both or neither?
I once asked people on a questionnaire to indicate if they were spiritual/religious.
Many crossed out the word religious and left spiritual in.
It is an interesting area to study.
How can you be spiritual without being religious or religious without beling spiritual.
I think I am the first as I believe in a Holy Absolute Infinite Being but am the last to be happy to go to a synagogue or curch service with all its excess baggage and prayers I only partly accept.
I am spiritual and not religious.
Sprirituality is the personal association with God or a higher power and the search for meaning beyond what can be dealt with by mechanics and laws of physics.
Religion is the organized group cultural codification of spirituality. Unfortunately religion is often an enemy of spirituality - organized religion often prefers that people don’t form their own opinions about God and do this by focusing on non-sipiritual issues such as the literal interpretation of the Bible.
I think you’ll find that many people consider themselves religious, but don’t like organized religion.
I doubt you’ll find many people that are religious that don’t believe themselves to be spiritual.
I’m with Zyada on this one. I would certainly consider myself spiritual, but not religious.
I consider myself agnostic. I have no idea what’s out there and, while I have a tendency to lean more toward the Christian beliefs, a lot of other ones out there (Wiccan is one that comes to mind right away) that make too much sense for me to say they’re wrong. I believe in my own code of ethics, my own code of what’s right and wrong, often taken from bits and pieces of different religions. I don’t go to church, I don’t “pray” in the traditional sense… but I do follow what feels right in my heart, and hold no one to task for having different beliefs than I do. I try to be a good person. Basically, I try to hurt as little as possible, love as much as possible. And to try to put the salve of friendship, compassion and caring on any hurt that I do see. Those are my beliefs and for that I consider myself spiritual, since I’m following what my spirit tells me to do.
I consider myself spiritual because of the extreme capability for love I have in my heart, as well as the complete inability to hate. But I have no association with or understanding of religion.
I consider myself spiritual without being religious. I was raised in a Christian denomination, but can’t bring myself to buy the dogma anymore, however, I still feel that there are greater…powers isn’t the word I want, perhaps forces in the universe that can’t be explained by science.
Love and altruism, deep connections between people who barely know each other could be indications of another form of energy connecting people. I’m mostly skeptical but I’m not quite ready to blow off psychic phenomena totally, until we know more about the human brain.
And since I’ve already said so much that I’ll never be able to show my face in GD again, I’ll add that I also believe in reincarnation.
Very interesting Sua Na, especially considering that it was your 666th post. 
Gee, this is right in line with a debate going on in my head lately. I’m not religious, in the sense that I deeply believe much of anything, but I go to church regularly, partly because I want to be a “good” example for my kids, who might get a grounding in Western morality and spirituality through a religious education and be better able to form their own conclusions when they come to the questioning part of their lives. As most of the teachings of my particular church are in line with my thinking I don’t see much contradiction there.
Another reason is the girl watching, which can be a nice diversion during the slow parts. Yeah, it’s tacky and against what many churches teach, but it’s a not-particularly-destructive part of human nature. And I can always blame God for making wimmens so doggone cute.
Finally, dammit, I enjoy it. Granted, I’ve chosen a nice, liberal* church that makes going to church a nice, uplifting, and positive experience, but I also like the quiet time in touch with my spiritual side. I’d probably be just as happy at Jewish, Hindu, or Buddhist services. But I’m a full participant, which some people might find hypocritical of me, and I can’t entirely explain why.
Spiritual? Yes. A seeker of the deeper truths beneath the superficial truths, lies, and misconceptions. Tolerant of most other belief systems because there are many paths one can follow. Only intolerant toward intolerance.
** - Understatement of the year. One parishoner wore a button at our Mardi Gras party*** that said “Swedes have more fun.” I was forced to say, “Than Norwegians, I suppose, but who else?”
*** - In all fairness, it was a nice, if sober****, time and the pastor wore the UGLIEST damned shoes I’d ever seen. At least, on a Swede. Lime green and white, to clash perfectly with his peach suit and Hawaiian shirt. And yes, he dressed like that special for the occasion.
**** - Raised Catholic, I’m not used to as much sobriety as I see in this church. Not forced sobriety with secret indulgence, like in Wife’s old Methodist church. Just plain, old, everything, including moderation, in moderation sobriety. People who know when to say when. They are good examples for me, and I don’t feel uncomfortable switching to cola after my first or second drink because everybody else does, too. Banquet halls with cash bars have to charge extra just to break even when we’re there.
The dogma of the religion of the Straight Dope says this topic belongs in IMHO. May the spirits of the internet guide on your journey little thread.
Actually, that dogma refers solely to witnessing. Since this thread is populated by people who aren’t all that sure of their own beliefs, they aren’t about to start witnessing.
But this is something I could argue until I was blue in the face without turning the beliefs of our beloved mods, especially since the move is a fait accompli.
Good replys from everyone. It seems to me I am not the only one who considers himself “both” in a strange sorta way (I.E being Christian but beleiving in reincarnation)
I guess it’s better to list the differences by Category.
RELIGIOUS:
I do try to pray daily, I do read the bible daily and attend Church.I am considered Christian religios wise because I do beleive Jesus is the son of God,hence I “belong to Christ” (aka Christian)
SPIRTUAL:
This list will be longer. I dobeleive the Bible to be a good spirtual tool,but I do not take it all literally nor is it God’s only revelation to man (aside from the truths of his son) I do study other religions without it “damaging me” I do beleive reincarnation is possibile (after all both a proient western and Eastern civilization had a beleif in it) and such things to long to list.
It’s funny,but my belefs would almost totally coinside with the Unification Church (the "Moonies) if not for Rev.Moon and that “Lord of the second advent” thing he preaches.
The thing between religion and spirtual is also currently plaging my life. I am getting pressured from the church to move into their student house. Religios wise,I know it would be a good step,but spirtual wise it would be hindering.
OK, let me get this straight:
A Marianist that doesn’t believe in the divinity of Jesus.
Good.
Just thought I’d ask. <shakes head>
Mind you I don’t see why not, necessarily…
Religion is for people who are afraid of hell.
Spirituality is for people who have been there.
(courtesy of the Northern Sun catalog)
I am definitely spiritual, but I find religious ceremonies to be uncomfortable.
Can someone be a devout churchgoer, but a terible Christian in daily life? Sure. Can someone embrace all the rituals and trappings of a religion, but remain a horrible person? Of course. So, being “religious” isn’t always an unmixed virtue.
Still, give me a religious person over a “spiritual” person every time.
In general, people who embrace “religion” are trying to be good. People who embrace “spirituality” merely want to FEEL good. They’ll enthusiastically pursue any creed, any fashionable cult, any New Age silliness, just so long as it doesn’t inconvenience them in any way. Such people will spend hours meditating, contemplating their navels, chanting, dancing under the moon, whatever… just so long as they’re not required to do anything they don’t feel like doing, or asked to stop doing something they like.
astorian, I will readily acknowledge the egomaniacal aspects of my spirituality, but if the opportunity had existed for me to get myself nailed up and, by subjecting myself to that, I’d been able to make things better for folks in general, I was up for it, and I still am.
The hard part is figuring out how to deploy one’s self usefully and effectively. I am able to do so little for us collectively by walking around telling everyone I know a bunch of important answers to life’s important questions. I am also able to do so little for us collectively trying to join in and be a part of ongoing initiatives that don’t seem to be formed around understandings that I share.
Once I thought I did; once I thought that what I believed and placed central importance on was also thought to be of central importance by a large number of other people with whom I shared a vision. I even thought I had something to contribute which was of such meaning and impact that my putting it into words was risky and controversial and could get me killed.
Well, as many of us know, it can be far worse to be irrelevant than persecuted, and there do exist people who would prefer to be crucified than ignored. None of which makes the individual in question noble, spiritual, sane, or admirable.
If you are able to find clues and meaning within the doctrines and practices of organized religion, then blessings be upon you.
As for me, forgive me, for I know not what to do.
I hope this is in keeping with the OP enough to not constitute a thread hijacking! Being spiritual without being religious seems like something that would fit me. But I don’t know how to be spiritual. What are some examples of spiritual activities? I imagine there are things analogous to religious activities one can try, but what are they?
I’m an agnostic, and when provoked I can be a meanagnostic, so it would be fair to say I’m not at all religious. I wouldn’t have said I was spiritual, either.
But…when I wrote my novel, it took some interesting turns–some of which I hadn’t expected. My mother is a fundy Christian, and despite there being elements which she disapproves of, she has told me that overall it’s one of the most spirititualbooks she’s ever read. I completely agree…though that wasn’t what I had originally planned.
Where this leaves me, I don’t know.
(Note: the excerpts from the novel linked in my sig have nothing whatsoever to do with sprituality.)