February 24, 2007...6:12 pm
Spirituality And Religion
Jump to Comments
Religion divides but spirituality unites the world. Does this make any sense? I agree with this statement. I would like to know what others think about it.
26 Comments
February 24, 2007 at 7:12 pm
To me, it’s like saying thinking unites but thinking to the point of standing for something divides.
February 24, 2007 at 7:54 pm
I don’t agree. I think religion blinds but spirituality enlightens. When I say religion I mean organised religion and the world’s definition of the word, spirituality I mean a living relationship with a Living God.
I think spirituality is more divisive than religion. Religion unites (like the rats of Hamlin chased the Pied Piper). But spirituality leads people to God and it’s just not something everybody does. Those who worship God will worship in spirit and truth. Those who don’t, will not understand why the worshipers worship. Where there is religion, unity can exist, but where there is spirituality– the non-spiritual will wage war against the spiritual.
The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. ~James 3.17-18
February 24, 2007 at 11:59 pm
I think both have the potential to unite or divide the world.
Religion unites groups of people together, and influences people to think similarly. But, we will never be able to get everyone in the world to think the same. So, those who decide to be a part of a religion to such an extent that they are not tolerant of other ideas, then it divides. But, if that group of people can unite, yet be accepting of all the other people who choose to unite for different reasons or who don’t unite at all, then it could potentially bring the world closer with understanding.
Spirituality, in its best essence, is a connection with the universe (or God). The more people who have a connection like this, the more likely we will accept others as they are, even if they do not have a similar connection. In other words, spirituality can be seen as personal and gives allowances for everyone to arrive at their own form of spirituality in their own way. On the other hand, spirituality is interpreted by people in different ways. And in some forms, it can lead to superiority or dismissing of those who are not spiritual, or of those who find their spirituality through religion.
I don’t think it matters. All we can do is be what we want to see in the world. Be a role model for the world. That’s the only force that will help unite the world, if it’s even possible.
February 25, 2007 at 4:58 am
I wrote about it here.
February 25, 2007 at 5:21 am
I find sprituality in the religion I practice. No religion ask you to treat your fellow man differently. Its just the so-called Priests,Pundits and Maaulvis that likes to emphesize on the the disciplines of their religions(that are of secondary importance) rather thn the primary duties ie to help your fellow man.
For me the true meaning of a religion is to form a welfare society in which money and power revolves in a circle so that nobody gets a chance to abuse their fellowman. Everyperson would be useful to itself and the society.
February 26, 2007 at 3:44 am
Cant disagree with you.
Defination of religion from Wikipedia :
“A Religion is a set of beliefs and practices generally held by a number of persons.”
Therefore, religion is form and it is bound to have division. Religion gives you identity, where you belong to. Where sprituality/religiousness is substance.
February 26, 2007 at 8:52 am
JV:
“…Therefore, religion is form and it is bound to have division…”
Only if you accept the wikipedia definition. The Bible says this:
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. - James 1.27
Therefore religion is not form, and not divisive: and is bound only to benefit mankind as well as the self.
-RED
February 26, 2007 at 10:54 am
“Sab ki poojaa ek si, alag alag hai reet
masjid jaaye maulavi, koyal gaaye geet
Chaahay Geetaa baanchiye, yaa padhiye Quraan
mera tera pyaar hi har pustak kaa gyaan ”
Thanks Prena for the post, and Dina for the participation. I enjoyed this.
@Diana, I have downloaded Bible software “What The Bible Says About…”, and will be reading whenever I face you
February 26, 2007 at 11:56 am
Nice debate going on, thanks all for participation.At the moment ,religion is the most dividing factor in the world.People are killing each other in the name of religion and trying to prove the superiorty of their religion.As JV said God is the same.It is different people calling Him by different names.The ways of worship and name depends on the Geography of the place of origin of a particular religion.Impact of different cultures also can be seen over the time in different religions.Different people intrepret Scriptures in different ways and that can lead to trouble in the same religious group also.Protestents and Catholics ,Shias and Sunnis and different forms of Hinduism are live examples of this.
February 26, 2007 at 11:58 am
I agree to you. But again the question comes -
“What’s the spirit?” and “What’s the soul?”.
Science won’t stop until it gets answer.
February 26, 2007 at 6:04 pm
Horizonspeaks,
That is the confusion.Nobody knows the answer and the few answers that you recieve are difficult to believe .
February 26, 2007 at 8:17 pm
What we commonly call “religion” is very close to the wiki definition. I think it’s acceptable to define it as a set of beliefs which are shared by a large number of people (often organized, as most things having many people are). We know one person can have very wrong and bad beliefs, therefore if one can, many can. This means it’s possible to end up with crowds believing wrong things, evil things (it’s happened before). I think nowadays we don’t focus enough on a given religion’s beliefs, its righteousness, its truth, instead of the number of participants, or the power held by the people who claim to be of that religion. We tend to respect all beliefs and religions, and that is good in many ways, I even think freedom of belief is the most basic right any person should have on this planet. But we should also beware of being too “soft” and considering all religions are the same. I think religion divides more than it unites, because the beliefs can be very different. Yet religion also unites people of a same religion as any common point among different people somehow unites them (I won’t get into stronger unity among believers of some religions, including mine). But is it a wrong thing that religion divides? I guess not, as long as people learn to live together in tolerance. Some religions can co-exist, because they tolerate each other, but for the sake of freedom, not all so called “religions” should be treated the same. I think intolerance cannot be tolerated, and the same should be done with unacceptable rituals or cruel customs.
I think there isn’t much of a gap between spirituality and religion, because religion comes from spirituality, often a lot of spirituality. I’d say religion is a more elaborated, organized, evolved form of spirituality. The risk is to not take the right things out of it (to be committed to rituals, etc… and not to the spirituality, if we’re talking about a religion with good things).
Finally my opinion is we cannot generalize the effects of religion/spirituality because there is so much variety among them, and even less label all religions as unifying or dividing. The only thing we can say is religion unites peoples of the same faith, and as it brings people together, it also widens the gap between different people of different religions (by comparison at least). This seems obvious, but I doubt we can say more if we don’t specify what religion we are talking about
good night
Rajiv
February 27, 2007 at 3:08 pm
I feel I should write something on this topic in my blog also.
February 28, 2007 at 10:08 am
Wrote at last …
February 28, 2007 at 12:20 pm
Thanks Rajiv for the comment.I think religion divides only as long as we let it divide.Religion is not the only thing in social life. Humans have coexisted peacefully for centuries ,it is now that the differences have become more important than the similarities. The difference in religions is sometimes due to Geographical factors also. A religious sect believing in Vegetarianism couldn’t have survived in the extremely cold conditions of the Polar region because of lack of vegetation in most part of the year.Same way the ruler of a particular place also decided the religion of his subjects when Democracy was not common.People had to or did convert to another religious beliefs but still coexisted with those who stuck to their own religion.
Every body should be free to follow his or her own belief and fanatism should not have any place in a civil society.
February 28, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Depending on your perception of religion, I think it makes perfect sense. Sometimes when I think of religion, I think of a set of rules or practices that one follows regardless of its logic or deeper meaning. When I think of spirituality, I think of a personal pursuit of the things of God. There are practices or disciplines in spirituality such as prayer, reading the scriptures, giving offerings of music or money or talents but these things are not in themselves redemptive. They are tools that can help to learn more and grow in your faith. I think the definitions of the words religion and spirituality will mean different things to different people depending on their past experiences with both. Spirituality is a generic term without labels which is what today’s world seems to desire.
February 28, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Joni,
I can’t thank you enough.This is what I was looking for.You have given words to my thoughts.Thanks once again.
March 3, 2007 at 6:57 am
These are my sentiments exactly. You only have to look at the state of the world to see the consequences of religion as is currently is. Nobody likes to be told that they are wrong and you are right, especially when it comes to God. I don’t see how any religion leaves room for any beliefs other than its own, which is sure to cause conflict.
March 3, 2007 at 11:45 am
yes Brian, but this doesnt have to lead to hate or war
March 3, 2007 at 11:50 am
Thanks, Brian for your comments.
March 3, 2007 at 7:15 pm
I agree Rajiv it doesn’t necessarily lead to war. I tend to have a more negative view that may make me seem kind of bitter.
I just don’t see the point of creating unnecessary divisions only to struggle to overcome them afterwards. Obviously not everybody can have exactly the same beliefs, so if there are different groups each claiming to be the one and only authority on God, this is guaranteed to create a separation of “us” vs “them”.
What I have trouble with also is the insincere kind of tolerance that can be seen. Lets say I am a practicing Christian and I am friends with a Muslim. No matter how well we get along, that doesn’t change the fact that in my mind I think he is a sinner who will go to hell for not accepting Jesus Christ as his lord and savior. If I don’t think this way it is not because Christianity is tolerant, but because I am choosing to think for myself instead of following what the religion says. It just doesn’t sit well with me that people can be pleasant on the outside, but really thinking I’m going to be burning for eternity.
I really am not an expert on religions this is just how they make me feel, Christianity in particular.
Take care
March 4, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Recommend reads for this topics are (1) Identity And Violence by Amretya Sen and (2) Why We Hate by Rush W. Dozier, Jr.
March 4, 2007 at 4:59 pm
lol Brian, Christianity doesn’t say that all non-Christians go to hell or that all so called “Christians” all go to heaven
March 4, 2007 at 5:31 pm
@Brian
I am a practicing christian with muslim friends. One of my best and oldest friends is a muslim. My tolerance and love for muslims, atheists and other non-christians is ANYTHING but empty. I do desire for them to accept Jesus, not because I think they are idiots and I am somehow superior to them, but because Jesus loves them as much as he loves me, and they are not sinless that they should not require forgiveness from God. I know I have been a sinner and that I am unworthy of God’s grace. I am not being too harsh when I say all human beings make mistakes and do things which should not be done. No matter how good or bad we are in comparison to the rest of humankind, the fact remains that every man carries guilt and the Lord Jesus died to set us free from it.
So “accept Jesus or burn in hell” is not a tactic to get more followers by scaring them. I ask you logically do human beings in their normal sinful state deserve to go to heaven which is the holy throne of God? What will make it heaven, if people there behave the same way as here? Do wars and rapes and murders happen in heaven, if sinners go to heaven? Or, if the murderers go to hell, then I’m sure the ‘good people’ have at least been liars or petty theives or jealous or angry? How is heaven different from earth, except by the attained perfection of Christ’s righteousness?
Tell me. You and everybody else who has a problem with “why can’t we go to heaven without Jesus”. Tell me with a clear conscience that you have attained that perfect holy standard which would name YOU as sinless, that you didn’t need Jesus to trade his life for yours.
-RED
PS- If the post author does not appreciate this debate here feel free to email me at RED.wpblog@gmail.com I will be glad to continue this conversation by email.
March 5, 2007 at 12:12 pm
lol, but I’m sure everyone’s glad to read RED’s comments
March 5, 2007 at 1:27 pm
I tend to agree. In my opinion, religion (the rules and regulations) are what Fundamentalist use to foster their intolerance (and lead to crusades, jihads, etc.) However, spirituality is what one uses to be compassionate, kind, & merciful to others, to help the poor, etc.
Leave a Reply