What If you believe in God and are spiritual, but don't have a religion?

Question

And not confused either, but is there a classification for this? So much drama when it comes to religion, I have chosen to just have faith and integrity, and a little knowledge from all religions. All religions (As far as I know)have some good to offer, and all have there flaws. Why choose?

Cjunk, just for your info. and anyone interested. I grew up in a Cathlic home, father was an organist, priest came over our house for holidays. I learned good morals and beliefs but always had ?'s noone could answer.

Answer 1

You are in the position of knowing that God has chosen you.
Because God is in everything, and nothing exists that God does not want to exist.
1 Corinthians 7:17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
Anything that God wants of you, believe, and God will lead you where you got to go.
Let this issue bother you no more.
You are forgiven, remember?

Answer 2

I am not sure that there is a name, in fact you mention in your question the title by which I mostly describe myself. That is that I have spirituality - or that I am a spiritual person.
We are all spiritual people, we are all children of God. Names and groups have a tendency to produce factionalism, hence we have so many religions in the world and so much damage is done in the name of religion.
But each of these have at their heart a spirituality - an acknowledgement, communication and relationship with source, god or whatever other of the many names s/he goes by. The essence to all religion, and also ancient cultural life is spirituality.
To respond to another answer - it is easy to have a relationship with god without the organisation of a religion, though I would agree that being with like-minded people helps. Meditation groups and prayer groups can be extraordinarily powerful - all you need is heart and love.

Answer 3

You must figure out how you define 'God'. If you have no religion where do you get your definition from.

Pursue your definition

EDIT
If you always have questions then the christian version of God will never make sense(which is why given your catholic experience you still have questions). Most religions wont make sense. Obviously you prefer more rational view of things.
Buddhism may be a religion you will be more comfortable with. But may have to be more 'personal' with it. Tao could be great for you also. However your desire for truth will probably lead to to settle on deist or atheist. The only rational conclusion. Even many religious people will agree. If you are going to seek rational explanations, you wont belong with them. They require 'Faith'.

I suggest you read some Plato/Socrates(500 bc). Socrates like to question these things also. Be patient with reading Socrates. It may be hard to understand at first but you will no doubt get there. It may be hard to understand mainly because of the type of language employed(the whole translation from one time and culture to another thing) not because he speaks 'weird' (if I sound condescending I dont mean to, I have no idea what your experiences are with these things)
Peace

Answer 4

The idea that you are putting forth seems to be a common one in today's world. There are many paths up the mountain but they all lead to the same heavenly destination and as long as a person leads a good life and believes in God that is the only thing that matters.

Unfortunately, that's not what Jesus taught here on earth before ascending back up to Heaven. He said that He was the way the truth and the life and that no one could come to the Father apart from Him. If a person thinks that they can come before the Holy God of Heaven and be accepted in his presence for all eternity without the imputed righteousness of Christ covering over their many sins then they are going to be in for a rude shock before they are cast into the Lake of Fire.

It's like telling God that in your case He was wasting his time by sending his dear Son to make a way for you to be accepted because you feel like you are a good enough person all on your own and you don't need Jesus to help you out by paying your sin debt for you.

But consider this analogy. God says that He will judge everyone according to what they have done in this life. If you appeared before an earthly judge and told him that all of your life you had been a good person and therefore he should let you off for whatever crime you were charged with, what would the judge say?

The judge might commend you for being a good person most of the time but because he had sworn an oath to uphold the law he would have to find you guilty of the crime you committed. He couldn't let you off because of all of the times you were obeying the law.

God is a righteous and holy judge and He says "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

So you have a choice to make. Are you going to hope that God who cannot lie is going to make an exception in your case or are you going to take Him up on his offer of accepting his Son and guarantee your salvation? Think about it.

Answer 5

Great point. I think that you could consider yourself faithful and spiritual, but not religious. However, everyone's definition of those words are different.

Most every religion has its flaws. However, usually the flaws are not characteristic to the religion itself, but rather the corruption of that religion. Example: Islam is, in essence, a peaceful religion. However, when fundamentalist extremists like Osama Bin Laden go on a power trip and take the Koran and take passages out of context, and make them say what they want it to for their own benefit, it is corruption of that religion. So when people critizise this, they are criticizing the corruption, not the true religion.

Answer 6

You are in the best place ever. Organized religion is man made and restrictive. You have a personal relationship with your God and that is the way it is suppose to be. You don't need a classification, you don't need to be identified by anything other than your own belief. Good for you.

Answer 7

I personally don't believe in a Deity, but I do believe that you have found your way spiritually! Spirituality is such a personal thing anyway! Did God mean for us to be so fractured insofar as HOW we believe in Him? Can one religion be correct, and all the others are useless??! It sounds as though you have taken the spiritual "high road". Your spirituality seems very well thought out to me, and quite innovative. You've discovered that God cannot be "humanized", and that's a great way to start! Keep the "faith"! And congratulations!!

Answer 8

You need to believe in what you believe without putting a label on it. Don't feel that you have to label yourself in order to describe your beliefs

Many people's beliefs change throughout their lives.

If you go to a hospital and are asked your religion, you can always say non-denominational or none. You don't even have to check anything. The only reason they ask this question is because they follow what cultural practices families or patients may want to follow in their beliefs. In Catholocism it applies to Last Rites.

Answer 9

The Bible says that you should have fellowship with believers and be in service. There is so much to be gained from being in a good church. You are taught, have support, give support, etc.
The analogy is that a believer alone is like a charcoal briquet away from the stack - it soon goes out. But one in the stack stays on fire with the others. Christianity is not intended to be done alone.
And you are on a path of confusion if you want a little of everything - I think you need to make the effort if you are sincere to commit your beliefs. Take the time to visit a good Christian church - you will find it is not what you think - and their is inly one truth - in Jesus alone.

Answer 10

I think I can clear up an important issue here. there is a Importan issue that needs to be dealt with. Let me explain by asking you a question, Do you consider yourself to be a good person?
Lets look at a few questions to see How you will do on Judgement day....

Have you ever lied (even once--fibs, white lies, etc.)? Ever stolen (anything--the value is irrelevant)? Jesus said, "Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery already with her in his heart." Have you ever looked with lust? If you have said "Yes" to these three questions, by your own admission, you are a lying, thieving, adulterer at heart; and we’ve only looked at three of the Ten Commandments. the BIble wars that if you stand before God On Judgement day and your found guilty of breaking these commandments, you could end up in hell. Thats Not Gods will However. he has provided a way for you to be forgiven. He sent His Son to take our punishment: "God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He was bruised for our iniquities. Jesus then rose from the dead and defeated death.
Your own so-called “goodness” can’t get you into heaven any more than mine could. Jesus is the only way to Heaven. He is the "Door," the only "mediator." There is salvation in no other name. An intellectual belife, in God or Jesus is Not enought, you Must repent (turn from sin) and trust in Jesus as Lord and savior. Turn from your sin and cry out To Jesus to save you. Please, do this today, because there is no asurance of salvation for you right now. belife in God wont merit eternal life, Only Repentance and faith.

God Bless