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Religion vs Spirituality
- Thread starter dgirl1986
- Start date
John Martin
Active Member
Religion is generally understood as an external relationship with God, with some beliefs and external rituals. Spirituality is seen as inner experience of God. We need to extend the concept of religion to RELIGION. RELIGION means to RE- LEGARE- to reconnect us with God. RELIGION embraces both religion and spirituality. While many people are satisfied with religion, external worship of God, some long for deep personal experience of God, spirituality. We need to grow from Religion to Spirituality. RELIGION embraces both.
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I think spirituality is more personal, more private, less institutionalized and so on. While not mutually exclusive I tend to see most people are either one or the other when it comes to religious v spirituality. However, if I have to pick one of greater importance I might surprisingly pick religion over all. Spirituality is important assuming there's some spiritual truth out there, but I can't make such an assumption. It seems to me that without institutionalized religions with their promises rewards and such are highly needed, otherwise things would just go all to hell (hehe pun). Too often I see that many good, moral religious people seem to turn around saying things like "how can atheists have morals". Honestly I find it rather scary. Not many humans can function when faced with meaninglessness, moral nihilism, etc so at this point in human history religion is importantl.
Sha'irullah
رسول الآلهة
Knowing god is more important. To know god does not mean to extract words from a book. You must reason the existence and attributes of him.
Spirituality is essentially defined by modern interpretations as the belief in god without dogma. While religion is adherence to a organized faith.
Religion and spirituality are now meshing though because we have come to understand that a true religion is the one you keep a secret to yourself.
I am a contradiction of sorts as I consider myself an Islamic Deist although lately I reversed it for peculiar reasons.
Deism is the usage of reason to achieve knowledge of god and reject dogma and the superstitions that form them. I look upon all religion in the Deistic outlook meaning I do not belief in prophecy or Divine Revelation. I believe all dogma is the combination of lore and theological pondering. I call this Divine Speculation as prophets were all merely just ponderers about the nature of god and came to the conclusion through cultural influence and usage of previous existing religions. Most religions came into strict fundamentalist dogma through the use of governing as religion has done this in all cultures to a lesser or greater extent.
I Take notice of my signature, it is a quote from Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. One of the most inspiring truths he wrote was
"A close scrutiny of the Vedas as well as the Muslim Quran, the Christian Bible and the Jewish Old Testament and the Book of Moses makes it clear that the so-called divinely written or sent religious scriptures are man-made. No doubt, these scriptures have unprecedented historical and literary value. It is also admissible that these scriptures are a treasure house of words, worthy of respect and deep study…But they are not literally true. Several stories (in them) are purely imaginary! What does not stand the test of scientific reason ought to be verily discarded even if it appears in the Vedas, Avesta, Qur'an, Bible, Book of Moses and the like. It is not true that an age of yore is necessarily an age of truth! It is incorrect to think that everything that is ancient is necessarily sacred and worthy of worship."
Scriptural literalism is impossible and should not be continued. You can easily draw inspiration from holy texts and still maintain your own conclusions about god. I promise you will become more enlightened.
Spirituality is essentially defined by modern interpretations as the belief in god without dogma. While religion is adherence to a organized faith.
Religion and spirituality are now meshing though because we have come to understand that a true religion is the one you keep a secret to yourself.
I am a contradiction of sorts as I consider myself an Islamic Deist although lately I reversed it for peculiar reasons.
Deism is the usage of reason to achieve knowledge of god and reject dogma and the superstitions that form them. I look upon all religion in the Deistic outlook meaning I do not belief in prophecy or Divine Revelation. I believe all dogma is the combination of lore and theological pondering. I call this Divine Speculation as prophets were all merely just ponderers about the nature of god and came to the conclusion through cultural influence and usage of previous existing religions. Most religions came into strict fundamentalist dogma through the use of governing as religion has done this in all cultures to a lesser or greater extent.
I Take notice of my signature, it is a quote from Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. One of the most inspiring truths he wrote was
"A close scrutiny of the Vedas as well as the Muslim Quran, the Christian Bible and the Jewish Old Testament and the Book of Moses makes it clear that the so-called divinely written or sent religious scriptures are man-made. No doubt, these scriptures have unprecedented historical and literary value. It is also admissible that these scriptures are a treasure house of words, worthy of respect and deep study…But they are not literally true. Several stories (in them) are purely imaginary! What does not stand the test of scientific reason ought to be verily discarded even if it appears in the Vedas, Avesta, Qur'an, Bible, Book of Moses and the like. It is not true that an age of yore is necessarily an age of truth! It is incorrect to think that everything that is ancient is necessarily sacred and worthy of worship."
Scriptural literalism is impossible and should not be continued. You can easily draw inspiration from holy texts and still maintain your own conclusions about god. I promise you will become more enlightened.
Father Heathen
Veteran Member
Religion is the arbitrary rules, structure, hierarchy, etc.
Spirituality is a deep emotional connection with nature, the universe, humanity, etc. Experiencing awe and wonderment, etc.
Of the two, spirituality is the one with meaningful value.
sojourner
Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Religion is nothing more or less than a framework for fostering a connection with the Divine in the context of human cultural expression. Spirituality is the interior work in pursuit of developing an awareness of the Divine and formulating appropriate responses to that awareness. Religion provides a vehicle for those responses.
Gjallarhorn
N'yog-Sothep
Spirituality is puppies and rainbows and inner light and poetry.
Religion is death and sadness and funny languages and bigotry.
:no:
In general, spirituality is a feeling and religion is an attempt to formalize steps to that feeling. You can certainly have one without the other, but they're meant to work together.
Spirituality is more important, as religion is simply a means to its end.
collectivedementia
home-base umpire
Religion is the big-brother type who seems to want to run your life their way.....
Spirituality is the love of Jesus Christ.....
Yes,you can have and know Jesus without the constraints of an overbearing organization.....
God, Christ and the Holy Spirit are infinately more important.
Remember, Jesus came here to reprove and redirect the religious heretics of that era.
Personally, I do not recognize a difference between the two. Folks distinguishing between them at all is a fairly modern invention, and a response to problems that exist only within certain religions. Religions that aren't mine. Therefore, I reject the dichotomy. For that and other reasons that I'm too lazy to elaborate on right now. >_>
John Martin
Active Member
Scriptural literalism is impossible and should not be continued. You can easily draw inspiration from holy texts and still maintain your own conclusions about god. I promise you will become more enlightened.
Dear SA, very brave statement. I appreciate very much.
Sha'irullah
رسول الآلهة
Wait, if I made a brave statement then that means a normal guy should be scared?! :run:
John Martin
Active Member
Yes. It is scaring for those who consider their scripture is absolute.
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Sha'irullah
رسول الآلهة
I guess it is bizarre for a person to cling to a scripture despite acknowledging it is not an infallible perfect one. But in this world how can one seriously expect to obtain infallacy from a fallible creature(man). It is idiotic to think otherwise.
John Martin
Active Member
Scriptures have different levels of meanings. As we grow in our understanding of God, ourselves and others scriptures also grow. Scriptures always point beyond themselves. They are like a finger pointing to the moon They are only means and not an end. The difficulty comes only when people make them an end. Instead of going to the destiny that the finger points, they hold on to the finger. Then scriptures become an obstacle.
Even though human beings are fallible creatures they are gifted with the seed of infallibility or God within them. This seed of God can grow into God, provided it is not stifled on the way. This is the hope for the humanity.
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Sha'irullah
رسول الآلهة
Primary issue is that I do not believe god guided any man to write his commandments down because it would only create strife. Which it has
Thief
Rogue Theologian
So making contact with your creation would be restricted?
A Creator not allowed to 'touch' His creation?
And without some intervention....would we not be that species made on Day Six?
And would we not overrun the planet by our numbers before the spiritual aspects begin to gel?
Sha'irullah
رسول الآلهة
Restricted? Who said god abides by laws. God is a perfect being so why would he require to intervene? It is a hypocritical statement. A perfect god creates something imperfect which needs to be fixed.
Mankind was not created in 6 days I can assure you of that. Multiply that by a couple billion perhaps.
Religion is the school, spirituality is learning. Of course, you can learn without going to school, and you can go to school and not learn a thing, or the school may simply be a place to warehouse people which prevents people from learning. Ideally, the school is full of good teachers and eager students, with a good curriculum. But alas, in theory, there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice, there is.
