what are the differences between religion and spirituality? (hell, atheist, Catholic)

[Tzaphkiel]

This came up on another thread and bears exploring:

How do you explain to someone the difference and distinction between "religion" "religious philosophy" "believing in god" "spirituality" "following a spiritual tradition" and "spiritual practice"

On a related note, is it important to you to have one label or another applied to you by other people? Or are they all pretty much interchangeable to you?

Thank you, as always, for sharing your experience strength and hope!

[Marodi]

I could care less what I was called (even though I'm an atheist, my time as a religious person I didn't care). They are shades of the same thing. Hell, you can call me them now if you want, I don't care, even though it doesn't apply to me now.

[MontanaGuy]

I just copied and pasted my own post from the other thread where this difference of opinion came up. I hope that's ok.

I don't want to get into the middle of an argument but the forum we're posting on is called Religion and Philosophy so I'm not sure what is offensive about the word religious. Let me ask this question. Is the word religious not the correct word because it suggests that a person is a member of a particular religion or religious sect that has certain core beliefs that everyone must adhere to as opposed to the word spiritual which might suggest a personal set of beliefs that is not a part of any organized group but is the result of one's personal spiritual journey? I hope that makes sense. I'm not taking sides, I'm just wondering.

[MidniteBreeze]

This is my own definition, but I think spirituality is about your "connectedness" with the universe and other human beings; past, present and future. Another way to put it, is it's your version of the "meaning of life." I think spirituality is a very personal thing and while traditional "religious" elements (i.e., catholicism, hinduism or whatever) can certainly play a major role in that, they don't necessarily have to. I think it's possible to be spiritual without necessarily being religious. For some people, spirituality is more of a personal life philosophy than a religion, per se.

I think of religion as more of a "pre-packaged" path to spirituality, usually consisting of certain rules, rituals and symbols. While most "religious" people are often considered "spiritual", I also don't think that's necessarily so. If you're just "going through the motions" of a religion due to a sense of obligation or habit, then you're not really being "spiritual"...if that makes sense.

Bottom line, I think sprituality is about thinking for yourself and making sense of the universe in your own, personal way. Religion is more of a fellowship of like-minded people who share (and "practice") a similar spiritual outlook.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

Originally Posted by DimSumRaja

This came up on another thread and bears exploring:

How do you explain to someone the difference and distinction between "religion" "religious philosophy" "believing in god" "spirituality" "following a spiritual tradition" and "spiritual practice"

On a related note, is it important to you to have one label or another applied to you by other people? Or are they all pretty much interchangeable to you?

Thank you, as always, for sharing your experience strength and hope!

When I hear the word religion I think of something man made. I realize most people group all people who believe in God religious. To me, it's about a relationship with God.

[moonsavvy]

Religion is the "belief" in something. Spirituality is the awareness of Deity.

Spirituality identify's that all things are consisted of energy and have a "vibration". We as humans are breathing, plants, flowers, animals are all breathing in one form or another and are therefore living. It regards all living things as holy or sacred. When you are on a spiritual path you are in awe of all living beings, identifying that the spirit of the Divine lives in all and unites us in a Universal force.

Religion, well it's another way to seperate us by identifying who we are by our belief's. If we have the same beliefs we are exclusive from others and united in our own beliefs. If we have different belief's we are seperated from one another and may try to prove another wrong. In religion we tend to box ourselve's into one set of belief's, and rather than uniting us we divide ourselves from one another.

[iloveallofyawl]

...Hi everyone, this is my first post on city data, and so if I do things the wrong way, take it easy on me...LOL...

I consider myself as spiritual but NOT religious.

The difference to me is that in spirituallity one is concerned with principles like love, unity, peace within one's self, helping others, etc...common things that have been taught to most of us by parents, society, friends...etc., without being hateful or condesending...While religion, on the other hand teaches one to hate what they percieve as "wrong"...which is basicly non-acceptance of others or their views.

PEACE EVERYONE...BLESS yawl ALL...LOL...

LOVE... " YAWL "

[gnab gib]

I read this somewhere, and it always stuck with me:

Religion is for people afraid of hell. Spirituality is for people who have already been there.