How do you define the difference between religion and spirituality? ?

Question

For you personally how does religion differ to spirituality and how is it the same? Are you religious AND spiritual or just one or the other? If you are religious does that mean you adhere to one particular doctrine, eg. Christianity, and follow the bible, go to church. OR Muslin, believe in the Koran and visit the mosque? If you are religious do you HAVE to go to church?

Personally I don't follow any set religion, but I consider myself to be spiritual. Just wondered how "religious" people view religion and spirituality?

Answer 1

I think for some people, there is no difference. I used to think that way as well. I went to church and believed in what a religion told me for a long while but over time, I felt as if all the questions I still had about God and life and the purpose of us really being born at all, simply were not answered by just believing.

So I next thought perhaps that if I sought after some sort of spirituality pursuit then surely I would be able to come up with solutions to my problem of not being able to feel this God I still wanted to believe in, but had no real sense of from the very beginning. Again, I came to a dead end because this time instead of just trusting what others told me was true, I was free to imagine for myself the reality of our existence and the presence of God. But this also, after time, left me still feeling very empty and disillusioned.

I finally found what I was searching for after traveling so many roads  trying to get somewhere I could not even explain my desire to find. What I discovered was a place, a method, that allows me to find my own answers based on proving for myself, the validity of God and my relationship to both Him and this world.

I linked a really neat video that describes the difference between a religious or belief idea , and our actual ability to find spirituality for ourselves. It answered so many things for me personally. Good luck and thanks for a really cool question.

Answer 2

Religion is a dogmatic adherence to some principle that may or may not have anything to do with the spirit world. You can exercise religiously, for instance. Spirituality is being in touch with the spirit realm in one faith or another.

In Christianity, religion compels us to pray because God said to do it, and our spirituality compels us to pray because we expect God to hear and answer.

Answer 3

Spirituality without religion is the NON-atheists way of pretending they have a soul while claiming atheism.

If I said I don't believe in God, but said I believe in a unicorn that created everything, how dumb am I?

You either believe c**p for good reason(religion that makes sense, that has a basis, out of c**p), or you believe c**p cuz you like believing c**p you made up while pretending you don't believe c**p.

I'm Atheist!

Answer 4

Religion is spirituality institutionalized.

Answer 5

For me there is no difference in religion and spirituality.

Hinduism is not a religion but its a way of living life that leads to spiritual elevation.

By following the principles of Hinduism i proceed in my spiritual journey.

Answer 6

The difference between spirituality and religion is the same as the difference between erotica and pornography: personal prejudice.

Answer 7

IMO religion is when you believe that your faith is an objective truth, applicable to all.  Spirituality is when you believe your faith is a subjective truth, applicable only to you.

That's why religions and religious people tend to be the ones that want to slam their beliefs down your throat, whereas spiritual non-religious people are cool with whatever.

Answer 8

James 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

James 1:27  Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

How can a person be spiritual without chosing either the LORD or the devil?

Answer 9

ok so i pretty much grew up in church with my dad being a pastor and all that. i'm 20 years old and i'm now beginning to have a real relationship with Jesus Christ. i used to think just coz i'm a christian, doesnt mean i have to go to church. i can just read my Bible at home or watch sermons on tv. the only reason i went to church is because my dad was a preacher and i had to. but now i believe as a Christian, its good to go to church so you can learn more about God, and you have a fellowship of ur brothers and sisters in Christ. they can help you when you're down and you can do the same for them. i love going to church. the presence of God is there. i think religion is man made. the routines that a particular religion has, but spirituality is a personal relationship with God, completely surrendering your life and ur problems to him, telling people of Gods love, praying to God not only when you need help, but just to talk to him to tell him how awesome he is and to thank him. and also making sure that you live right so you can make it to heaven. because its not about the here and now on earth. our time on earth is like the blink of an eye. a grain of sand at the beach compared to eternity. a great quote by maximus "what we do here on earth echoes in eternity" what is being spiritual to you? have you been to a church? in order for you to make it to heaven, you need to realize that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. and to accept him into your heart as your Lord and savior, and also you need to live right. always ask for forgiveness of your sins. because i dont care how many ppl say h**l isnt real, it is. and it wasnt designed for us. it was made for the devil and his demons. but man was given free will. either to live with God, or to be apart from God for eternity. watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HdugdTIS...

its part 1 of 8. i'm not trying to scare you but h**l is very real.

Answer 10

FOR me and TO me....Religion is a set of beliefs set up on the ideas and theories of man....

Spirituality is the honest quest for truth.

Answer 11

i beleive,we all worship one god,just other cultures use diffrent names,myself,all i beleive in is jesus christ,he was 3 in 1,god the father,god the son,and god the holy ghost !

Answer 12

Spirituality i think shows you believe in the powers and beings...

Religion is set i think, like a system of beliefs, something you relate to understand and seek security in. A firm foundation, not unstable like much of The Worlds systems and ideas.



Its when we try to do without Jesus (The Chief CornerStone) the Bible calls him that we find ourselves

FLOATING IN MID-AIR.

Unstable, like a Leaf being swept up by the Wind. Not a nice journey... I AM A HUMAN BEING, i prefer it on TERRA FIRMA. My Feet on the Ground with Jesus as my Guide. Awake and Aware, far from the Land of D-e-n-i-a-l.

Answer 13

I'm spiritually unreligious i neither believe nor deny okay babe.

Answer 14

religion is a belief of something divine and super power.

spirituality is the persons concern with things of the spirit like belief etc..

religion and spirituality are not the same but goes with one another.

being religious doesn't always imply to religions. you can be religious on things that don't concern religion because religious is being extremely scrupulous and conscientious about anything, not only religion.

you are right you can be spiritual(emotion) without being religious. there are different meanings of spirituality. it can be a fundamental emotional and activating principle determining one's character. but if you dont believe in religion then you should not believe in souls.

Answer 15

Heya

Religion is something we are most likley brought up in almost like a set of rules... something we follow.

Spirtuality is more about you as a person it doesn't have to be religious it could be something you feel is special about you if that makes sense, trust me i got an A in RE lol :)

Hope that helped :)

Can u answer mine plz?

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...