Religion And Spirituality Are Not The Same

Each of us has a personal belief system that guides how we act towards others. We may or may not be consciously aware of what our beliefs are, but they form the foundation for our feelings and the motives for our actions. This is essentially our personal spiritual belief system.

The moment you become aware of your personal beliefs and consciously consider them, you could say that is the moment you become a spiritually active person.  Spiritual thinking will lead you to seek out others with the same kinds of self-awareness. Humans have a natural desire to share feelings and experiences in a friendly, accepting environment.

Religions provide opportunities for like-minded individuals to form communities for this very purpose. However, religions also provide theological definitions, histories, and disciplines that members must accept and follow on faith.  Most of us will accept church doctrine, even if it contains elements that conflict with our own personal beliefs, if we find joy and satisfaction in a particular religion, denomination, or house of worship.

The point is, religious doctrine and individual spirituality, though interrelated, are not the same thing.  One is institutional and created to grow and develop as a corporate entity within a human world.  The other resides in your own mind and heart and determines how you will live with and react to others.  By necessity, religious institutions are materialistic even though they were created for matters of the spirit.

For me, there is no question that individual spirituality is far more important than religious doctrine and institutional theology.  But that does not mean that religions and places of worship are not important. On the contrary, they can be extraordinarily important to your spiritual growth. We need communities of faith where we can express, discuss, and develop our spiritual understandings. This helps us face and work through real life events.

We learn something about ourselves when we agree with dogma and we also learn something when we disagree.  But spirituality demands that only that which makes sense in your own heart and mind be maintained as your truth, your reason for being, and your motive for actions.  All else can and should be respectfully set aside.

If your personal sense of spirituality starts conflicting with the teachings of your place of worship, you should consider looking for another. It really doesn’t matter the history behind your membership in any church or organization, you should respond to your own awareness of a need for change.

Too many of us don’t make that change when we should. For a variety of reasons we resist change. Most of that has to do with the comfortable social ties we have established. 

Some even become so devoted to particular religious organizations, that whatever is presented by their religions as truth, is accepted, without question. Sensitive discussions with those of other faiths gradually devolve into a series of pat answers because you are saved and they are lost.

Let us remember that our personal lives are altered by the decisions we make.  Also, we tend to find spiritual guidance through personal prayer and meditation, even when we are at church. The next time you are inspired notice that all those feelings you experience come from within.

It seems to me that being spiritual is the more important understanding than being religious.