Define religiousity? Define Spirituality? Does being non religious mean being non spiritual?

Question

Does being religious mean being spiritual? Are the two separate from one another? Are the two conjoined with one another? The reason why I ask this is because I ahve seen a disturbing trend on this forum for far too long where religious people call out non religious people and ask them why they are in this section. Respectful answers please.

Answer 1

"Spirituality" is a difficult thing to define. But you can tell pretty easily if someone has it or if they don't. Love, inner peace, kindness, treating others the way you would want to be treated, helping your fellow man, not judging, setting a good example... those are all "spiritual" things in my view. And you don't need religion to attain them. Many religious people have them, but it's not a requirement.

Religious but not spiritual people are the people who follow the Bible word-for-word but they don't have the inner peace and tolerance and loving attitude that you would expect to find in a "spiritual" person. There's nothing "spiritual" about a person who says "I'm getting a lot of joy in the thought of you burning in hell", or someone who throws hateful and insulting remarks in the direction of every person who doesn't agree with them. They participate in all the religious traditions and have a good understanding of specific Bible verses, but they're angry, bitter and hateful inside; those aren't "spiritual" qualities.

Spiritual but not religious people are the people who don't follow any particular holy book, don't go to church, and don't participate in many religious traditions, or do anything along those lines... but they still have the kinds of qualities I described up above. They're loving, they're caring, they don't condemn, they don't judge, and they're not bitter and hateful towards people who disagree. They have that sense of inner peace that you would expect to find.

Spirituality means different things to different people, but that's what it means to me.

Answer 2

Hi, great questions. I’ll give them my best shot by answering each one at a time below:

Does being religious mean being spiritual?
That depends completely on the person. I’ve known people who went to church, temple, etc. every week, yet they would screw people over in business, or not help a relative in need. Just because someone follows a religion and goes through rituals does not make them spiritual – HOWEVER – when a person worships from their heart, and truly treats all others as they would want to be treated, then Yes, they are both.


Are the two separate from one another?
They are either separate or intertwined with each other. This depends on where a person is coming from inside. A person can be very religious and also be very spiritual. A person can be spiritual and not subscribe to any organized religion. And there are people who can be fiercely religious (radical – blowing up buildings) who are not spiritual at all, or very religious and be mean and judgmental towards others just based on religion – that is hardly spiritual.


Are the two conjoined with one another? The reason why I ask this is because I have seen a disturbing trend on this forum for far too long where religious people call out non religious people and ask them why they are in this section. Respectful answers please.

This is up to a person’s personal preferences, and their motives that come from the heart. Some people are both, some one or the other. I can let you know that if people are putting others down and not respecting their individual right to worship from their heart – this is the epitome of NON-spiritual.

Barbara Rose, Ph.D. Founder Global Humanitarian Religious Peace Treaty

Answer 3

This depends on where you get your definition of spiritual from. I always took it to relate more to that of supernatural beings or phenomena than specifically religion. If it meant the same thing as religion then the section would have been named either religion or spirituality..not both. I don't believe in a personal god, or any type of creator..but I think I'm a pretty spiritual person. I believe that we all have some kind of life energy that we can affect in various ways..hence the term spirit.

I think the idea that this section of answers was specifically designated for the religious is a complete misnomer. I have seen many questions that 'call out' people that have different beliefs, and it's not just the non believers that are rude and un-accepting of others. I see questions and answers all the time that really blast right over what I would consider to be the outer limits of the way a real believer would, or should, act.

Answer 4

Spiritually is The way to God, and if you practice this religiously?, you will get some place. You can be religious, as well than you can do and practice religiously, with things that are exclusively materialistically substantial, simply because you believed in then. In which case this will mean nothing to God, but for some specifics needs could mean a lot to you. Been religiously up in the morning to milk the Cow's, because for you at the time was necessary, it can become a religious practice, but not an spiritual practice. AS well as we can build some religious habits, we can of course build some spiritual habits, are this different Habits, Yes they are, and they will be and they will grow, improved or just by, and too, experiencing the passing of time, such habits will grow more an more separate from each others. The only way to keep this together, is with a good religious habit torch God, which to build an strong Spiritual entity, religion can become the cause. due to look of acknowledge, or not knowing how, to achieved and pursue good religious habits.<<

Answer 5

Religion in my eyes is a manmade set of activities designed to develop one's relationship with Divinity. Being manmade, religion is bound to be imperfect and full of flaws. The relationship with Divinity, however, is spirituality. One does not need religion to be spiritual, (it does help to have a -knowledge- of religion, though), and one definitely does not have to be spiritual to claim membership in a religion, there are plenty of people who pay lip service to a church, but that doesn't mean that they're truly followers. There are these rare creatures that I call True Christians, and there are True followers of any religion as well, you know the ones, the ones who aren't just going to church and tithing and thinking that's enough, the ones who actually -live- the teachings of their religions... These people have a wonderful balance of religion and spirituality, but they are few and far between, and it is truly a shame.

Answer 6

Being close to whatever force or being(s) that created this world in which we live. Me personally I am a Pagan (at least that is what I call myself) because I believe in a Creator [the being that created all of this (the universe and life in general)] which is genderless and formless, and I also believe in Gaea (Mother Earth the soul of this planet). I acknowledge the existence of other gods and goddesses, but do not worship them because I do not feel the need to; besides if I prayed to every god or goddess out their I would never leave the house. This is all my personal view, and I took this view even though I used to be Christian and even though most of my family is Christian. 24 y.o. Pagan College Student

Answer 7

I am spiritual,but not religious which to me means believing in a book of rules to go by.spiritual me believes in the devine within ones self,guiding and showing me the way one on one.no book but from his conscious mind to mine directly

Answer 8

woah, sorry, i have a headache from trying to read that!