Religious v Spiritual

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Dismas2004

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What is your take on the Religious v Spiritual Debate?

What does it mean to be Religious?
What does it mean to be Spiritual?
Can you be both?
 
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Dismas2004:
What is your take on the Religious v Spiritual Debate?

What does it mean to be Religious?

What does it mean to be Spiritual?

Can you be both?
Click to expand...
Being “Spiritual” without being “Religious” can lead to New Age lifestyles and beliefs.

Being “Religious” without being “Spiritual” can lead one to falling astray from your faith. Man is a spiritual being. It is what separates us from animals. Not tending to our spiritual life is very detrimental to our physical, mental and spiritual welfare. When a person is in a state of grace that person is blessed with the indwelling trinity. If you want to know more read “Interior Castle” by St. Teresa of Avila.
 
Both are needed. All to often though, I find that some people manifest “religion” as a purely external sign, for show if you will.
 
Just to be provocative, I like to say, “I’m religious, not spiritual.” I think it’s arrogant and foolish to go around claiming to be “spiritual,” whatever that means. Be religious, and let spirituality take care of itself.

OK, I’m somewhat tongue in cheek here.

Edwin
 
I put Religious

What does spiritual mean? It seems that spiritual leads to new age.
 
Just as an aside “religious” or “religion” is one of the buzz words one should use with discretion when discussing Christianity with fundamentalists and some evangelicals. Whatever it means to you, to them “religion” is equal to legalism; to adhering to a ritualistic system or a crass form of works righteousness. These types are fond of saying “Christianity isn’t a religion, it’s a personal relationship with Jesus.” It sometimes help to clarify terms when getting into discussions.

My favorite definition of religion is the one used by James:
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:26-27)
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I don’t believe that being religious and being spiritual are opponents. For me, I am both. I am a religious Catholic, and I find deep spirituality in being so. All spiritual means is *of the spirit. *I think of this as meaning *of the Holy Spirit. *
 
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NightRider:
I don’t believe that being religious and being spiritual are opponents. For me, I am both. I am a religious Catholic, and I find deep spirituality in being so. All spiritual means is *of the spirit. *I think of this as meaning *of the Holy Spirit. *
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I tend to agree with your take on this…Annunciata:)
 
My idea of religious is following the teachings of the Church, meeting my obligations and, if I can, exceeding them (such as assisting in daily Mass as well as Vigil or Sunday Mass). My idea of being spiritual is having a deep devotion through prayer and contemplation, like the great saints of the Church: Augustine, Francis of Assisi, Therese, etc… If we should all strive to be saints ourselves, then the spiritual aspect is critical. And we should, so it is. So for me, anyway, both are equally needed.
 
Being spiritual is simply answering the call.

The first disciples were called, they were fishing and Jesus said “come follow me”

Than He saw James and John, they were in a boat with thier father and Jesus called out to them.

Than He saw Matthew sitting in a customs post and Jesus said to him “follow me”

Than look at John when Jesus walked by and all He said was “Behold the Lamb of God” and they followed Him.

So in short I hope that we all try to answer Jesus when He asks us to follow Him. I do my best, I try to get to daily Mass, I try to stop in the Chapel to say hello to Jesus either for an hour or just to say “hello” every day. I offer up all my sufferings (whether it be a paper cut, a stubbed toe or a aching back) to the souls in purgatory. I pray and offer thanks to God all day long for everything that I am capable of doing or being (I thank God that I can stand up, sit down, do laundry using two hands, 10 fingers, gardening etc) I light blessed candles for whoever pops into my head. I know that the things I do can not compare to what the Lord wants me to do. I’m nothing but a lowly servant doing my best to get to Heaven and I would really love to take others with me! 😃
As far as being religious goes. I’m not sure.
I love my Church and all that She stands for. I don’t believe that anyone has the right to alter anything that is set by the Magesterium. I don’t memorize rote prayers besides the usual ones. I drink socially and have fun with my friends. I love to laugh and to smile because it feels good. I love hugs cause I can feel your warmth or your coldness
I love going to Mass, especially when the Priest says a few of the prayers in Latin. I think latin is such a beautiful language. I wish all priests would at least give us an Agnus Dei.
 
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Dismas2004:
What is your take on the Religious v Spiritual Debate?

What does it mean to be Religious?
What does it mean to be Spiritual?
Can you be both?
Click to expand...
to be religious is to acknowledge, accept and believe in God and to accord Him the love, honor and worship due Him in justice.
to be spiritual, while denying the obligation to be religious, means to seek emotional experiences that are self-centered and make life choices that cater to one’s own contentment and satisfaction, without regard to one’s place in the human community and without regard to one’s relationship with God.
 
Both are important.

I’ve heard the cop-out “I’m spiritual, not religious”. The only point those who say this have is that the terms ARE different in definition. However, they completely miss the point that both are to be joined.

Religion grounds us. It sets us up with a set of guidelines and defines objective truth and objective wrong. In between is the different spiritualities that define us and to which God attracts us according to our gifts and personalities…contemplative, Carmelite, Trappist, charismatic, Fransciscan, Dominican…and then there are the different Rites which may attract us.

One cannot be religious without being spiritual (unless they are like the Pharisees). One can be “spiritual” without being religious, but without grounding, that leads to moral relativism, feminism and a wide path directly to Hell.

Give me religion any day, and let God call us all to our individual means of reaching him based upon the laws he set up for us to follow.

Spirituality dignifies our personality in Christ…Religion defines the steps we are to take to find that place at the foot of his cross and the stairway to Heaven.
 
Protestants have for decades tried to convert Catholics to their way of thinking by separating “spirituality” from “religion”. It is a false dichotemy as others have pointed out.

Dan L
 
I marked the poll “being spiritual” were I granted choice!

Religion I think is a social “thing” dealing in theologies and what we can work out with our own finite minds. Were I given choice, I would much prefer to be totally and wholly spiritual and soar straight to God who is infinite and naught to do with our finite minds - transcending them…totally other…the beyond…The Totally Unknown…The All Holy and Total Good Three Totally And Distinct Persons One God…that is where my choice would lay if granted such!
“Above the cloud, beyond the cloud -
The Unknown God!..The Unknown God” and arriving there, if God would then grant me my body, to shake the hand of He whom I have admired from so far and never seen: Jesus! Who Is God.
Barb in Bethany in South Australia

We d. 6 .6.05 St. Norbet, please pray for us all

11.47pm smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/17/17_1_19.gif
 
Not too many years ago, I would have preferred to say I was spiritual and not religious.

Religous meant empty showy kind of things – like the man who thanked God he wasn’t like the poor sinner beating his breast. (I know I am missing important details here)

I prefer to think of myself as faithful and religious. Fatihful to God and the Magesterium are very important to me.

I know that pride can blindside me at any moment, but being spiritual now just smacks too much of non-denominational stuff and the new age false religion.

I am happily Catholic!
 
Religion helps me to be spiritual in a healthy way. I think spirituality without religion can quickly become disordered and ignorant of the truth.
 
My priest has said, everyone is spiritual because that’s how God created us. We have spirits. So when someone says “I’m a spiritual person”, the response would be “tell me something I don’t already know”.

Religion, in a very basic sense, is how people live their spirituality together. It’s about being part of a community.

But yes, “religion” is a negative buzzword in many Protestant circles. For as many diverse beliefs as there are, they must all read the same books, to come up with such a common shared misunderstanding of what “religion” means.
 
Bobby Jim:
My priest has said, everyone is spiritual because that’s how God created us. We have spirits. So when someone says “I’m a spiritual person”, the response would be “tell me something I don’t already know”.

Religion, in a very basic sense, is how people live their spirituality together. It’s about being part of a community.

But yes, “religion” is a negative buzzword in many Protestant circles. For as many diverse beliefs as there are, they must all read the same books, to come up with such a common shared misunderstanding of what “religion” means.
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I really liked your Post Bobby Jim, because you have pointed out an important issue in any discussion!..before I started talking about spiritual v religious…I should have ensured I share common definition and that we are talking about the same issues!

Good point to my mind!

Regards Barb;) smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/7/7_6_6v.gif
Bethany South Aust.
Friday 24.6.05 10.30pm
 
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