Religous Journal Entries

2 creative works found

• Religous vs. Spiritual
  by Arletta

  I’ve been having a bit of email conversation with someone, which started out because they invited me to a group that, by description, inv…

  I’ve been having a bit of email conversation with someone, which started out because they invited me to a group that, by description, involves something I fundamentally disagree with. It makes a distinction between spiritual and religious. I joined the group anyway, but only after my disclaimer sort of objections were made; because I was re-invited after they were made. So, fine: so long as the person is sure of what they are getting, that’s their business. So, today, I got an email reiterating the initial point and explaining that he knows people who are religious (Christians) who are not at all spiritual; but he knows people who are not religious, but spiritual – including atheists – who are basically kind, good, decent, honest, and harmless. It was not a very nice email, as he also implied that I am incapable of understanding his point. I do understand his point, I simply disagree with it at every turn. However, I don’t think he even got what I was disagreeing with. I mean, it seems he was going at it from the opposite angle of my meaning. So, hmm .. how do I explain this succinctly? Maybe I don’t: let’s see! Religion is “a way of life” . Atheists do not believe in God, okay. Or, you know, some of them actually do, but they simply don’t believe he has any business in their life. So, there’s a point that isn’t often even brought up. But, most of them have ” a way of life” They don’t just live in utter chaos. They have their rituals, they have those things and persons that are what they live for, what they would die for, and that they do not ever wish to do without. That is religion. A religious group is a group of persons who have the same basic values, beliefs, wish to worship the same things in relatively the same ways. It isn’t necessarily God or Satan or Jesus or Shanti or Ishtar, or etc. It could be money, it could be free love, it could be marijuana. It’s still religious. Being spiritual is about reaching for a higher ideal that is something beyond the flesh. Someone can be basically good and harmless, by worldly standards, and still be non-spiritual because they are being good and harmless only to those who fall within their sphere of recognition, or etc. A person who claims to be religious is not necessarily spiritual, even if the religion they are claiming to belong to is essentially one of spirit rather than flesh.(because, after all, maybe they are just making the claim, and not putting in the work; and not living by the spirit.). A religion does not have to involve seeking a higher person or ideal, though; could just be seeking pleasure, for instance. A person who actually is spiritual is, by nature of them living beyond the flesh, religious, though! They may not be part of an organized religious group, but they are religious. So, my argument is not that spiritual people have no merit, or that spirituality is not connected with doing good; and it certainly is not that all religious persons are better than all persons who are only spiritual. My argument is that you cannot say, truthfully: Spirituality does not equal religion. Religion is about beliefs and following rules. Spirituality is about the search for truth. Why? Because the purpose of the majority of religions is, in fact, to search for the truth. If the people are only following rules, then yes, there is no spirituality. But, anything that is seeking beyond yourself is religion, whether you iinvolve the spiritual aspects or not, so anything spiritual is always religious. Besides which, sorry, but, playing with Oija boards is spiritual, which is considered a serious religious act by many religions by the way, but it is neither good or harmless. So, one cannot define “spiritual” as good, harmless, kind, etc. It is simply something beyond the flesh. Nope, not succinct at all. Well, perhaps I shall try again, some other dayy.

• Shapes and Patterns Featured Image by GlennB "Daily Verse"
  by GlennB

  My image “Daily Verse” was featured in the Group, Shapes and Patterns. This is really great!! It’s the first of my images to feature in…

  My image “Daily Verse” was featured in the Group, Shapes and Patterns. This is really great!! It’s the first of my images to feature in a group. Thanks for all the great comments and views everybody.