What is the difference between Spirituality and Religion?

Question

Are you both or one or the other and which do you feel is more important.

Answer 1

Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit. The spiritual, involving as it may perceived eternal verities regarding Man's ultimate nature, often contrasts with the temporal or with the worldly. The central defining characteristic of spirituality is a sense of connection to a much greater whole which includes an emotional experience of religious awe and reverence. Equally so, spirituality is concerned with sanity and psychological health. As with some forms of religion, the emphasis of spirituality is often 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. In Eastern traditions, spirituality (adhyatma) is also defined as that which pertains to the soul (atma).

Contents [hide]
1 The spiritual and the religious
2 Directed spirituality
3 Spirituality and personal well-being
4 Spirituality and science
5 History of spirituality
6 Spiritual traditions and communities
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
9.1 Overviews
9.2 Specific spiritual traditions
9.3 Contemporary spiritual figures
9.4 Other



[edit]
The spiritual and the religious
An important distinction exists between spirituality in religion and spirituality as opposed to religion.

In recent years, spirituality in religion often carries connotations of a believer having a faith more personal, less dogmatic, more open to new ideas and myriad influences, and more pluralistic than the faiths of established religions. It also can connote the nature of a believer's personal relationship or "connection" with their god or belief system, as opposed to the general relationship with the Deity understood to be shared by all members of that faith.

Those who speak of spirituality as opposed to religion generally believe in the existence of many "spiritual paths" and hold that there is no objective truth about which is the best path to follow. Rather, adherents of this definition of the term emphasize the importance of finding one's own path to whatever-god-there-is, rather than following what others say works. The best way to describe this view is: the path which makes the most sense is the correct one (for oneself). Many adherents of orthodox religions who consider spirituality to be an aspect of their religious experience are more likely to contrast spirituality with secular "worldliness" than with the ritual expression of their religion.

People of a more New Age disposition tend to state that spirituality is not religion, per se, but the active and vital connection to a force, spirit, or sense of the deep self. As cultural historian and yogi William Irwin Thompson put it, "Religion is not identical with spirituality; rather religion is the form spirituality takes in civilization." (1981, 103)

[edit]
Directed spirituality
One aspect of "being spiritual" is goal-directed, with aims such as: simultaneously improve one's wisdom and willpower, achieve a closer connection to Deity/the universe, and remove illusions or false ideas at the sensory, feeling and thinking aspects of a person. The 'Plato's cave' analogy in book VII of The Republic is one of the best-known descriptions of the spiritual development process, and thus, an excellent aid in understanding what "spiritual development" exactly entails.

Others regard spirituality as a two-stroke process: the "upward stroke" is inner growth, changing oneself as one changes his/her relationship with the external universe, and the "downward stroke" is manifesting improvements in the physical reality around oneself as a result of the inward change. Another connotation is that change will come onto itself with the realization that all is oneself; whereupon the divine inward manifests the diverse outward for experience and progress.

[edit]
Spirituality and personal well-being
Spirituality, according to most adherants, forms an essential part of an individual's holistic health and well-being.

Due to the broad scope and personal nature of spirituality, however, one can perhaps better understand it by focussing on key concepts that arise when people are asked to describe what spirituality means to them. Research by Martsolf and Mickley (1998) highlighted the following areas as worthy of consideration:

Meaning – significance of life; making sense of situations; deriving purpose.
Values – beliefs, standards and ethics that are cherished.
Transcendence – experience, awareness, and appreciation of a "transcendent dimension" to life beyond self.
Connecting – increased awareness of a connection with self, others, God/Spirit/Divine, and nature/Nature.
Becoming – an unfolding of life that demands reflection and experience; including a sense of who one is and how one knows.
[edit]
Spirituality and science
Analysis of spiritual qualities in science faces problems like the imprecision of spiritual concepts, the subjectivity of spiritual experience, and the amount of work required to translate and map observable components of a spiritual system into empirical evidence. Nevertheless, certain connections have been made. Prominent scientists such as Niels Bohr, David Bohm and Anton Zeilinger have articulated spiritual consequences of quantum physics. The yearly conferences between scientists (including Zeilinger) and the Dalai Lama, one of which has been published under the title of The New Physics and Cosmology: Dialogues with the Dalai Lama, are exemplary explorations of the overlaps between these areas.

Rudolf Steiner and others in the anthroposophic tradition have attempted to apply scientific methodology to the study of spiritual phenomena in order to shape a spiritual science. This is not an attempt to redefine natural science, but to explore inner experience, especially our thinking, with the same rigor as we apply to outer (sensory) experience. The scientific criteria of intersubjectivity and repeatability have, however, rarely been met here.

Ken Wilber represents a recent attempt to unite science and spirituality. He has proposed an integral theory of consciousness.

[edit]
History of spirituality
This section is a stub. You can help by adding to it.
Until recent centuries, the history of spirituality remained bound up within the history of religion. Spriritual innovators operated within the context of a religious tradition, and became either marginalised/suppressed as heretics or separated out as schismatics. In these circumstances, so-called "spiritual" practices such as shamanism remained in the sphere of the religious, and even non-traditional activities such as those of Robespierre's Cult of the Supreme Being belonged in the province of religion.

Schmidt (2005) sees Ralph Waldo Emerson as a pioneer of the idea of spirituality as a distinct field.

The distinction between the spiritual and the religious became more common in the popular mind with the rise of secularism and the advent of the New Age movement.

[edit]
Spiritual traditions and communities
A Course in Miracles
Anthroposophy
Bahá'í Faith
Buddhism
Catholic spirituality
Christian Science
Christianity (Holy Spirit, Pentecostalism)
Discordianism
Esoteric Christianity
Ethical Culture
Feminist spirituality
Gnosticism
Hinduism, Hare Krishna, Vedanta
Islam, Sufism
Jainism
Judaism, Kaballah
Neo-confucianism, Taoism
New Age, New Thought, Spiritualism, The Dances of Universal Peace
Paganism, Neopaganism, Modern Gallae
Religious Science
Restorationism
Rosicrucianism
Shamanism
Sikhism
Spiritism
Subud
Surat Shabda Yoga
Thelema
Theosophy
Unitarian Universalism
Wicca
[edit]
See also
Spirituality Studies
Forgiveness
Gift of the Holy Ghost
Glossary of spirituality-related terms
Light of Christ
List of spirituality-related topics
Meaning of life
Meditation
Christian meditation
Jewish meditation
Reason
Reiki
Religion
Spirit world
[edit]
References
A Course in Miracles. 2nd ed., Mill Valley: Foundation for Inner Peace, 1992, ISBN 0-9606388-9-X.
Azeemi,K.S.Muraqaba: The Art and Science of Sufi Meditation. Houston: Plato, 2005.(ISBN 0-9758875-4-8)
Bolman, L. G., and Deal, T. E. Leading With Soul. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1995.
Borysenko, J. A Woman's Journey to God. New York: Riverhead Books, 1999.
Cannon, K. G. Katie's Canon: Womanism and the Soul of the Black Community. New York: Continuum, 1996.
Deloria, V., Jr. God is Red. 2d Ed. Golden, Co: North American Press, 1992.
Dillard, C. B.; Abdur-Rashid, D.; and Tyson, C. A. "My Soul is a Witness." International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 13, no. 5 (September 2000): 447-462.
Dirkx, J. M. "Nurturing Soul in Adult Learning." in Transformative Learning in Action. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education No. 74, edited by P. Cranton, pp. 79-88. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1997.
Eck, D. A New Religious America. San Francisco: Harper, 2001.
Elkins D.N. et al (1998)Toward a humanistic-phenomenological spirituality: definition, description and measurement. Journal of Humanistic Psychology 28(4), 5-18
English, L., and Gillen, M., eds. Addressing the Spiritual Dimensions of Adult Learning. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, No. 85. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000.
Haisch, Bernard The God Theory: Universes, Zero-point Fields, and What's Behind It All, (Preface), Red Wheel/Weiser, 2006, ISBN 1-57863-374-5
Hein, David. "Christianity and Traditional Lakota / Dakota Spirituality: A Jamesian Interpretation." The McNeese Review 35 (1997): 128-38.
Hein, David, ed. Readings in Anglican Spirituality. Cincinnati: Forward Movement, 1991.
Hein, David, and Edward Hugh Henderson. Captured by the Crucified: The Practical Theology of Austin Farrer. New York and London: Continuum / T & T Clark, 2004. About the spiritual theology of Austin Farrer; includes chapter on "Farrer's Spirituality" by Diogenes Allen.
Hein, David. "Spiritual Counsel in the Anglican Tradition," in Anglican Theological Review (1997, 1995, 1994).
Holtje, D. (1995). From Light to Sound: The Spiritual Progression. Temecula, CA: MasterPath, Inc. ISBN 1-885949-00-6
Martsolf D.S. & Mickley J.R. (1998) "The concept of spirituality in nursing theories: differing world-views and extent of focus" Journal of Advanced Nursing 27, 294-303
Perry, W. A Treasury of Traditional Wisdom: An Encyclopedia of Humankind’s Spiritual Truth]. Louisville: Fons Vitae books, 2000, ISBN 187096082
Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, I Am That, Acorn Press, 1990, ISBN 0-89386-022-0
Schmidt, Leigh Eric. Restless Souls : The Making of American Spirituality. San Francisco: Harper, 2005. ISBN 0060545666
Shahjahan, R. A., "Spirituality in the academy: Reclaiming from the margins and evoking a transformative way of knowing the world" International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education 18, no. 6 (December 2005): 685-711.
Steiner, Rudolf, How to Know Higher Worlds. New York: Anthroposophic Press, (1904) 1994
Steiner, Rudolf, Theosophy: An Introduction to the Supersensible Knowledge of the World and the Destination of Man. London: Rudolf Steiner Press, (1904) 1994
Thompson, William Irwin, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality, and the Origins of Culture (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1981).
Wapnick, Kenneth, The Message of A Course in Miracles. Roscoe, NY: Foundation for A Course in Miracles, 1997, ISBN 0-933291-25-6.
Zagano, Phyllis Twentieth-Century Apostles: Contemporary Spirituality in Action (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1999)
Zagano, Phyllis "Woman to Woman: An Anthology of Women's Spiritualities (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical PRess) 1993.
Zajonc, Arthur, The New Physics and Cosmology Dialogues with the Dalai Lama. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004, ISBN 0-19-515994-2.
[edit]
External links
The Spiritual- Journal of NATURAL Spirituality. Exploring the concepts and wisdom of thoughtlessness (Wu-Nien or Zen No-mind) Egolessness and Pragnya, the natural, sensitive and word-less knowledge
Gandharv Ashram Situated in Jabalpur, India which provides an insight into Spiritual life, Yoga, Meditation and gifts of nature.
Information on Spirituality (The God Light)
Forever Expanding Awareness in Liberation Home site of the Charitable organisation FEAL, located in New Zealand.
[edit]
Overviews
The Internet Sacred Text Archive
OpenSourceSpirituality Interactive Community Resource for Spirituality
Spirituality in Adult and Higher Education
[edit]
Specific spiritual traditions
Anthroposophy
Atma Jyoti Ashram Articles on aspects of Hindu spirituality.
Christian Science perspective on spirituality and healing.
Foundation for A Course in Miracles
Islamic Spirituality - Esoteric views of Islamic spirituality
Humanist Spirituality
Jesuit Sacred Space Irish Jesuits' daily prayer - an example of Ignatian
Kheper.net An overview of esoteric teachings
Krishna Spirituality
New Age Spirituality
Rosicrucian description of Eastern and Western Spiritual Alternatives, an esoteric perspective
Spirituality & Healing - a Biblical view of Spiritual health
Information on Different Spiritual Beliefs and Philosophies. (The God Light)
Scientology perspective on spirituality
[edit]
Contemporary spiritual figures
Adidam Website devoted to the spiritual practice of Adidam as taught by Adi Da Samraj
H.H. Dalai Lama
H.H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar The Art of Living Foundation
Krishnananda: The official website of Swami Krishnananda.
Swami Vivekananda Boston RamaKrishna Vedanta Society
Jonathan Evatt Official home page of the contemporary mystic, author, spiritual teacher, and councillor Jonathan Evatt.
Billy Graham Official website of Billy Graham
[edit]
Other
Wikireason - Distributed unconsciousness
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirituality"
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Religion is a system of social coherence based on a common group of beliefs or attitudes concerning an object, person, unseen being, or system of thought considered to be supernatural, sacred, divine or highest truth, and the moral codes, practices, values, institutions, and rituals associated with such belief or system of thought. It is sometimes used interchangeably with "faith" or "belief system"[1], but is more socially defined than that of personal convictions.

The development of religion has taken many forms in various cultures. "Organized religion" generally refers to an organization of people supporting the exercise of some religion with a prescribed set of beliefs, often taking the form of a legal entity (see religion-supporting organization). Other religions believe in personal revelation and responsibility.

Contents [hide]
1 Definition of religion
2 Development of religion
2.1 Religion as a social construction
2.2 Religions as progressively true
2.3 Religions as absolutely true
3 Demographics
3.1 Present day adherents
3.2 Trends in adherence
4 Religious belief
5 Related forms of thought
5.1 Religion and science
5.2 Religion, metaphysics, and cosmology
5.3 Esotericism and mysticism
5.4 Spirituality
5.5 Myth
5.6 Cosmology
6 Etymology
6.1 From Relego
6.2 From Religare
6.3 From Res + legere
7 See also
8 Notes
9 References
10 External links



[edit]
Definition of religion

Hinduism is possibly the world's oldest existing religion. Shown here is a 1100-year-old Siva temple in Indonesia, PrambananThere are many definitions of religion, and most have struggled to avoid an overly sharp definition on the one hand, and meaningless generalities on the other. Some have tried to use formalistic, doctrinal definitions and others have tried to use experiential, emotive, intuitive, valuational and ethical factors.

Sociologists and anthropologists see religion as an abstract set of ideas, values, or experiences developed as part of a cultural matrix. Primitive religion was indistinguishable from the sociocultural acts where custom and ritual defined an emotional reality.

Other religious scholars have put forward a definition of religion that avoids the reductionism of the various sociological and psychological disciplines that relegate religion to its component factors. Religion may be defined as the presence of a belief in the sacred or the holy. For example Rudolf Otto's "The Idea of the Holy," formulated in 1917, defines the essence of religious awareness as awe, a unique blend of fear and fascination before the divine. Friedrich Schleiermacher in the late 18th century defined religion as a "feeling of absolute dependence."

The Encyclopedia of Religion describes religion in the following way:

"In summary, it may be said that almost every known culture involves the religious in the above sense of a depth dimension in cultural experiences at all levels — a push, whether ill-defined or conscious, toward some sort of ultimacy and transcendence that will provide norms and power for the rest of life. When more or less distinct patterns of behaviour are built around this depth dimension in a culture, this structure constitutes religion in its historically recognizable form. Religion is the organization of life around the depth dimensions of experience — varied in form, completeness, and clarity in accordance with the environing culture."
(Winston King, Encyclopedia of Religion, p 7693)
[edit]
Development of religion

Jerusalem is an ancient and sacred city of key importance to the three major Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Pictured is the Temple Mount.Main article: Development of religion
There are a number of models regarding the ways in which religions come into being and develop. Broadly speaking, these models fall into three categories:

Models which see religions as social constructions;
Models which see religions as progressing toward higher, objective truth;
Models which see a particular religion as absolutely true;
The models are not mutually exclusive. Multiple models may be seen to apply simultaneously, or different models may be seen as applying to different religions.

[edit]
Religion as a social construction
This group of models holds that religion is a social construction, rather than referring to actual supernatural phenomena; that is, phenomena beyond the natural world that we measure using the scientific method. Some of these models view religion as nonetheless having or having had a mostly positive effect on society, the individual, and civilization itself, and others view it as having or having had a mostly injurious or destructive effect. Many of these views have their origins in the field of the sociology of religion.

Models that view religion as a social construction include the "Dogma Selection Model," which holds that religions, although untrue in themselves, encode instructions or habits useful for survival, and that these ideas "mutate" periodically as they are passed on, and spread or die out in accord with their effectiveness at improving chances for survival. Karl Marx stated that "Religion is the opiate of the masses." This comment spawned a new model, in which, summarizes Bertrand Russel, "[r]eligion in any shape or form is regarded as a pernicious and deliberate falsehood, spread and encouraged by rulers and clerics in their own interests, since it is easier to exercise control over the ignorant" (Wisdom of the West, ISBN 0-517-69041-1). Furthermore, the "Theory of Religion Model" states that religion arose from some psychological or moral pathology in religious leaders and believers. Another theory states that spirit-based religions found in many indigenous tribes may originate in dreams. A dead person seen in a dream is, in some sense, not really dead, and so may be able to do good or harm. Some anthropologists see in this the origin of a belief in ghosts and in those religions in which ancestors are worshiped [2].

[edit]
Religions as progressively true

Shrine of the Báb in Haifa, IsraelIn contrast to the above models, the following models see religion as "progressively true." Within these models, religions reflect an essential Truth to one degree or another. The development of religion is therefore the course of religions aligning themselves more closely with the Truth.

Models which view religion as progressively true include the Bahá'í model of prophetic revelation, which holds that God has sent a series of prophets to Earth, each of which brought teachings appropriate for his culture and context, but all originating from the same God, and therefore teaching the same essential message. While religious truth is seen as being relative due to its varied cultural and developmental expression, this model accepts that the underlying essential truth being expressed is absolutely true, if incompletely and progressively presented. The A Study of History Model holds that prophets are given to extraordinary spiritual insight during periods of social decay and act as "surveyors of the course of secular civilization who report breaks in the road and breakdowns in the traffic, and plot a new spiritual course which will avoid those pitfalls." Another model, the Great Awakening Model, states that religion proceeds along a Hegelian dialectic of thesis, antithesis, synthesis, in cycles of approximately 80 years as a result of the interaction between four archetypal generations, by which old religious beliefs (the thesis) face new challenges for which they are unprepared (the antithesis) and adapt to create new and more sophisticated beliefs (the synthesis).

[edit]
Religions as absolutely true
In the following models, religions are seen as absolutely and unchangingly True. They contrast with both the first group of models (which held religion to be false), and the second group (which held religion to develop over time).

Models which view a particular religion as absolutely true include the Jewish and Christian Model which holds that God relates to humanity through covenants; that he established a covenant with all humanity at the time of Noah called the Noahide Laws, and that he established a covenant with Israel through the Ten Commandments, and also Jesus Christ did establish a covenant with the world through the New Testament. Exclusivist Models hold that one particular set of religious doctrines is the "One True Religion," and all others are false, so that the development of the True Religion is tied inexorably to one prophet or holy book. In this model, all other religions are seen as either distortions of the original truth or original fabrications resulting from either human ignorance or imagination, or a more devious influence, such as false prophets or the influence of another rival supernatural entity (such as Satan). The model of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is nuanced differently than either the progressively true model or the absolutely true model, in that its leaders have taught that foreordination included plans by God that prophets as well as other good men and women (for example, Mohammed, Confucius, John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, the Founding Fathers of the United States and Gandhi) would be inspired by God during the course of human history who would bring much light, truth and knowledge though not necessarily a fullness of truth to their particular societies. [2][3]

[edit]
Demographics


Dominant world religions, mapped by country.
Buddhist monk Geshe Konchog Wangdu reads Mahayana sutras from an old woodblock copy of the Tibetan Kanjur.[edit]
Present day adherents
The following statistics show the number of adherents in all known approaches, both religious and irreligious worldwide. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism are the largest world religions today. Approximately 75% of humanity follows one of these 4 religions. Christianity is the religion with the largest number of professed religious adherents, followed by Islam. The third-largest group of approximately 1 billion people adhere to irreligious approaches which include Humanism, Atheism, Rationalism, and Agnosticism. Hinduism with 900 million adherents is the third largest religion followed by 19 smaller groups of religious adherents. These figures are necessarily approximate: note that the figures in the following table total nearly 7 billion people, yet the world population was only 6.4 billion (2005). [3].
(Note however, that a person doesn't necessarily have to be an adherent of solely one religion.)

Christianity 2.1 billion
Islam 1.3 billion
Secular/Atheist/Irreligious/Agnostic/Nontheist 1.1 billion
Hinduism 900 million
Buddhism 708 million (see also Buddhism by country)
Chinese folk religion 394 million
Primal indigenous ("Pagan") 300 million
African traditional and diasporic 100 million
Sikhism 23 million
Juche 19 million
Spiritism 15 million
Judaism 14 million
Bahá'í Faith 7 million
Jainism 4.2 million
Shinto 4 million (see below)
Cao Dai 4 million
Zoroastrianism 2.6 million
Tenrikyo 2 million
Neo-Paganism 1 million
Unitarian Universalism 800,000
Rastafari movement 600,000
Christianity encompasses many different denominations but the statistics in the source for this document consider them all together for the purposes of analysis.
Shinto is a special case due to shrine-reporting versus self-reporting. Since the 17th century, there have been laws in Japan requiring registration with Shinto shrines. Because of this, 75-90% of all Japanese are listed on shrine rolls, greatly inflating the apparent number of adherents. When asked in polls, only about 3.3% of Japanese people identify themselves as "Shinto."[4] However, many who do not consider themselves "Shintoists" still practice Shinto rituals.
In ranking religious denominations, the Roman Catholic Church is the largest single denomination within Christianity, Sunni Islam within Islam, and Vaishnavism within Hinduism. It is difficult to say whether there are more Roman Catholics or Sunnis, as the numbers are roughly equal, and exact counts are impossible, because some members though legally accepted in those denominations may have renounced their faith or have converted quickly.

[edit]
Trends in adherence

World map based on the results of a 2002 Pew Research Center study on the importance of religion.
The largest religious gathering of humans on Earth [1]. About 70 million Hindus from around the world participated in Kumbh Mela in the Hindu holy city of Prayaga, India, which is also known as Allahabad.Since the late 19th century, the demographics of religion have changed a great deal. Some countries with a historically large Christian population have experienced a significant decline in the numbers of professed active Christians. Symptoms of the decline in active participation in Christian religious life include declining recruitment for the priesthood and monastic life, as well as diminishing attendance at church. At the same time, there has been an increase in the number of people who identify themselves as secular humanists. In many countries, such as the People's Republic of China, communist governments have discouraged religion, making it difficult to count the actual number of believers. However, after the collapse of communism in numerous countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, Eastern Orthodox Christianity has been experiencing considerable resurgence there.

Within the world's four largest religions Christianity currently has the greatest growth by numbers and Islam has the fastest growth by percentage.[4] Islam composes a large majority in many countries from northern Africa to Indonesia, where there are close ties between government and religion and with the influx of Muslim immigrants to Western countries, Islam has grown in significance and in popular awareness even in countries where it is still a minority religion. Similarily, Christianity composes a large majority in many continents; it is the predominant religion in the Americas, Europe, Oceania and southern Africa. It is also spreading rapidly in northern Africa and the Far East, in particular China and South Korea. Like Islam, the growing number of Christian missionaries in the Middle East has made Christianity grown in significance. Hinduism is undergoing a revival, and many temples are being built, both in India and in other countries. In the Far East, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Shintoism are the religions with the largest number of adherents and have greatly influenced spirituality in the West, particularly in the United States.

A 2002 Pew Research Center study found that, generally, poorer nations had a larger proportion of citizens who found religion to be very important than richer nations, with the exception of the United States.[5]

See also: Major religious groups, Religion by country
[edit]
Religious belief
Main article: Religious belief
Religious belief usually relates to the existence, nature and worship of a deity or deities and divine involvement in the universe and human life. Alternately, it may also relate to values and practices transmitted by a spiritual leader. Unlike other belief systems, which may be passed on orally, religious belief tends to be codified. Religious beliefs are found in virtually every society throughout human history.

[edit]
Related forms of thought
[edit]
Religion and science
Main article: The relationship between religion and science
Religious knowledge, according to religious practitioners, may be gained from religious leaders, sacred texts (scriptures), and/or personal revelation. Some religions view such knowledge as unlimited in scope and suitable to answer any question; others see religious knowledge as playing a more restricted role, often as a complement to knowledge gained through physical observation. Some religious people maintain that religious knowledge obtained in this way is absolute and infallible (religious cosmology). While almost unlimited, this knowledge can be unreliable, since the particulars of religious knowledge vary from religion to religion, from sect to sect, and often from individual to individual

The scientific method gains knowledge by testing theories through facts or experiments and thus only answers cosmological questions about the physical universe. It develops theories of the world which best fit physically observed evidence. All scientific knowledge is probabilistic and subject to later improvement or revision in the face of better evidence. Scientific theories that have an overwhelming preponderance of favorable evidence are often treated as facts.


Early science such as geometry and astronomy was connected to the divine for most medieval scholars. The compass in this 13th Century manuscript is a symbol of God's act of creation.Many early scientists held strong religious beliefs (see Scientists of Faith and List of Christian thinkers in science) and strove to reconcile science and religion. Isaac Newton, for example, believed that gravity caused the planets to revolve about the Sun, and credited God with the design. In the concluding General Scholium to the Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, he wrote: "This most beautiful System of the Sun, Planets and Comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being." Nevertheless, conflict arose between religious organizations and individuals who propagated scientific theories which were deemed unacceptable by the organizations. The Roman Catholic Church, for example, has historically reserved to itself the right to decide which scientific theories are acceptable and which are unacceptable. In the 17th century, Galileo was tried and forced to recant the heliocentric theory. Several other scientists have had their discoveries opressed as well. The modern Roman Catholic Church accepts most common current scientific theories, to the extent that they can be shown not to conflict with the Church's doctrine.[citation needed]


An engraving by Albrecht Dürer featuring Mashallah, from the title page of the De scientia motus orbis (Latin version with engraving, 1504). As in many medieval illustrations, the compass here is an icon of religion as well as science, in reference to God as the architect of creation.Many theories exist as to why religions sometimes seems to conflict with scientific knowledge. In the case of Christianity, a relevant factor may be that it was among Christians that science in the modern sense was developed. Unlike other religious groups, as early as the 17th century the Christian churches had to deal directly with this new way to investigate nature and seek truth. The perceived conflict between science and Christianity may also be partially explained by a literal interpretation of the Bible adhered to by many Christians, both currently and historically. This way to read the sacred texts became especially prevalent after the rise of the Protestant reformation, with its emphasis on the Bible as the only authoritative source concerning the ultimate reality.[citation needed]This view is often shunned by both religous leaders (who regard literally believeing it as petty and look for greater meaning instead) and scientists who regard it as an impossibility.

Some Christians have disagreed or are still disagreeing with scientists in areas such as the validity of Keplerian astronomy, the theory of evolution, the method of creation of the universe and the Earth, and the origins of life. On the other hand, scholars such as Stanley Jaki have suggested that Christianity and its particular worldview was a crucial factor for the emergence of modern science.

Proponents of Hinduism claim that Hinduism is not afraid of scientific explorations, nor of the technological progress of mankind. According to them, there is a comprehensive scope and opportunity for Hinduism to mold itself according to the demands and aspirations of the modern world; it has the ability to align itself with both science and spiritualism. This religion uses some modern examples to explain its ancient theories and reinforce its own beliefs. For example, some Hindu thinkers have used the terminology of quantum physics to explain some basic concepts of Hinduism such as Maya or the illusory and impermanent nature of our existence.

The philosophical approach known as pragmatism, as propounded by the American philosopher William James, has been used to reconcile scientific with religious knowledge. Pragmatism, simplistically, holds that the truth of a set of beliefs can be indicated by its usefulness in helping people cope with a particular context of life. Thus, the fact that scientific beliefs are useful in predicting observations in the physical world can indicate a certain truth for scientific theories; the fact that religious beliefs can be useful in helping people cope with difficult emotions or moral decisions can indicate a certain truth for those beliefs. (For a similar postmodern view, see grand narrative).

[edit]
Religion, metaphysics, and cosmology
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Religion and philosophy meet in several areas, notably in the study of metaphysics and cosmology. In particular, a distinct set of religious beliefs will often entail a specific metaphysics and cosmology. That is, a religion will generally have answers to metaphysical and cosmological questions about the nature of being, of the universe, humanity, and the divine.

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Esotericism and mysticism

Man meditatingMysticism, in contrast with philosophy and metaphysics, denies that logic is the most important method of gaining enlightenment. Rather, physical disciplines such as yoga, starvation, self-strangulation, whirling (in the case of the Sufi dervishes), or the use of Psychoactive drugs such as LSD, lead to higher states of consciousness that logic can never hope to grasp.

Mysticism ("to conceal") is the pursuit of communion with, or conscious awareness of ultimate reality, the divine, spiritual truth, or God through direct, personal experience (intuition or insight) rather than rational thought. Mystics speak of the existence of realities behind external perception or intellectual apprehension that are central to being and directly accessible through personal experience. They say that such experience is a genuine and important source of knowledge.

Esotericism claims to be more sophisticated than religion, to rely on intellectual understanding rather than faith, and to improve on philosophy in its emphasis on techniques of psycho-spiritual transformation (esoteric cosmology). Esotericism refers to "hidden" knowledge available only to the advanced, privileged, or initiated, as opposed to exoteric knowledge, which is public. It applies especially to spiritual practices. The mystery religions of ancient Greece are examples of Esotericism.

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Spirituality
Main article: Spirituality
Members of an organized religion may not see any significant difference between religion and spirituality. Or they may see a distinction between the mundane, earthly aspects of their religion and its spiritual dimension.

Some individuals draw a strong distinction between religion and spirituality. They may see spirituality as a belief in ideas of religious significance (such as God, the Soul, or Heaven), but not feel bound to the bureaucratic structure and creeds of a particular organized religion. They choose the term spirituality rather than religion to describe their form of belief, perhaps reflecting a disillusionment with organized religion (see Religion in modernity), and a movement towards a more "modern" — more tolerant, and more intuitive — form of religion. These individuals may reject organized religion because of historical acts by religious organizations, such as Islamic terrorism, the marginalisation and persecution of various minorities or the Spanish Inquisition.


Hinduism emphasizes that every living being is an eternally existing, individual spirit. While changing its body at every moment, this soul passes from one form of body to another. (Image copyright BBTI)[edit]
Myth
Main article: Mythology
The word myth has several meanings:

A traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon;
A person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence.
A metaphor for the spiritual potentiality in the human being [5]
Ancient polytheistic religions, such as those of Greece, Rome, and Scandinavia, are categorized under the heading of mythology. Religions of pre-industrial peoples, or cultures in development, are similarly called myths in the anthropology of religion. The term "myth" can be used pejoratively by both religious and non-religious people. But by defining another person's religious stories and beliefs as mythology, one implies that they are less real or true than one's own religious stories and beliefs. Joseph Campbell often made the statement "Mythology is popularly defined as 'other peoples' religions'...but actually religion is misinterpreted mythology".

Humanists believe that all religion is based on myth, including modern day religions such as Christianity.

The term myth in sociology, however, has a non-pejorative meaning. There, myth is defined as stories that are important for the group whether or not it is objectively or provably true. Examples include the death and resurrection of Jesus, which, to Christians, explains the means by which they are freed from sin, as well as being ostensibly a historical event. But from a mythological outlook, whether or not a death and resurrection actually occurred or not is unimportant. Instead, the symbolism of a death to an old "life" and the start of a new "life" is more important than the religious dogma of the actual historical authenticity.


Urarina shaman, 1988[edit]
Cosmology
Main articles: Religious cosmology, Philosophy, Metaphysics, Esotericism, and Mysticism
Main articles: Spirituality, Mythology, and Philosophy of Religion
Humans have many different methods which attempt to answer fundamental questions about the nature of the universe and our place in it (cosmology). What is reality? How can we know? Who are we? Why we are here? How should we live? What happens after we die? Religion is only one of the methods for trying to answer one or more of these questions. Other methods include science, philosophy, metaphysics, astrology, esotericism, mysticism, and forms of shamanism, such as the sacred consumption of ayahuasca among Peruvian Amazonia's Urarina. The Urarina have an elaborate animistic cosmological system[6], which informs their mythology, religious orientation and daily existence.

Given the generalized discontents with modernity, consumerism, over-consumption, violence and anomie, many people in the so-called industrial or post-industrial West rely on a number of distinctive religious worldviews. This in turn has given rise to increased religious pluralism, as well as to what are commonly known in the academic literature as new religious movements, which are gaining ground across the globe.

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Etymology
The etymology of the word "religion" has been debated for centuries. The English word clearly derives from the Latin religio, "reverence (for the gods)" or "conscientiousness". The origins of religio, however, are obscure. Proposed etymological interpretations include:

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From Relego
Re-reading–from Latin re (again) + lego (in the sense of "read"), referring to the repetition of scripture.
Treating carefully–from Latin re (again) + lego (in the sense of "choose"–this was the interpretation of Cicero) "go over again" or "consider carefully".
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From Religare
Re-connection to the divine–from Latin re (again) + ligare (to connect, as in English ligament). This interpretation is favoured by modern scholars such as Tom Harpur, but was made prominent by St. Augustine, following the interpretation of Lactantius.
To bind or return to bondage–an alternate interpretation of the "reconnection" etymology emphasizing a sense of servitude to God, this may have originated with Augustine. However, the interpretation, while popular with critics of religion, is often considered imprecise and possibly offensive to followers.
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From Res + legere
Concerning a gathering — from Latin res (ablative re, with regard to) + legere (to gather), since organized religion revolves around a gathering of people.
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See also
Belief Systems v·d·e

Acosmism | Agnosticism | Animism | Antitheism | Atheism | Binitarianism | Deism | Determinism | Duotheism | Esotericism | Eutheism and dystheism | Gnosticism | Henotheism | Ignosticism | Kathenotheism | Monism | Monotheism | Monolatrism | Mysticism | New Age | Nondualism | Nontheism | Omnitheism | Pandeism | Panendeism | Panentheism | Pantheism | Polydeism | Polytheism | Spiritualism | Theism | Theopanism | Transcendentalism | Transtheism | Trinitarianism | Unitarianism




Religion-related topics edit
This template is currently being cleaned up. Please excuse the appearance in the meantime.
See Category:Religion for a complete list of related articles.
Aspects of religion Beliefs - Practice - Supernatural beings - Education - Organizations - People
Study of religion Anthropology of religion – Comparative religion – Psychology of religion – Sociology of religion – Philosophy of religion – Neurotheology – Religious studies – Spirituality studies
Types of religions ancestor worship – civil religion – folk religion – fundamentalism – mystery religion – New Age – paganism – shamanism – spirituality – totemism – animism – revealed religion
Attributes of some religions clergy – creed – cult – dogma – orthodoxy – priests
Elements of some religious worldviews Dharma Yukam – afterlife – chosen people – creation belief – end of the world – evil - heaven – hell – karma – miracles – moksha – nirvana – resurrection – revelation – soul – spiritual possession – supernatural – Reports of unusual religious childbirths – angel – animal worship – demigod – demon – deva – devil – ekam – god – goddess – prophet – sky father – solar deity – spirit – covenant
Practices frowned upon by religions apostasy – heresy – idolatry – sin
Comparison Comparing Eastern and Western religious traditions – Arguments for and against the existence of God
Related subjects mythology – philosophy of religion – theology – pseudoreligion – Dualism (philosophy of mind) – Idealism (philosophy) – Vitalism
Non-religious beliefs religious violence – Criticism of religion – agnosticism – atheism – secularism – Secular humanism – Irreligion
Joining and leaving conversion – disengagement
Lists list of religious topics – Major world religions – list of religions – list of religious populations – list of deities – List of people considered to be deities – List of religion scholars – List of largest gatherings in history – Methods of divination




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Notes
Religion Portal
^ The words "belief system" may not necessarily refer to a religion, though a religion may be referred to as "belief system."
^ Smith, Joseph F., Gospel Doctrine, 1919, Chapter 22.;Top, Brent L., Life Before, 1988, Chapter 7
^ To the question of why God would inspire Mohammed with one set of doctrines and Joseph Smith with another, Mormonism answers that God answers specific questions that are asked of Him in prayer or meditation, but only according to the faith, intent, desire, and particular understanding of the person, who may mix inspired truths with their own views unless they receive full prophetic revelation. Mormonism posits that each mortal person has the God-given right to receive knowledge of truth "line upon line, precept upon precept," (Isaiah 28:13), as they ask for it or ponder it in their hearts.
^ Barrett, David A. (2001). World Christian Encyclopedia, p. 4.
^ Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth, p22 ISBN 0-385-24774-5
^ Bartholomew Dean 1994 "The Poetics of Creation: Urarina Cosmology and Historical Consciousness." Latin American Indian Literatures Journal (10):22-45
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References
Saint Augustine; The Confessions of Saint Augustine (John K. Ryan translator); Image (1960), ISBN 0-385-02955-1.
Descartes, René; Meditations on First Philosophy; Bobbs-Merril (1960), ISBN 0-672-60191-5.
Durant, Will (& Ariel (uncredited)); Our Oriental Heritage; MJF Books (1997), ISBN 1-56731-012-5.
Durant, Will (& Ariel (uncredited)); Caesar and Christ; MJF Books (1994), ISBN 1-56731-014-1
Durant, Will (& Ariel (uncredited)); The Age of Faith; Simon & Schuster (1980), ISBN 0-671-01200-2.
Gonick, Larry; The Cartoon History of the Universe; Doubleday, vol. 1 (1978) ISBN 0-385-26520-4, vol. II (1994) ISBN#0-385-42093-5, W. W. Norton, vol. III (2002) ISBN 0-393-05184-6.
Haisch, Bernard The God Theory: Universes, Zero-point Fields, and What's Behind It All -- discussion of science vs. religion (Preface), Red Wheel/Weiser, 2006, ISBN 1-57863-374-5
Lao Tzu; Tao Te Ching (Victor H. Mair translator); Bantam (1998).
Saler, Benson; "Conceptualizing Religion: Immanent Anthropologists, Transcendent Natives, and Unbounded Categories" (1990), ISBN 1-57181-219-9
The Holy Bible, King James Version; New American Library (1974).
The Koran; Penguin (2000), ISBN 0-14-044558-7.
The Origin of Live & Death, African Creation Myths; Heinemann (1966).
Poems of Heaven and Hell from Ancient Mesopotamia; Penguin (1971).
The World Almanac (annual), World Almanac Books, ISBN 0-88687-964-7.
The Serotonin System and Spiritual Experiences - American Journal of Psychiatry 160:1965-1969, November 2003.
United States Constitution
"Selected Works" Marcus Tullius Cicero
The World Almanac (for numbers of adherents of various religions), 2005
Religion [First Edition]. Winston King. Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. Vol. 11. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. p7692-7701.
World Religions and Social Evolution of the Old World Oikumene Civilizations: A Cross-cultural Perspective by Andrey Korotayev, Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2004, ISBN 0-7734-6310-0 [6].
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External links
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
ReligionWikimedia Commons has media related to:
Category:ReligionWhat does it mean to be human? BBC article about Flores Man and religion
Studying Religion - Introduction to the methods and scholars of the academic study of religion
A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right - Marx's original reference to religion as the opium of the masses.
Religious tolerance
The Complexity of Religion and the Definition of “Religion” in International Law Harvard Human Rights Journal article from the President and Fellows of Harvard College(2003)
Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents by Adherents.com (August 28, 2005) Retrieved December 22, 2005
Philosophy and religion - an overview



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hope this helps

Answer 2

These are not necessarily 'textbook' definitions, but they are a very close fit to the forum you are asking this question in:

Spirituality refers to the awareness or search for something metaphysical, or something beyond the limitations of this life.

Religion is a title given to an organized or clearly defined effort to define or establish a persons or group of peoples position relative to the metaphysical.

I am a Christian, in the historical sense of the title, so I suppose the closest fitting term for me is spiritually religious. Being spiritual is by far the more important part because the parameters or conclusion of that quest outline the requirements for choosing and exercising a religious practice. In the case of Christianity, the primary part is establishing a relationship with Jesus, and as a result of that relationship, you pursue a "religious" lifestyle (not necessarily a religion).

Answer 3

I think you've already gotten the best points above to add up into your very cleverly intelligent mind. Religion is keeping it organized as it regulates a form of group in spirituality, So as 'YES' it requires one to follow through within its set beliefs and principles. It may call for a duty to abide the rules of a certain organization or formed group, whereas Spirituality is much more free and uninhibited in beliefs and interactions with the living universe in one's consciousness or creations. However the only thing that relates similarity between religion and spirituality is that both have their own (composed) spiritual values regardless of whatever..(specifically whether good or bad) xxPQ..

Answer 4

The Main Difference Between Religion And Spirituality

Spirituality is direct communion, or the seeking of direct communion, with the Divine.

What does that really mean? Commeans with, union means joining into one. Spiritual communication is merging into One with the Divine.

Or more accurately, realising that you are already One with the Divine, indivisible and eternal.

That is the entire purpose of spirituality. However, the purpose of religion is somewhat different.

Answer 5

I am more of a spiritualist than a follower of religious traditions. Although, I do see the benefit in belonging to an organized religion. Religion offers a structured belief system and a social circle of persons of the same faith, which can be very healing and spiritually uplifting.

I feel that spirituality offers more of an opportunity to "know myself" and my personal relationship with a higher power. I feel that both religion and spirituality are important, but in order to choose a religion that fits my own personal walk with God....I need to walk alone with God first.

Answer 6

They are altogether different. Religion is basically a group of people following certain dogma/rituals told by a book or a prophet.

Real spirituality is not the one professed by christianity or other religions...in fact spirituality has nothing to do with religions.

Spirituality is our inner progress irrespective of our religion. A spiritual person is more concerned about the philosophy of god and creation, without caring for the mythological crap.

Religious people may be fanatic, stubborn and idiots, whereas spiritual person more lives in harmony with his fellowmen, in more harmony with God and His creation.

The prime duty of every religion is to advance its followers towards spirituality....but our mind fools us by circling into crap, ego and rituals

Next evolution of mind is spirituality...many have already reached there...others are following slowly...some zigzag...some straight

Answer 7

Good question. Religion is the codified approach to the worship of a deity. It is the methodical approach to worship.
Spirituality, however is the inner feeling one has about the nature of a deity, the meaning of life, the need for morals, the approach to life and the afterlife.
Religion is old men wearing robes.
Spirituality is thinking about why we should feed birds

Answer 8

Religion... some people don't need it, not as long as you have a connetion with God.

I am spiritual, there is many degrees of being spiritual, I feel that I don't need a religion, I feel the connection with God.
Most people don't understand that there is many degrees of being spiritual, it's very powerful, perhaps the closes feeling to God, I felt God many times, God communicates in many, many ways, and most of them are spiritually. God is Spirit. I felt God's presence intereve to me, and what he said to me. I see Ghost, Angels, or feel their presence. I have the spiritual gift stronger than most, I met one one woman that has it stronger then I.

Any one can be in a religion, really no one really needs it, it only starts fights, wars. What did people do before Christ, they didn't have religions. I was raised Catholic, consider myself a christian, but know I don't need a religion. God done more for me, not in Church, but any and everywhere god is there. I go to any Church I feel like no matter what the religion is, Cause God knows my heart, and I know he is everywhere.
Trust me when I say this.... try having a close personal connection with God Lord Jesus and the Holy ghost before you join any Religion, perhaps you may fall into or feel the spiritual meaning, the more sincere compassionate prayers you have, the more things will happen to you spiritually, be patient, continue with the prayers daily...... good luck, and God bless
P.S
The only true way to know about someone truly spiritual, is to ask someone gifted in that area, cause most PEOPLE truly don't understand, because they never got the true feel:)

Answer 9

It depends entirely on your own opinion.

Religions can promote spirituality but most don't. Most religions are a set of rules invented by men and imposed on others.

There are no Bible based religions that can be considered "spiritual." They all rely on the human body as their focus. Which is not "spiritual" by any stretch of the imagination.

Answer 10

Religion is the outer expression of an innate sense of Something Greater, something beyond, yet closer than breath.
Spirituality is that sense.

Answer 11

Not much. They are both an illusion. Except that religion is highly controlled and organized illusion. So called spirituality can be a bit more laid back. However they frequenty bring in big bucks to those who promote them.