What do you think is the difference between religion and spirituality?

Answer 1

Religion is most often used to describe an organized group or culture that has generally been built around a strong doctrine or dogma. Religions usually present specific teachings and doctrines while nurturing and propagating a particular way of life.

Spirituality is a way to move beyond the superficial understanding of life and analyze some of the underlying meanings. There are zillions of underlying layers, so this is not a simple search to understand every underlying fact. Rather, its contentment with your present situation and your present understanding, along with an inner effort and openness to growing into new and different views, options, and future visions.

When you begin your travel on your spiritual quest, your focus and determination (which can be named as religion, whichever it is) will help to achieve your goal, but it is also important to practice habits that are conducive to becoming healthy or spiritual.

For example, if you want to become lean and strong, you have to know which kinds of foods are best to eat, how much water to drink, and how much exercise will help to strong body. Similarly, if you're looking for unraveling the spiritual mystery, you have to know what qualities, disciplines, and practices will guide you to make choices, thoughts, and actions that reveal your spiritual nature.

You can develop spiritual habits and practices to strengthen and purify your entire being – mind and body.
For example, your spiritual habits to purify and strengthen your body also support the increased flows of energy that come from your mental and spiritual toughness. And that has nothing to do with dogmas of an especific religion, its totally linked to you and your own inner perception.

If you can control your senses and thoughts and turn them away from external distractions, you may move beyond the most obvious layers of factual meanings to see some of the rare symbolism and spectrum of images behind the surface of life.
As one becomes more spiritual, violent aggressions of fighting and trying to control the spiritual beliefs of other people can be shed off like a dress that no longer fits In fact, many spiritual seekers begin to feel that every human being is in fact a replication of the divine being – the omni present God.
Each one reflects in our own images, the image of God.
The process for that, is up to you or the beliefs your family taught you, which I will name as religion.

This realization is perhaps the goal of spiritual quest.
Let your spiritual journey bring you peace and tranquility that transcends all your sorrows and help you radiate happiness all around.
God is One. The path to Him is uncountable.

Blessings and very Merry Christmas!

Answer 2

I think spirituality is something anyone is capable of experiencing. It's your personal set of beliefs whether mystical, philosophical or religious in nature.

Religion is when people who share those specific beliefs organize a group to practice those beliefs and establish a moral code to live by.

Formal definitions from dictionary.com:
Spirituality - incorporeal or immaterial nature.
Religion - the body of persons adhering to a particular set of beliefs and practices.

Also found "Spirituality for Dummies" which has some interesting info on "The Difference Between Spirituality and Religion" - http://www.spiritual-happiness.com/sfdch1.html

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

Your spirituality is between you and God or you and nature. It has nothing to do with religion. You can be spiritual without being religious.
Religion comes with a set of rules and beliefs that everyone who subscribes to that doctrine believes. Spirituality is very personal...it is your own - how you feel about your relationship with God, nature, your own soul.

Answer 4

Spirituality is more associated with private practices that really have more personal association with the bible/Torah/Koran (an other such books of great knowledge) or the main stream beliefs that people follow.

Religion is what happens when the government gives a group of people tax credits for telling other people how to live

Answer 5

Spirituality is the goal of all religions, however religions is not the only way to reach spirituality.
Spirituality can be achieved from deep contemplations and understanding the meaning of life, the existence of yourself.

Answer 6

Spirituality is a relationship with God. Religion is something you do all the time like going to church to show that you want to learn more about God.

Answer 7

Spirituality comes from with in and religion comes from outside of you.

Answer 8

Religion lacks the power to fulfill what you have knowledge to do .Spirituality gives me not just knowledge, but Wisdom in how to use that Knowledge to benefit myself as well as exalt my Lord. I have heard it said to be a Christian we have to repent and except Jesus, but to be spiritual we need a relationship with the Holy Ghost. If you notice there isn't much teaching going on concerning the Holy Ghost, yet Jesus last words to His Apostles was for them to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father, that they would be baptized with the Holy Ghost and receive power. Acts 1:4-8. Peter denied Jesus three times in one night and after receiving the Holy Ghost he preached Jesus to the multitude with a loud voice and three thousand souls were added to the church that day,Acts chapter 2. God Bless and Thumbs up 2 u !

Answer 9

Spirituality in a Christian sense is having an eternal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Religion is just a man made set of legalistic rules in an attempt to reach God by our own means instead of trusting Christ. www.equip.org

Answer 10

Spirituality is your relationship with the Universe and God. Religion is how you practice that.