Growing up I attended Catholic church and went to Catholic School. Today I no longer follow any organized religion but am more spiritual than ever. You may be asking yourself, “How can that be? Aren’t they one and the same? Don’t you need religion to be spiritual?” The answer is no. You can be spiritual without having to follow a religion. I see religion as the often necessary starting point for spirituality. Religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam are founded upon the teachings of religious leaders such as Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed, whom I believe to have existed in real life. Here are the differences between religion and spirituality, as I see them: 1. Religions convey the fundamental teachings of their leaders. Spirituality imparts the best aspects of ALL the religions. 2. Religions have rules that followers are instructed to observe. Spirituality has no rules but is governed by universal laws, such as the one stating you get whatever you give. 3. Religions teach us to follow. Spirituality guides us to awaken, think for ourselves, decide for ourselves what is right and wrong, and grow spiritually. 4. Religious ‘believers’ often strictly follow their religious texts with a closed mind. Spirituality has a much more open point of view on what is possible in life. 5. Religions are the primary level of education. Spirituality is the next level – when a person awakens and begins to think for themselves. When we start to think independently, we awaken to our own spirituality. Thus begins an amazing journey of awareness that we are much more than just the physical bodies we inhabit. With spirituality, God is no longer this distant deity but instead he/she is an inseparable part of us and we are a part of him/her right here, right now in our everyday life. I know today that there are many people who are very happy with their religions and who may disagree with my point of view. I am simply stating my opinion based on my own experiences and of those around me. These days, it seems there is a great number of people who may have lost faith in their religion but who still believe in God. My advice to these individuals is that they simply remain spiritual. Jesus himself, said that the kingdom of God is within. That means it isn’t found in a church, it is found inside of each of us. So if a church works for you, that’s great. If it doesn’t, then I suggest you simply follow the teachings of spirituality. Some of you may be saying, “Well, if I don’t have the structure of the church how will I know what to believe or do?” The answer to that question is to simply learn to look within yourself for answers. In my own inward search, I came across the universal laws, which appear to be the highlights of most religious teachings in a spiritual context. You can learn about the universal laws listed in the book, The Light Shall Set You Free The universal laws are spiritual laws of nature that apply and occur regardless of whether you believe in, or are even aware of, them. You are not obligated to observe these laws, but when you use them to your advantage you can learn to influence your future to find love, happiness, success, good health and much more. In summary, it is my opinion that religions exist to provide structure. Spirituality is the freedom to enjoy the best parts of all the religions without the rigidity of rules and restrictions.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Aug 2013 16:58:02 +0000
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