Do you think there is a difference between Religion and Spirituality?

I am not an expert on this and I won't pretend that I know the answer. I will simply tell you how I feel about it. Spirituality is something you are born with. Just like a true artist is born an artist. You don't go to school to learn to be an artist. Those who do go to school are already artistic and were drawing and painting during their childhood. Religion only teach you to worship God. It does not teach you spirituality. Non religious people are far more spiritual than religious people. Spirituality is about searching for impossible answers. Searching for the meaning of life... searching for the reason of the Universe...etc... While you are searching... you are discovering... questionning... and are very impressed with the immensity of the task... That's spirituality. There is nothing spiritual in accepting that God created everything. That is just far too simple. There is no challenge into that. You are just worshipping a God. You are not even allowed to question him or his motives. Spirituality is about using your brain and thinking for yourself.

Hi Coralie! In the past, I thought of "religion" as being organized into groups who follow a certain doctrine or dogma, whether it be ancient or modern, which was originally set by someone calling themselves a prophet or having a direct link of some sort to their God. A hierarchy of some sort is always used and those at the top of this hierarchy claim to be able to interpret their chosen doctrine and then teach their interpretation to their followers as the absolute and only truth and no deviation is permitted. This is not true for all of course. The spirituality aspect is so incredibly broad that I could write non-stop for the next several weeks and not scratch the surface! So I don't think I'll even try. My definition has little to do with the dictionary's definition, but here's my personal interpretation and relationship with the concept in a nutshell. To me it's finding your path in this world by finding your own spirit, fire, will, lifeforce, whatever you chose to call it, within yourself and how you relate it to the universe around you. This is where you make your choice to be moral or immoral, good or evil, peaceful or hateful. Religion has nothing to do with it, it is a choice of free will. I do agree with your observations about the differences between people who call themselves religious and those who call themselves spiritual. So many seek religion to find a way to relate to or make a personal connection to their chosen diety and in the process lose themselves. They get so wrapped up in ritual and dogma that the focus is no longer on the diety and what that diety is supposed to represent, but fear. The religion strips them of their own spirituality because it is forbidden to question or challenge without fear of punishment from the deity or excommunication from the congregation. Religion controls by fear and fear always breaks the spirit. I think that is why the "holier than thou's" tend to be so rude, overbearing and disrespectful. They are so controlled by fear that they know no other way to treat those who don't believe exactly as they do but to try to influence by threatening with all sorts of horrific punishments. On the other hand the people who still believe in free will and find their own spirituality are the ones who seem to be the peacemakers and still respect other's right to their personal beliefs even if they don't agree with them. For those who find a deity they can believe in and yet keep their own spirituality, kudos to them. It's a balance that's hard to find. Personally it's taken me oh so many years to find my path but worth every minute of it. I will continue to obtain as much knowledge as I can and if my path changes a bit, that's ok. I expect it to change and grow as I do. I think spirituality should be a lifelong pursuit.

I definately believe that religion and spirituality are two different things. I am not really religious. I do not go to church and I don't follow a dogma. I do consider myself spiritual though as I see the beauty in all things... I feel that any place can be "holy" or whatever word is better for it. You know like I can be outside somewhere in the mountains in a garden, etc and I just feel at peace.

I for one think spiritual people are more good hearted. I have seen to much stuff going on in churches or really big on church poeple do so many worng things in my eyes that I stopped going. To me I think I am spiritual. FOr I like getting along with every one I can and I also feel like I can see things and interput them on my own, Just looking at the animals and sky and things that grows are a wonder to me and I like to watch them.Something had to create these things but I dont beleive in Bible thumpers . for after all the bible was wrote by men oh they may have had visions of what to write , but it is still a history of man.I like to read about that visionarys ( oh why can I call there names ) ok Nastradomus and ( darn) the feler that would sleep and tell what he seen like aroras around poeple andtell the future like it has turn out to be. Blessings

you have an interesting perspective, Perspective. i think that there is a difference between religion and spirituality. i think i read somewhere that religion is culturally based. i believe so too. we are usually born into a certain religion because our parents have the same religion or our country has that common religion. spirituality has something to do with your connection to a higher being. it's faith and passion about something. it doesn't have to be labeled as what not. one can be very spiritual and yet do not have a religion. i think that religion and spirituality are not one and the same but they share a lot of similarities. this is indeed a very interesting discussion!

I think religion is what you HAVE...that is what one was raised up as and in and is usually associated with as you say a church/creed dogma, affiliation, etc...and you're right, people who follow there religion aren't always spiritual...but that's not necessarily the case...Look at someone like Mother Teresa...she was affiliated with a church and strict dogmas of her religion, but I can't think of anyone who didn't deserve more the label of spiritual than she, aside from maybe Gandhi--they were both religious and spiritual. All religious dogmas are beautiful in concepts...each and everyone of them....Its unfortunate how mankind will often translate the religions to suit their purposes to tame the masses..More wars have been created by religion since many will have the "I'm better than you" concept --so sad when you think of it, cause maybe one day people will wake up to understand that all religions really ARE basically the same...that is a belief in a supreme or divine creator(s)---only with a different label On the other flip of the coin are people who are spiritual but don't necessarily follow a strict religion--or at least they may follow a "religion" or way of life that is different from the expected "norm"--and I'm thinking here in terms of my own beliefs of wiccan/pagan--Yes we do have in a sense "rules" too to follow by---but we're not confined to a belief that our religious beliefs are better...at least I hope not!! Since ours is a nature based religion we have a great respect for all life and living things--and I would like to think that we give respect to those who are of different more orthodox religions rather than condemn them..which unfortunately hasn't been the case in the opposite--as you say .."condemned to hell by some "believers" because they do not follow a certain religion.."

As another owl, it seems natural that I should find myself very much in accord with what you say. I think that, to understand the difference between religion and spirituality at all, one has to have had an experience of spirituality. I would like to think that everyone will eventually have some kind of spiritual experience in their lives. That can equally apply to atheists, I would suggest, as to those who believe in a non-human spiritual entity or entities. I happen never to have been a totally convinced atheist, so it is not possible for me to say for sure what kind of spiritual experience an atheist might have but I still believe it possible. It may be that those who do not see a difference between religion and spirituality have not yet found the point where the two divide. I think that all religions (or all that are worthy of the name) are based on and grow out of spirituality. I would posit that religion developed for two reasons. The first was to organise and contain people's fear of the unpredictable and to attempt to find a pattern in or a reason for things over which humans appear to have no control. The second was the social and ultimately political power it gave to control a community. Perhaps that is, after all, a natural concomitant of communal worship with or without a priesthood. It's a big and dangerous topic to embark on but the main reasons for the existence of religion are (1) an individual's need to feel part of a community united in giving a meaning to and combating the unpredictable nature of life and (2) the obvious advantage it gives to leaders of a community in organising, controlling and policing the community. [Note: I use the word 'policing' with emphasis on its sense of imposing or ratifying a policy or enforcing a set of rules or morals.] That is, perhaps, a somewhat cynical view of religion which might be inclined to have atheists nodding in agreement. It is only part of the picture, however, because what sets a religion apart from any other system of science and morality is its recognition of spirituality. Anyone who has had a spiritual experience will know that it can be incredibly scary. Something happens to us inside, which either seems to have no relation to the physical world in which we have grown up or it changes our perception of it radically, and that experience often urgently needs some explanation and assurance that we are not alone in having it. Religion can be thought of as an organisation set up by those who have already had a spiritual experience both to guide those who need the assurance mentioned and to lead people to have such an experience by teaching the wisdom (perhaps, 'collection of universal truths') that comes from it. So religion has a valid social function and, arguably, could not have existed without spirituality but spirituality is an individual’s response to an experience of something other than the physical world of the five senses. It may derive from and gain confidence from adherence to a religion but, since it is individual and not corporate or rather, communal, it does not, of itself, require an involvement with organised religion.

You are right, this is a complicated subject. I agree with a lot of what people have said here. To me, being religious is the practice of worshiping and belonging to a group with people who have like-minded beliefs. Of course, belonging to a crowd can change behavior and attitudes and sometimes there is a mob mentality involved. Being spiritual is taking beliefs into ones heart and mostly following one's own path to enlightenment instead of a group. It can also include worshiping in one's own way.

Funny how the world tries to text speak its way into oblivion and then we begin to talk about the varies words used to describe our human conditions. True that we each have a perspective and come at things from that place. What words we use can indeed define us and begin or end relationships. Sure will be neat in the end to see where each of end up and think about all the choices we have made. That will be the time to understand what all this is for that we are going through. My contribution is all the thing done in the name of religion. Not always good ones.

Religion and spirituality have a thin connection regarding certain kind of elements, such as; faith, god etc. At the same time both have different roots and different goals! Religion aims to get a systematic processes and rituals in society with certain kind of morals and social responsibilities and asks the followers to obey all such! Religious leaders and people always believed that their religion is the best to follow and it has the cream of humanity! Though it is mostly part of politics of the time and certain eras! Spirituality b ased on inner things and one's own basic need to search for real meaning of existence! There are spiritual masters, Gurus and groups lead by real spiritual person with authenticity. So many time they are misinterpreted and religious leaders or religion itself has oposed such spiritual person or its spreading! Even the person bewcome spiritual after getting and following the religion, but then gone totaly for spiritual existence the same religion people have oposed that spiritual person! Well there are so many facts and figures, but we are just concerned about spirituality now because it has some thing more to give and more freedom as well as various kind of things to explore and share without any supressive processes! It is only demending your own inner realization to follow the path with faith and complete understanding! I think this is enough for the purpose, right?

There is chance of mixing up together,so religion has nothing to do with spirituality.They may be mere sign boards.

Religion and spirituality are different.Spirituality is a broader look at all things in the universe without pressumption or prenotion.Religion is a dogamtic system of faiths and beliefs in which u are required to "just believe" or divin punishment will bestow upon you.Spirituality allows us to question with our own eyes and hearts the limitless explanations of the Divine and to explore the endless realms and see for ourselves the true meaning of the universe

Well, I already explained my idea above. This is just a reward so that you get your alert... And I wanted to say thank you for another wonderful discussion! I am a bit out of inspiration this days... and it is nice to find it from others :)

I basically agree with your perspective. I have seen some people who claimed to be super-religious who led very ungodly lives. And I've seen people who hardly knew anything about religion, but were very spiritually minded. Religion seems to imply following a certain set of mandates for a denomination or particular church or religious leader. Spirituality to me indicates a relationship closer to what God has envisioned for the world. There are some "religious" people I don't like being around, and there are nonreligious people I am proud to count as my friends. The nonreligious seem to be more spiritual. This does not, of course, apply to all people. But I think for some, church gets in the way of their spirituality.

There is clearly a difference between religion and spirituality. Religion is an organized system of beliefs practiced by multiple persons. It has rites and tradtions, etc. Spirituality is a state of being, with or without religion. A person can't BE religion. Religion is "practiced". A person can, and is, spiritual. I have known many "religious" people who have very little spirituality about them. They are all about the rites and forms of worship but lack the "breath" [spirit] of worship.

I definitely believe true spiritualism is above and beyond the bounderies of any sectarian or organized religion. I agree that I've met many "religious" people who have no comprehension of true spiritualism. I believe that the word "spiritualism" is used too freely and without real understanding what it really is. I couldn't possibly put it better than you have, as far as your description of non-religious people as being true "spiritualists." A true spiritual person would reflect the quality of a Divine God, as they would possess real humility, and tolerance and love for all living beings, they would be detached, and equal, they would see the Divine in all living things, and behind everything. I'm totally mystified by some of these "religious" people who are so judgemental, and angry, and narrowminded, with no humility whatsoever, who are judgemental and self-righteous...how can they possibly think for a second that Jesus was like that. Thank you for your very wise and insightful post, you put in words so nicely what I feel so much.

Oh, I think there's definitely a difference. It had me confused for a long time as a kid. How could the religious people I saw in church turn around and be so mean outside of church. I concluded it was the church's fault. Now I understand that these people were religious but not spiritual. I still beleive in the power of combined energies united in prayer, and the uplifting effect it can have on people. But, so many are hung up on the rituals alone that I am reluctant to go to a church building. My church is the Earth now. So many religions seem to limit God to a specific set of behaviors that are acceptable. Seems a little arrogant to me! The Spirit of God is so far beyond us that trying to pin it down, as many religions try to do, seems like a waste of time and energy.

I'm going to go ahead and answer your initial question before reading the rest of your introduction. I may have to come back and add more after I read the rest of what you had to say. I just had the answer as soon as I read your first sentence and I gotta type it before I get sidetracked with the other stuff. Make sense? Yes, I absolutely, think there is a difference between Religion and Spirituality. To me Religion means organized religion. It means going to church. It means following the rules of a particular church or religion, such as Catholic (the religion I was taught) Christianity, Judaism, Moslem, whatever. It is something that is taught to you by a group of people who have put their twist on things that they have read and learned from others. Spirituality, in my opinion is something that you "feel". I think it is reached by self motivation. People who are spiritual are self motivated. They are compelled to learn about a particular religion or belief. Most people that I think of as "spiritual" don't subscribe to one particular religion, but come to their beliefs through their own self directed learning. I think they take many of their beliefs from a variety of different religions.