What is the difference between religion and spirituality?????????????????????

Answer 1

Never mind that.
What are you doing tomorrow night?
I could take you to heaven, heh-heh!

Answer 2

This question I see is ask a lot and I guess it does deserve an answer. I went to the dictionary. I found that in simple terms a religion was basically a set of beliefs that did serve as a guide to ones life.{Religion - A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion}. also there is {Spiritual -Relating to or having the nature of spirits or a spirit; supernatural}

One may have a concept or belief with or without any spirituality at all. In a simple way one may believe all is physical no spirits and at death all is done, gone, and nothing - thus life as it is every day is it. A second view may be that humankind is a two fold unit which is both a spirit and a physical being but they are directly connected, When the physical dies the spirit dies also and that is the end of it all period. A third may be that humankind is both a physicval being and a spirit who for now are united in one body. At death the spirit goes on living and finds another place but the body just dies and returns to the dust. Yet another may be like the last except that it sees that there are many spirits and many levels, and maybe even a God with a spirit. And now to add to all the confusion there may be a God in or for every group that is seen as a different God, in a different way.

Yes the number of versions are limitless and such is the target of what humankind now calls organized religion. It is just a group who has kinda set their own set of standards based on some version or this religion and spirituality in some form of combination and then sough out other humankind to join or be a part of the group. Sad to say in most there is little thought, reasoning, truth sought, or anything else but just feel good and enjoy for this is the real issue concept. In my opinion it is all a great game to keep the humankind animal confused but occupied so it will not engage in the thought process and maybe find the real truth that does exist.

My view is religion can and will kill you. Spirituality is to lead you astray and combined with religion as long as constantly consistent truth is missing is twice as deadly as religion alone. Ha Ha Them spirits do know how to make one feel so good. Just try a bottle of 80 or 90 proof as a test. {yes a joke but a serious joke for the spirits mixed with religion are much more powerful than a whole case of 90 proof whiskey in my opinion OK}

I do not know if I did help but I did try OK. If not just smile like I am and then think about being different as I am. I am a "NO". Not asking you to join me, just want you to learn to think and reason for yourself and seek the pure truth. sometimes use that inspired book named the dictionary along with the inspired book called the Bible my friend.

Answer 3

Religion tends to be structured, while spirituality tends to be more personal. Many people who want nothing to do with the church or organized religion are very spiritual and can have a deep and life living relationship with God. Which is often too bad, because those are the kind of people we need in the church to keep us going in the right direction and making a difference in the world for good.

Answer 4

That's a good question, I'm going to try to explain how I see it.

The first difference is that religion is generally a group activity, spirituality can only be achieved on an individual level.

Religion, by it's very nature, is very structured and rigid. There are certain rules you have to live by, certina do's and don'ts and they are all interpreted by humans who claim to be speaking for God. Religion is something you do, not something you feel. Religion is a creation of man, mostly in order to control other men or to gain power and riches.

Spirituality is very open and free. It's something you feel, not do. There is no paradigm or rules to spirituality, it is simply a feeling of being in touch with your own spirit, the part of you that only you can see, feel or even perceive. Love is a good example of spirituality, love simply is what it is and as much as people try to define and categorize it, you simply know it.

That's pretty vague but it's the best I can do.

Answer 5

I do not claim to be an expert, but I can tell you what I believe from my experience.

Religion involves specific beliefs about specific events that have a supernatural element to them and which involve assertions about ethics and spirituality that are based on the teachings of the central figure(s) of that religion.

If the religion is "organized", it usually means that there is a dogma which followers are expected to accept as the basic truth of the religion. There is usually an organizational structure which is hierarchical in structure and whose top level is a human being who is supposed to represent the central supernatural figure on Earth.

Each religion has its own particular view of the nature of the existence of the Universe and human beings, and by extention, some sort of Afterlife.

Spirituality, on the other hand, does not have specific religious assertions or recognize a specific central religious figure.

It generally recognizes a Creator and an Afterlife, but does does not attribute it to any specific religious view.

It generally understands that the purpose of Earthly existence is to learn, grow, and love.

And Spirituality generally tolerates Religion as a necessary human institution to minister to the need of human beings to have some guidance about living in the physical plane and to maintain some communication with the Creator.

Answer 6

You have already received some really good answers. In my opinion religions are organized according to the way someone originally interpreted the bible. That is me being kind. I wonder if some "religions", especially those that want to tell you why you won't go to heaven unless you believe what they tell you to believe, weren't originally started to get money from gullible people. If you don't go here than you aren't "saved', that crap.

I believe that spirituality is what you feel in your heart to be true. I love the Lord very much. My faith in Him has helped my life enormously. I tried an Assembly of God church and an alarm went off in my heart warning me that these people are into rules and ignorance and not God. I want to find a religion that I can believe in and find a place to worship God with others like me, but I have not found that place yet. I don't need a church to worship the Lord, He doesn't care, but it would be nice.

Answer 7

A religion is a man made belief system (like Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, etc.)

Spirituality is a personal, internal feeling/feelings dealing with the same themes as a religion (like death, meaning of life etc.)

Therefore it is quite possible to be spiritual without being religious.

Answer 8

I would say spirituality is more about the relationship with you and a spiritual power greater than yourself. Where as a religions are based on written text from previous generations.

Answer 9

religion :

Religion is commonly defined as a group of beliefs concerning the supernatural, sacred, or divine, and the moral codes, practices, values, institutions, and rituals associated with such belief. It is sometimes used interchangeably with "faith" or "belief system"

Spirituality:

Spirituality is, in a narrow sense, a concern with matters of the spirit. The spiritual, concerning as it does eternal verities regarding Man's ultimate nature, is often contrasted with the temporal or the worldly. It may include belief in supernatural powers, as in religion, but the emphasis is on personal experience. It may be an expression for life perceived as higher, more complex or more integrated with one's worldview, as contrasted with the merely sensual.

Spirit can be the vital principle or animating force within living things or
any incorporeal supernatural being that can become visible (or audible) to human beings

Answer 10

To me spirituality is having a relationship with God. Religion takes away the spirituality in faith and makes it a ritualistic experience that is organized and governed by rules. We are to have a unique relationship and covenant with the Lord. Though in our lives we are governed by bureaucracy...our faith transcends religion. Religion as a noun is just a word that represents having a religion or faith based belief system...but being religious is taking that faith and turning it into something you do regardless of any real connection to God.

Answer 11

Religion is the rule. Spirituality is the method. Religion is what controls your actions and tells you what you can and cannot do. Spirituality is the relationship you have between your soul/spirit and the Divine.