Religion Versus Spirituality,,,,,

[Guest guest]

Most individuals consider religion and spirituality to be one and the

same thing. They are under the impression that a highly religious

person is also a highly spiritual person. Where this may be true in

some cases, most often it is not. The reason for this is simple, and

yet so often overlooked. Religion is a socially driven organization

of laws or rules, rituals and teachings that have been generated by

men for the purpose of maintaining a social structure and

spirituality is a self driven, intrinsically personal process toward

a greater realization of the meaning of life and ones position within

the greater whole. I realize that religionists will argue that all of

their rules, laws, rituals and structures were inspired by God within

spiritual individuals. My point of contention here is that once they

are written down and thus become a social mandate, they lose their

spiritual quality by virtue of the fact that they no longer issue

from a self driven, personal process. Clearly, there is a need for

rules, laws and rituals, and for social organization and these may

very well be the foundation upon which spirituality develops.

Nevertheless, in order for spirituality to develop, it must be a

totally personal, internal process based upon personal responsibility

and choice. Surely, if social structure is the foundation of

spirituality, then personal choice and personal responsibility are

it's cornerstones. In truth, if these are not allowed to develop and

flourish then spirituality becomes a still-born experience for most

individuals. Of course, there will always be a few rugged

individualists who will develop that inner reality in spite of any

and all stultifying and constricting social moraies.

The Religious path requires education, indoctrination,

confirmation and/or ordination. To become a member of a church,

individuals are generally required to attend classes at the

conclusion of which there is a ceremony or ritual which confirms that

he understands the rules and ideologies of the group and agrees with

them. To become a leader, or to obtain ordination, one must attend a

college where he acquires a degree in that churches curriculum. This

requires that an individual be willing to accept, whole heartedly,

the concepts, tenets and rituals of that particular church. This does

not mean that there are no free thinkers, who have become members or

have been ordained into any specific church, but it does mean that

any free thinking and actions based upon that free thought will be

severely limited by the rules and tenets of that church.

 

The spiritual path is one of inner self discovery. It's total

focus is based upon ones personal process of self discovery and the

search for greater meaning. The only requirement for spirituality is

a willingness to commit oneself to total self honesty and personal

responsibility. How one chooses to define the deity of their

understanding, or God if you will, is up to them. There are no rules

or rituals beyond those which the individual defines for themselves.

Spirituality is not about morals, it is about ethics. Morals are

based upon the rules and rituals of the religious based society,

whereas ethics are based in self honesty and personal responsibility.

Spirituality is not for those who are dependant upon others to define

the rules for them but rather for those who are willing to honestly

and diligently search and discover who they are and what they truly

desire and then take the responsibility of building a code of ethics

which will assist them in attaining it. Spirituality is only for

those who recognize that life brings to them that which they create,

through their thoughts and actions, and that they are totally

responsible for their own life experience. The truly spiritual

individual recognizes that the only real savior lives in the heart of

he who is totally self honest and takes personal responsibility for

all of his thoughts and actions.

It is important to add here that, to some people, religion is

very important. I have no desire to discount the teachings of any

religion, for in truth, such teachings are of great benifit to some

individuals. In all religions, be it Christianity, Mohamadism,

Buddhism, or Judaism there are Avatars, the promise of Avatars or

Saviors, if you will. It is not my desire to debate whether these

figures are real or simply symbolic of the desire for perfection

personified within man. The issue here is one of personal

responsibility. If you have the ability to live your life, as these

Avatars or Teachers taught, then you know what I mean. The most

important thing in life, beyond rigorous self-honesty and personal

responsibility is harmlessness in thought word and deed. I personally

weigh everything I think, do and say according to three criteria, "Is

it Loving? Is it Harmless? Does it promote Unity?" When something

does not fit these criteria, I choose not to align with it. Although

religion plays an important part within our society and I recognize

the need for this, I am also aware of much abuse, and highly

separatist ideologies perpetrated in the name of certain religious

sects. I, personally, can not align myself with such activities.

 

It is my belief that the New Millennium will herald in a "New

World Concept". One in which mankind will begin to perceive itself as

one contiguous whole, and no longer as factions, races, religions and

nations. Due to the advances in communication for the common man and

thus the shrinking of the world, in non-geographic ways, mankind will

become more aware of his sameness, and less concerned by his

differences. I also see, rising out of this new concept of humanity,

the development of a new world order based upon service. To be sure,

when the average individual gains the capacity to share with other

individuals, world-wide, his deepest inner feelings and needs, he

will also become aware of the need for international organizations

and fellowships that will address these needs, within all men,

regardless of their race, color, creed or national origins. But this

fellowship can not develop until we come to the point where we can

celebrate our commonalities and ignore our differences. Herein lies

the secret to true spirituality.

 

Kerry Dennis

 

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Any religion is suupposed to 'strengthen' the 'soul' and kindle

the ;divine light' within . If it fails to do that then such a

religion is useless....