Spirituality and Identity

[Unveiled Artist]

Is your religion (spirituality, practice, and/or faith) a part of your identity?

Having one's religion apart from one's identity isn't a drawback in itself. It could be seen as a step towards identifying with one's spirituality, religion, practice, or faith rather than alien from it. That, or it can help those spiritual practices who separate material and spiritual outlook a way to focus on one's spiritual side without being mixed up with ego/materialism, and things of that nature. Separation can be beneficial and it can have drawbacks.

Nonetheless, in this interfaith thread, does your religion (SPFEtc) a part of your identity?

 

[VoidCat]

Yes. It is part of me.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Is your religion (spirituality, practice, and/or faith) a part of your identity?

Having one's religion apart from one's identity isn't a drawback in itself. It could be seen as a step towards identifying with one's spirituality, religion, practice, or faith rather than alien from it. That, or it can help those spiritual practices who separate material and spiritual outlook a way to focus on one's spiritual side without being mixed up with ego/materialism, and things of that nature. Separation can be beneficial and it can have drawbacks.

Nonetheless, in this interfaith thread, does your religion (SPFEtc) a part of your identity?

When ego has been left (selfless person) there is no identity left to identify as then the person simply is. Then materalistic does not affect the person, and the Spiritual part of the person has taken fully over. (in my understanding this is of course)

 

[JustGeorge]

I don't know. I don't really know what my identity is... to one person, I am 'this' person, to another I am 'that' person. To a group of religious people(like her on RF), my religion will probably be part of my identity for most. However, when I go in to the local aquarium store, no one there knows my religious status, and they identify me by the tanks I keep.

 

[PureX]

I don't really know how to answer this question, as I give very little thought to my "identity" at all. I'm not sure what that is. I mean I would assume that my "identity" is something that exists in the minds of others, as they perceive me. Not something that exists in my own mind as a perception of myself. I don't really have a perception of myself. I just am what I am.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Sure, culturally, I suppose. But my primary identity as a human being is as a beloved child of God created in His image, which goes beyond sectarian labels.

 

[Rival]

Yes.

 

[Secret Chief]

I see no separation.

 

[sun rise]

I need to do my best to act on my beliefs.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I don't know. I don't really know what my identity is... to one person, I am 'this' person, to another I am 'that' person. To a group of religious people(like her on RF), my religion will probably be part of my identity for most. However, when I go in to the local aquarium store, no one there knows my religious status, and they identify me by the tanks I keep.

Do you define your identity (or would) by what other people define you as, or do you/could you have an identity not dependent on other people's views?

For example, if you see yourself as a family oriented person, are you that way because of who you are or who people say you are?

 

[JustGeorge]

Do you define your identity (or would) by what other people define you as, or do you/could you have an identity not dependent on other people's views?

For example, if you see yourself as a family oriented person, are you that way because of who you are or who people say you are?

I struggle with the idea of my own identity as defined by myself. Its too fluid. If anything, I could identify with some habits I hold, but those change, too.

Its hard to use what other people say, because people can say completely opposite things. So I just don't worry about it much.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I don't really know how to answer this question, as I give very little thought to my "identity" at all. I'm not sure what that is. I mean I would assume that my "identity" is something that exists in the minds of others, as they perceive me. Not something that exists in my own mind as a perception of myself. I don't really have a perception of myself. I just am what I am.

Hmm. I always thought everyone has some perception of themselves.

 

[The Hammer]

Is your religion (spirituality, practice, and/or faith) a part of your identity?

Does a bear **** in the woods?

Absolutely.

But this does not mean that my Spirituality and Practices are always on display and visible to others.

My Religious views color a lot of the way I see (and interact with) the world, so there is really no way that it couldn't be a part of my identity.

Edit

 

[Unveiled Artist]

When ego has been left (selfless person) there is no identity left to identify as then the person simply is. Then materalistic does not affect the person, and the Spiritual part of the person has taken fully over. (in my understanding this is of course)

I'ma challenge you a bit, but not to debate... just curious.

If you don't have an identity, how are you a Muslim Sufi?

 

[Spirit of Light]

I'ma challenge you a bit, but not to debate... just curious.

If you don't have an identity, how are you a Muslim Sufi?

Because i still have some form of an ego(self) that i yet have been able to fully let go of, the word Sufi or muslim is what i can describe what teaching i study to get closer to Allah.
And in a forum like RF it is very unnaturally to not use the word I as an example. if "I" stopped using the word I when trying to explain something, it would not work here.

 

[Windwalker]

Is your religion (spirituality, practice, and/or faith) a part of your identity?

This is tricky question to navigate. What is my identity? Who I feel myself to be as a person? Then yes, spirituality most certainly helps shape and inform all of that.

But if you mean it in the sense of part of an egoic self-identification, spirituality can become co-opted by the ego that way. It is that sneaky near-enemy of spirituality, where you present yourself or see yourself as a "spiritual person", like a badge you wear and identify with. So instead of simply just being spiritual as who you are, it becomes something that you identify with as the ego.

This is why sometimes I feel it's better not to label yourself too much as one thing. Identifying yourself with something, is different than just being that thing. And if you call yourself that thing, wear it as a label, the focus is on how you appear as that thing, rather than being what and who you really are.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Identity is more who are to yourself and to others (or god or...) through your actions, morals, and ideals. They are independent of what others think of you and your external perspectives of how you see or define yourself-your ego.

Identity is the "distinguishing character or personality of an individual : individuality."

Ego is more what you label yourself (and others to you) based on your/their opinions about you and of others that you assume reflects/defines who you are (I am a smart person. I am a dumb person.)

Ego is "the self especially as contrasted with another self or the world.)

So, your identity may be the act and lifestyle of serving god (that makes up your role of life) and your ego may be I am a child of god/I am a christian that labels that role)

Some say they (label themselves) christian because they serve god
Other say who they are is defined by their service to god (which so happens to be christian)

--

Your identity (who you are-your soul) is absent of external perceptions and definitions of yourself (your ego).

Labels are only a problem when you use it to define your identity and not your ego.

 

[stvdv]

Is your religion (spirituality, practice, and/or faith) a part of your identity?

Having one's religion apart from one's identity isn't a drawback in itself. It could be seen as a step towards identifying with one's spirituality, religion, practice, or faith rather than alien from it. That, or it can help those spiritual practices who separate material and spiritual outlook a way to focus on one's spiritual side without being mixed up with ego/materialism, and things of that nature. Separation can be beneficial and it can have drawbacks.

Nonetheless, in this interfaith thread, does your religion (SPFEtc) a part of your identity?

I am a Spiritual Being, so my Spiritual Practice is my Life, hence my identity

 

[Vinayaka]

Is your religion (spirituality, practice, and/or faith) a part of your identity?

Having one's religion apart from one's identity isn't a drawback in itself. It could be seen as a step towards identifying with one's spirituality, religion, practice, or faith rather than alien from it. That, or it can help those spiritual practices who separate material and spiritual outlook a way to focus on one's spiritual side without being mixed up with ego/materialism, and things of that nature. Separation can be beneficial and it can have drawbacks.

Nonetheless, in this interfaith thread, does your religion (SPFEtc) a part of your identity?

Depends on context I'm in. Generally no, like at school when I worked. I kept private and public very separate. But on a discussion forum like this, it's part of my identity sure.

 

[ajay0]

Is your religion (spirituality, practice, and/or faith) a part of your identity?

Having one's religion apart from one's identity isn't a drawback in itself. It could be seen as a step towards identifying with one's spirituality, religion, practice, or faith rather than alien from it. That, or it can help those spiritual practices who separate material and spiritual outlook a way to focus on one's spiritual side without being mixed up with ego/materialism, and things of that nature. Separation can be beneficial and it can have drawbacks.

Nonetheless, in this interfaith thread, does your religion (SPFEtc) a part of your identity?

Religion like race, nationality, gender, sexuality can be part of one's identity to function properly in society. However blind identification with them is destructive as it creates prejudice in one's mind. Prejudice arises essentially because we are overly identified with something.

So it is true that religion is part of one's identities, but the focus of spirituality is to be beyond all one's identities due to their destructive nature.


As long as you experience yourself as a limited entity, you are bound to feel threatened. Sadhguru

Every social group is built on identifications. The basis of spiritual process is to learn to live without an identity. Sadhguru