?! Most of us have been immersed in the materialistic paradigm of the physical world and that science can explain everything... I am one of them. However, all of that may be true... for the physical world. All I am suggesting is that many of us have been blinded our entire lives from the non-physical world... and no wonder. Keep in mind, our limited, primitive human sensory system is typically only able to perceive the tiniest fraction of the spectrum of light (only 0.0035%), sound (20-20,000Hz), and other forms of energy. As humans in the physical world, our sense of "reality" is extremely tiny compared to the whole spectrum of what is really out there. In other words, what we perceive, all the physical world science that is available to the human experience, is relatively nothing. Humbling. If one has the Huberus to think they know and understand anything... think again. Humans are incapable... too many limitations built into our physical design. The quantum world is another example that more or less defies many aspects of the materialistic paradigm and our "reality" and science of the physical world.

Perhaps, like a Venn diagram, there is the quantum realm, the physical realm, and the consciousness realm... all intersecting, but independent from each other. As human beings, we are only capable of experiencing less than 0.01% of "reality". Again... humbling.

I guess what I am trying to suggest is that religions make their attempts at describing these other dimensions in their own ways... and that it appears you do not have to saddle yourself with a religion to be spiritual and to have access. We all can project love and unity... and it has nothing to do with any religion. For those religions who have punishments for being "non-believers"... well, that alone is enough to suggest to me that if one has to be coerced or "brainwashed" into believing and practicing that religion... it might be corrupt.

 

[Rachie]

Hi Coxhere- I think that everyone should have spirituality.

I looked at this topic and came up with this-

I saw this description for the Church of England and I agree with it-

In the Church of England, spirituality is the personal, internal experience of faith, like a deep connection to God and the transcendent, while religion is the organized, communal structure of shared beliefs, rituals, and practices. Spirituality can exist without religion and it can exist within religion, but within the Church of England, the two are deeply interconnected, with communal practices like worship and sacraments fostering and expressing individual spiritual growth.

So, someone may not attend church do any rituals but have the faith in their heart and could still say prayers.

I see religious practice as being more about the ritual of the faith. So for Christianity for say- it is using incense in the church, lighting candles in church, sweet Holy songs during worshipping the Eucharist- Exposition of Eucharist. It could also include Ash Wednesday and standing to Praise God when saying a prayer.

Spirituality is about things of the true spirit like love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. It is doing things that encourage these. The Spirit also gives you motivation. They do not like untruths and evil behaviour in humans. It is about things that are not worldly but spiritual and about a true relationship with the spirit that gives you a deeper relationship with your faith to support you. With my faith this is done through the Holy Spirit.

At core-
Our spirit can be described in many ways across different cultures. It can be recognised as the deepest part of ourselves – the part that gives us direction and motivation. It enables us to survive difficult times, to be strong, and to be ourselves.

Spirituality makes us who we are. It is our ability to reflect about our beliefs. It is being able to inform our perspective on life and our interest in and respect for different people’s faiths, feelings and values.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Religion is the practice of organized faith, philosophy, and belief.

Spirituality is the practice of personal philosophy.

Faith is a hope for good in that which was promised, that has not yet come to fruition.

My grandmother said that religion is whatever gets a person through the night. And that it's personal.

 

[Dagan]

My opinion: I feel that spirituality should be an individual choice and only ever an individual journey. Group spirituality is too easily or often taken advantage of.

I have to explain the psychology of it to make it clearer: When it's a group trying to breakdown a new member to partake in their spiritual acceptance, it too often becomes about letting one's self become possessed by said spirit (because that supposedly awakens / enlightens your own). That mindset of grooming a person to allow being "entered" and....the more and more it happens....the more said person is supposed to relinquish control.....that's dead set the same method used for grooming people into sexual abuse. Not cool. Not cool at all. This is factual, too. It's not up for debate. If anyone wants to argue with it, the many cases on file / record of clergy, pastors, etc. doing such things will set you straight. The information from interviews of victims and assailants tell how / why they thought it was all okay....and where they read it....and/or that their deity wished it of them.

 

[Coxhere]

What do you think might be a difference between religion and spirituality? Or do you think they are the same thing?

I've not thought about it much anymore nor in a very long time, but I think that religion does its best job when it encourages and focuses upon having the membership turn inward to find personal and individual truth within. Jesus was to have said, "The Kingdom of God is within you." When religion turns the membership inward, it links itself to spirituality. Religious dogma and liturgy turned inward to the Kingdom within one's person is what religion should be doing.

 

[AprilR]

To me, spirituality is more about the metaphysical in general, while religion is a belief system and rules that also organize day to day life