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Religion vs. Spirituality: a thread
(now in no way am I telling you this is fact or whatever, I am going to speaking simply based on my personal experience as a Catholic woman who has embraced spiritual practices and reads tarot/oracles)
(now in no way am I telling you this is fact or whatever, I am going to speaking simply based on my personal experience as a Catholic woman who has embraced spiritual practices and reads tarot/oracles)
The purpose of this thread is to kind of give people an understanding of how religion and spirituality should coincide. Though I must add that I do not believe that spiritual people need to be religious, religious people should be spiritual.
Let's start off with what religion actually is. To put it briefly, religion is coming together with others of the same belief to connect with a higher power (God, Allah, etc.). Religion heavily focuses on the external. Solely relying on religious texts to provide the answers
Spirituality, on the other hand, focuses on inner work. The journey of spirituality is very personal in understanding the labyrinth of the soul. The journey of spirituality is made strictly based on the terms of the individual. There is no right or wrong way of proceeding in
One's spiritual trek because it is unique to them their choices to find their inner peace and ways they tend to their soul.
now you are probably like, "ok, sis, but why are you saying spiritual people don't need to be religious, but religious people need to be spiritual."
now you are probably like, "ok, sis, but why are you saying spiritual people don't need to be religious, but religious people need to be spiritual."
As I mentioned earlier in this thread, religion focuses on the external, which creates a great deal of room for judgment. Now, I am speaking strictly from a spiritual Catholic standpoint, so I cannot speak for other religions. But within the Christian faith, we are told
That God in heaven is the one true judge of us all, yet we continue to pass judgment to those around us who do not follow our external beliefs. Religion alone with no spirituality promotes heavy inner turmoil. This judgment causes us to end relationships with others and cause
us to turn away from our true selves out of fear of what others will think of us. Spirituality allows us to not only express compassion towards ourselves but out towards others too. Religion makes us think that we can only rely on the external to find fulfillment. There is
nothing wrong with the use of religious texts, such as the bible, which can be useful for growing as a person. But when the words of the text should be processed through each individual's mind, rather than deemed as a final truth by an external authority. When we allow
the external to take control over our life view, we can no longer live in the truth of our soul. Religion will tell us how one is to think and feel about the world and does not allow one room to grow into their own understanding of life and the world around them. Instead of
trusting and encouraging those within the religion t to educate themselves and search within their own souls, they are telling them how to think and feel. Making them think and feel any other way is wrong, or sinful. Spirituality allows a person to come to terms with life
on their terms. It allows an individual to process tough experiences. Getting stronger and wiser because they stayed open-minded through the experience. Spirituality allows space to develop strong self-esteem and ways to respect the journey of others. Spirituality encourages
an individual to go within and see how the message of one's true soul aligns and comes together with the Higher Power (God, Allah, etc.). Spirituality enhances the life of those who practice. Without the combination of spirituality in religion, all religion will bring is
judgment and inner turmoil. Spirituality can occur without religion because, with spirituality, one comes to compassion for others and self, which many religions' external teachings want but cannot fully achieve due to the heavy basis of judgment.
But religion without spirituality keeps you farther away from the true plan of God. This plan is discussed in the bible in John 15:12-27. So understand that coming into spirituality only enhances your relationship to God as you practice your religious faith. You will see how
much of an understanding of your faith you feel when you combine the two together. You will feel closer to god. Trust me when I say that coming into spirituality as I practice my religious faith is the first time in my life in which I truly feel and understand what God has for us
