Spiritual but not religious? Hmmm...
This is kind of a tongue in cheek post. Actually, most of the time when I hear this said, it sounds like what's being inferred is that religious folks aren't genuinely spiritual. It's kind of an "us and them" situation. When I hear it expressed in that smug tone, I feel as though the person is a bit low on the spiritual evolution spectrum.
I believe there's a spiritual aspect to all persons, even atheists. Many atheists demonstrate high values, which (unintentionally) aligns them with those who accept their spiritual sides. I think at it's most basic level, the spiritual dimension describes unseen energies and levels of consciousness. The more a person tries to describe spirituality, the more they get lost in the weeds. Why not just say it's there, it affects us, and things tend to work out better when we have a positive relationship with it.
I also feel that all activity interacts with the spiritual dimension. A person can perform great works of art, invent stupendous things, perform great acts of charity, dig holes or clean toilets and derive a great deal of spiritual fulfillment from any of those things, and a virtually infinite number of other ways. When a person demonstrates integrity as a form of self expression as they do things, from mopping floors to brain surgery, their spirit is growing, evolving and finding fulfillment. It's a convergence or integration of physical and spiritual expression.
Those who are marinated in religion may, in some people's opinion be misguided, but still, they are indeed spiritual beings. If they are sincere, and believe they're doing the right thing, "spiritual" people need to accept and value them as fellow travelers on the path towards wisdom and grace.
These are the late night thoughts of a sleepy guy. I hope at the very least, they entertain. I do hope they invite those who consider religion and spirituality to be rivals, to reconsider that position.
@Spiritriver
This is an interesting perspective! Thank you for sharing it. I have honestly never met a spiritual person who has looked down on or smugly at someone religious. It has been the opposite for me. I am someone who sees myself as spiritual but not religious; whenever I have told someone religious, they give me a pitying look. It is almost as if they cannot imagine being spiritual without having a god at the center of it.
While I believe in a higher power, I do not believe in a god being like many religious people do. This has been the center of difference between me and religious people. Those who are religious are quite spiritual, but it is different. I accept those who would like to go the religious route, and I would never try to force my outlook on spirituality onto them. However, many have tried to push their religion onto me (but this could be due to the main religion that is prevalent in my area as they are very focused on missionary work). I hope someday, those who are devoutly religious will learn to be accepting of those on a different spiritual path. 💖
@madiisun
It sounds like you live in a more inspired culture than I do. Around here, many consider that "spiritual" and "religious" are more like polarities, with carefully veiled aspects of tribalism. Of course they'd be mortified if they heard someone describe them that way.
@Spiritriver
Just jotting some notes and having fun playing with words 😊
1) Universal spirituality: the idea that all people are intrinsically spiritual just by virtue of existing, regardless of whether they believe/know it--because all things participate in and are connected to a spiritual dimension/being, which can flow and manifest in a near-infinite diversity of ways that under the right conditions will tend toward growth/evolution (#2 below)
2) Eudaimonic spirituality: the idea that people can be more or less spiritual depending on the degree to which they possess certain valuable virtues, experiences, powers, or insights (e.g. integrity, creativity, fulfillment, awareness of #1 above)
3) Exclusionary spirituality: the idea that only people belonging (or not belonging) to a particular religious affiliation are spiritual
a) Anti-religion: "Only non-religious people are spiritual"
b) Anti-atheism: "Only religious people are spiritual"
***
Main ideas of 1st post:
-All people are spiritual in the #1 sense
-All people are capable of spirituality in the #2 sense
-Therefore #3a and #3b are both rejected
Main ideas of 2nd post:
-The purpose of the "spiritual but not religious" label is not to affirm #3a
-Rather, the purpose of the label is to reject #3b (in response to some religious people affirming #3b)
@QuietMagic
I really like your definitions!
@Spiritriver words are difficult. I like the simplicity in which the Dalai Lama expresses his beliefs
"My religion is kindness." You could also add compassion and ethical behavior to his attributes.
I think we all want to be happy and fulfilled and not be in pain. Unfortunately many people do things that take them in the opposite direction.
Honestly, I’m glad to find this thread! I just received a thick book that has to do with my religion, and I recall thinking upon receiving it, “Wow, that is so thick!” And, heavy. And, it seemed daunting to start reading it. So, so start, I figured out where I was supposed to start reading it. The book is organized over the course of a year, so one is supposed to read a passage each day, and cycle through. Supposedly, one would read more meaning into it the next year and so on. However, what I realized is that even reading one passage was so deep for me, and brought up so many other thoughts, that I sort of put the book aside, and threw the ball to the dog instead. She is still having trouble dropping the ball, so we worked on that for a bit. That suited my brain better for today.
@PatienceImpatiens
Jesus was asked, "how do we tell who's a true prophet?" Jesus answered, "By their fruits..." If it's the book I think it is, there's inspiration to be found, but a lot of people derive the wrong messages. For example, there's a comment, "Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God" There's another statement indicating that all we see is an illusion.
In my experience, 8/10 people interpret these messages to mean there's no need to address the suffering of others because it can't be real. They won't frame it that way, but instead will say something like, "too bad... if only they believed as I do..." It's not often that those with such beliefs publicly express them, instead they talk about them within insular groups. It seems to me that within that group, there exists a "viral smugness."
Part of the problem is that the author writes as though every reader is on the same level of wisdom and spiritual evolution. It also has an accusatory tone in several places.
I also believe that one can either derive madness or misguidedness or sacred insight from the same text, so perhaps some are able to distill the sacred from it. I also believe that elegant writing accommodates ADHD, and this book certainly doesn't.
Maybe I'm thinking of a different book, but the experience you describe that led you to put it down, reminds me of my own experience with the book I'm thinking of.
@Spiritriver
I found a way for my mind to “access” the book. I’m not sure it’s the same book you’re thinking of though surely the experience of seeing a book that is heftier than one expected it to be, and being instantly caught off guard because of, well, just, how much reading is involved, is surely a universal experience.
This one is called The Bible and the Holy Fathers for Orthodox: Daily Scripture Readings and Commentary for Orthodox Christians, compiled by Johanna Manley, published by Monastery Books, St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, Crestwood, New York, 1984.
The way I found to access it, is that I discovered, when studying the passage for yesterday, that there are three main thoughts in each passage, and they are in bold typeface, which helps my jumpy mind to realize these are important thoughts summarizing what is to follow.
A verse from the Bible is highlighted. Today’s verse is from I Corinthians 15:58-16:3; Luke 5:17-26.
I wish I could discuss these passages with someone, and maybe I will try to form some sort of group in this regard. Unlikely this will come to pass, but very likely that I will continue to read and try to learn some new things, and perhaps note my reactions somewhere in writing. In any case, there are always parts I don’t agree with, or are not agreeable to me, but there are also parts that help me (I think?) to develop a better side to myself that is more accepting and more in tune with this world.
The term you used, “viral smugness” had a particular potency for me. I feel that I am super cautious not to proselytize, or to “push” my beliefs on others. I have good friends of extremely disparate religious beliefs, and we can have rousing discussions without converting the other. There are more similarities than we think, 99% of the time. We’re all, in a sense, flying by the seat of our pants, “winging it,” as it were.
Also, since I was agnostic for a portion of my life, and I can understand the stance of an atheist (after all, how could an all-powerful being allow such things to happen under their watch?), I feel I can have a discussion with anyone.
I don’t know any more than the next person. Each day, I try to help others the best I know how and survive myself at the same time.
@Spiritriver Totally agree with you.