"I'm spiritual, not religious"

It used to really drive me crazy when people said: "I'm spiritual, not religious." I don't really know why, but I found it silly. Sort of like: "It is what it is!"

Anyway. How do you feel about spirituality vs. religion? Do any of you consider yourselves spiritual, but not religious? How about religious, but not particularly spiritual? How about neither? Both?

Spiritual is an ambiguous word, so let us know what it means to you before telling us which one you identify with.

I had both influences in my life. I'm open to a lot but convinced of nothing.

You? .

 

Religion is a cult; spiritual is your unique "religion/belief" tailored to YOU!

 

Spirituality is something you feel within you, whereas religion is basically dogma that you choose to believe in for whatever reason. The two are very different from one another.

 

Firstly, what is religion and what is spirituality?

Religion is worshipping god/getting to 'know' god.
Spirituality is experiencing god.
God here being not the old man with the beard, but a metaphysical god.

Spirituality is in essence the essence of religion. The next step is mysticism, where mysticism is being god/being one with god. Mysticism is the essence of spirituality.

I am not religious, since I do not worship any kind of god, physical or metaphysical.
I am spiritual, since I do want to experience god in the metaphysical sense. This doesn't in any way mean that I believe in those quacks who call themselves 'spiritual' and claim to talk with dead people or say they know all about me by looking at some randomly drawn cards.

 

I was raised catholic but I'm definitely not religious by any means now. I read mostly about science but I've read a little here and there about spirituality. I'm not sure if I understand much about it yet. I always thought it was about connecting with the whole world in some way. I don't know where I got that from or why I had that idea in my mind. I guess I've got some learning to do.

 

Religion is a platform that filters spirituality until you are left with whatever the group wants you to experience and know. True spirituality is stripped down and is more natural and organic as well as empowering and freeing.

 

Catholicism repels young followers better than any religion/ religious sect that I know of!

 

I agree. Although I wasn't raised in a strict catholic household and the church didn't drive me away all by itself. My father had plenty of books about science and evolution that I used to read. Luckily I had plenty of other influences beside religion.

 

For myself, spiritual is what you live. It is your intent and manner in dealing with what life throws at you and those who touch your life and you touch theirs. That can or can not be tied to a religion. It is not dependant on a faith or religion.

There are many who are spiritual that do not follow a faith. There are those that follow a faith and are also spiritual. There are also those who follow a faith and are not at all spiritual.

 

Does spirituality require a belief in an afterlife?

YouFreeMe, I'm not sure if my asking this is considered hijacking the thread. If it is I apologize and If someone will let me know, I will edit it out.

 

I believe it is entirely possible to be spiritual separate from religion. I consider every acid trip to be spiritual to some degree, but I'm in no way religious. I don't think about it that much at all as I'm an atheist. I feel lots of things. Sometimes I feel something awfully special. Is it spiritual? Well I don't really know what that would feel like if I felt it. Ive never connected intentionally like religious people seem too.

It's hard for me to pin relative emotions like that down anyway. If there is ever I time I feel spiritual, it's when I stargaze. Or when I'm playing my guitar really high, and i feel as though the universe is my audience. Ill just be so in sync with whatever it is my emotions want from this thing that I reach a third level. I try to stay but it's always short lived.

Stargazing is different though. Scientific jargon aside, you realize that what's out there is within you. What's within you is what it's made of, and it's bigger than you can ever really know.

 

I think there are a lot of people that are spiritual and not religious . A lot of people just are not happy with main stream religion . They believe in God and an after life , but dont agree with the major religionus docturns . Hear is a link to just about the same discussion on another forum .
http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=49720

 

Not at all. I would say that it is a logical continuation of this thread. But, I can't answer it for you!

 

I don't believe so. I would say it only requires that your are actively seeking spiritual knowledge to the best of your current and developing ability. It is ok to be simply feeling around in the dark and not have any preconceived ideas so long as you are actively trying to seek and tap into your own divinity as a spiritual being.

 

spirituality is for those that have found their GOD..

religion is for those that haven't..

 

I have said "I'm spiritual, not religious" so many times!

I believe there is some kind of force in the universe but I don't pretend to understand it or to know what it is so I can't believe in any one religion because I don't think we are able to know the truth.

 

The beginnings of a religion are usually spiritual and benevolent in nature. The problems happen later when the religion becomes institutionalized, bloated, corrupt, and controlling of the people.

The same can be said for other facets of life. Many times the formative years of a rock band are the best, and then it devolves into cheap, highly commercialized recordings with no spirit. The federal government is another example. It started with a Constitution that had a great spirit that promoted freedom and equality and later turned into a giant mess of corrupt and overbearing bureaucrats, similar to major religion organizations.

The leaders of some of these organizations see independent spiritual thought as a threat and demand complete obedience to the organization.

 

I am spiritual not religious. For many of the reasons mentioned above. I also believe there are many things that we cant fully understand but we still can change the way those things are even if we dont know how or why. I believe in reencarnation...not the magical thing where after you die the next day your born as a horse.
I mean that mass cant be destroyed so our dna will some day end up in other animals most likely worms but from there that info about us will live on. Maybe even our menories will be with it.

 

I am not spiritual because I don't believe in a god or gods, therefore I am not religious either. Not really sure what you'd say I am since I believe that all gods and even all things are just manifestations of a great force we have yet to understand. Not a deity mind you, it doesn't have thought of it's own or anything, it simply does what it does