What's the difference between being religious and being spiritual?

Answer 1

You can "be" religious, but you can't "be" spiritual.
Religious is what you do, spiritual is what you are.

Answer 2

Religion is based on a belief system having nothing to do with facts. Spirituality deals with the inner being or god in man, the conciousness of self and relation & respect to nature.

Most religious people are not spiritual.

Answer 3

It's kind of like the difference between speed and velocity.

To be religious not only includes being faithful or godly, but with it comes being pious, that is, how you apply your faith through worship, service, ritual, tradition, etc.

However, being spiritual doesn't always necessitate being pious. You can be extremely spiritual but your spirituality is ultimately not *measured* by ritual, deeds, culture, or demeanor.

For example, when Albert Einstein said that he was a "deeply religious non-believer", it can be argued that what he really meant was that he was very spiritual; he believed in a deity, but he did not see himself as being bound by the limits of human creeds (tradition, theology), cultuses (rituals, practice), codes (ethics), or even community (the church/synagogue/temple atmosphere).

In other words, it can be argued that in order to be religious, you must to some degree be spiritual... but to be spiritual, you don't necessarily have to be religious.

Answer 4

Spiritual means you are in tune with the spiritual side of life.. Religion is like Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam etc
To be Spiritual, you don't have to have exact religious beliefs just be in tune with the spiritual side of the world

Answer 5

Religion is for the Masses and Spirituality is for Self

Answer 6

I'm not very religious but I consider myself very spiritual. I usually explain it this way, yeah I believe in God ,creator,higher power,whatever you want to call it. I pray and ask for guidence,I believe Jesus was the son of God, but I dont pin myself down to a specific religion, I dont feel like I have to go to church every sunday to be close to God. I find most problems and arguments start w/ religion, everyone thinks theirs is the best and they are always trying to convert people and if you disagree w/ them your going to hell, religion is supposed to be about loving one another despite your differences,understanding, being non judgemental. And somehow it got twisted into what it is today and is nothing like that. Put a christian and a pagan in the same room and see who is trying to convert the other. I know people who were told they are going to hell for having tattoos,and other reasons. I think everyone takes what they want out of the bible and changes itto suit themselves anyway, nobody takes it literal anymore, if they did they would still believe it was ok to beat your wife with a branch as big as your pinky. Just like the pope recently changed that unbaptized children can go to heaven and arent in Limbo for eternity, people just keep changing it to suit the times.
I think church is great for community and being w/ similar people w/ the same belief system as you, but not estentional.

Answer 7

Religion is doctrin. Spirituality is a state of being.

Answer 8

Religion believes in God,spiritual can be belief in one self, millions of gods and goddess, and the very evil occult.

Answer 9

Saxman23 pretty much nailed it.

I was going to say that "organized religion" is a lot of "group activity."

"Stand up/sit down...fight, fight, fight!"

A lot of group singing, scripture recitiation, etc.

"Religious" is a lot of outward show.

"Spiritual" is an inward feeling that requires NO display.

Answer 10

I do not worship in a church nor do I "fellowship" with others about my beliefs, but I do believe in a higher power (The Creator) if you will and try to live my life as if each day were my last.