Welcome to Gaia! ::

Gentle Spirits

Back to Guilds

 

Tags: Psychic, Paranormal, Dreams, Spiritualism, Supernatural 

Reply World Views
Spirituality vs Religion

Quick Reply

Enter both words below, separated by a space:

Can't read the text? Click here

Submit

Raeden Michelle

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 7:22 pm


Is there a difference? What is your opinion of the two?

Thyna has already stated the following in another thread:
Quote:
To me, Spirituality and Religion are 2 different things. Spirituality is our method of dealing with our current situations. It is how we relate to the people and world around us (as well as other dimentions). It is about our personal resources, our strengths, (hope, faith), coping methods and learning how to tap into those sources in times of pleasure and strife. It is recognizing our roll, and our best way to achieve that. The source of that strength is personal and may vary from one person to the next depending on their beliefs.

Religion, to me, is just one of the various tools available to us to help us learn more about ourselves, our spirituality and possibly tap into those resources which we sometimes feel we don't have access to. Doesn't matter if it involves some Higher Power, Deity, or Inner Gifts. It helps us to explore our beliefs and the workings of the world around us and how we interact with it.

That is just my opinion, I hope it didn't offend anyone.


Then I responded:
Quote:

I quite agree with your definitions, Thyna, I just have never been able to put it to words...generally to me, spirituality is a way of life...how you live it day to day. Religion, is the more strict sense of spirituality that involves worship/reverence of a higher being (or one's self in the case of Satanism). But even just saying that has its flaws, so, I like your definitions better.


Opinions? Critiques (nice ones I hope)? Comments? Questions?
PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:26 pm


heheh
Was wondering if this might spark a few debates or comments

I had a hard time putting it to words as well. Funny thing is all I needed to say was:

Spirituality is the feeling
Religion is a (one of many) method to get that feeling

Then, I thought it might need a bit more of an explanation than that. But it is hard to keep politically correct when there are so many different Spiritual and Religious beliefs. My statement still has flaws.

Thyna


Raeden Michelle

PostPosted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:24 pm


I agree with that short statement as well Thyna.

To me, spirituality *is* just the feeling, and a wonderful one at that.

Religion either helps attain that feeling, or enables many people to join together in a common bond to share the feeling, attain the feeling more, and use methods and rituals to enhance the feeling while paying homage to the believed being who gifted us with those feelings.

Sometimes, though, it seems to be unfortunate that people will take this to the extreme. Its hard to remember, sometimes, that just because *I* have a certain feeling that seems right to me in how I portray it, someone else doesn't have that same exact feeling or way to portray their feeling. Of course, that also makes it more difficult to discuss spirituality and religion on a whole. Like you said, its hard to stay politically correct and not offend anyone while trying to explain.
Reply
World Views

 
Manage Your Items
Other Stuff
Get GCash
Offers
Get Items
More Items
Where Everyone Hangs Out
Other Community Areas
Virtual Spaces
Fun Stuff
Gaia's Games
Mini-Games
Play with GCash
Play with Platinum