Is There a Difference between Spirituality and Religion?
- Thread starter Bowser
- Start date
A ritual, as the most basic definition, though more narrow in scope, in my opinion.
"Spirituality" is a function of the mind. Religion is a more-or-less-organized attempt to explain that function.
Are you a function of the mind, bob?
I'm a function of your mind - and you're a function of mine.
DaveC426913
Valued Senior Member
Yes. There's a difference.
Spirituality does not require ritual, rules - or even other believers.
Spirituality does not require ritual, rules - or even other believers.
Yazata
Valued Senior Member
The way that I use those words, there is a difference.
I use 'religion' to refer to historical traditions that possess a sufficient number of the characteristics that we associate with religion. (Defining 'religion' is a fundamental question in the philosophy of religion. I see it as a 'family resemblance' concept.) But basically, I conceive of religion as what is passed down from generation to generation. In other words, a religion is an objective element of social reality (at least as objective as anything social can be). Religious texts and theological doctrines are 'religious'.
And I use 'spirituality' to refer to the (ideal) individual psychological responses to those traditions. 'Spirituality' is how people (should) respond to them. I tend to associate it particularly with monastics, religious contemplatives and people like that. But it certainly isn't restricted to them, they are just the ones who set out to cultivate it.
I think that historically, the concept of spirituality is Christian. It refers to the Holy Spirit and to those individuals who behave as if the Spirit of God has in truth touched them and entered into them. More recently the word has been extended to followers of other religions and to people who follow no religion at all.
Imagined as a Venn diagram, I see religion and spirituality as two circles that intersect but don't entirely coincide.
Not everything that is passed down under the name of 'religion' is 'spiritual' in my opinion. Killing blasphemers isn't.
And people with beautiful inspiring hearts needn't be inspired by Christ, the Bible, the Quran, Krishna or by any religious tradition.
The connection between religion and spirituality seems to be that, ideally at least, religions are supposed to facilitate the kind of inner transformations that we associate with spirituality. They typically don't, but it's the goal.
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The meaning has moved on somewhat since the early days, though, I think with the increased influence of Eastern traditions, thoughts, and philosophies. It is now more about the ineffable qualities of man, or to the indescribable feelings of there being something far greater than ourselves, irrespective of what that might be, whether it is God, the universe, humanity, or anything else.
There is also the SBNR (Spiritual But Not Religious) label that some self identify as.
Also bear in mind that one can have beautiful inspiring hearts without being spiritual in any way. It all depends upon what one finds beautiful and/or inspiring.
The point of religion (spirituality) seems to be lost in the rituals and traditions. I could be wrong since I have never been commited to any one specific organization.