Fundamentally faith is a gift of grace from God. I don’t think people who are spiritual but not religious are “copping out” at all.
I use to define myself that way, when I had a lot of problems with the Catholic Church, (these were helped by learning more about the apologetics, and by being able to seaparate the nasty people from what the Church should be…I love that
Catholicposters.com t-shirt that says “Don’t leave Peter becuase of Judas”).
I felt spiritual, because I definitely believed there was God, but would not have defined myself as religious because I was not quite sure that Catholicism or if any religion was pleasing to God, and I tried a few religions, which I thought might be more direct routes to God, until I eventually ended back with the Catholic Church. The concept fo the Trinity was one of my sticking poitns, and a misunderstanding of the communion of saints, as well as terrible priests and meeting one too many hypocrites in Church.
I was no worse a person when I was questioning my religon. My values did not change. I still prayed fervently. I was not trying to renege on some sort of responsability and get benefits; I had doubts and really had to wrok to discern the truth. I think I worked harded for my beliefs than many “religious” who never had any questions. The only thing different between me now and then, is that now, I feel more driven to evangelize.
To me, being spiritual, means identifying with something greater than yourself and seeking the welfare of some greater good. This is an obiligation under Christianity; to work in concert with the Holy Spirit to promote God’s kingdom on earth.
I have met many people who were religious, but incredibly self-centered and lacked spirtuality, despite being supposeldy Christian. And I have met many people who claim to be spiritual but who do not classify themselves as a religion, because they don’t have the faith (yet or maybe they might not ever…who knows), and who are very kind to others and seem to promote and embody many gifts of the Spirit.