Tag: monotheism

When I’ve heard someone asked what church they attend, I’d sometimes hear “Well, I don’t go to church.  I’m spiritual.”  I thought ‘isn’t that the same thing?’  Well, turns out, not necessarily…

Disclaimer: In a limited format, there is no way to completely cover all the examples and meanings of spirituality or religious beliefs, so let’s start with a general working definition of each as a general guide:

Religion: A range of social-cultural systems, including designated behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural, transcendental, and spiritual elements

Spirituality: Spirituality can be defined generally as an individual’s search for ultimate or sacred meaning, and purpose in life.   Additionally, it can mean to seek out or search for personal growth, religious experience, belief in a supernatural realm or afterlife, or to make sense of one’s own “inner dimension”.

Let’s start with a key difference that really stands out.  Religion, be it Christianity, Islam, Wicca, or other tend to be collective.  That is, there are cultural elements that drive groups of individuals to come together and share beliefs related to that religion’s core teachings. There are established norms and rules that participants are expected to follow in one’s expression of faith. This can take many forms depending on the religion and the many denominations within that religion. This is quite different than spirituality.

Spirituality is more about ‘self’.  To be spiritual, one must find purpose in their own existence. It’s less about culture and more about growth and connection with nature and the universe.  It’s also about walking one’s own path, finding balance and meaning as an individual and not with rules as part of a larger group. Being spiritual is not a destination, but a continuing journey. One can be part of an organized religion and be very spiritual, but that usually means accepting the core norms and teachings of the religion while also seeking a higher state of consciousness. However, achieving that higher state may eventually become at odds with the teachings of the religion.

Religions teach us what to believe, how to worship, and what our rewards are for participation and faith.  Spirituality, being an individual journey, offers much less teaching since it is different for every individual.  The reward is the journey, which is a continuous higher state of awareness of the universe and the individual’s place in it.  The rewards are less defined, less tangible, and defined by the journey of the seeker.

Many religions have a specific deity they worship, an ultimate creator of all things (monotheism – belief in one god). Some believe their deity guides their lives and the happenings of the world, perhaps as tests (“God has a plan”).  Others believe free will and chance are why things occur the way they do and their deity is an observer, holding humanity accountable for their own actions in the afterlife. A religious but spiritual person many view a part of their journey as understanding the ‘why’ things happen in this context.

Spiritual people often believe in many deities (polytheism – belief in more than one god) and/or that nature and the universe is connected to all things.  These beliefs existed well before the rise of organized religions and exist today, often referred to as modern Paganism. Loosely defined, Paganism is not belonging to any organized religion.

Seeking inner peace and tranquility for oneself can come in many forms. Pursuing it through spiritualism, religion, or a combination of both, is meaningful so long as one acknowledges that each path is up to the individual. Respecting each other’s beliefs is essential to achieving inner peace. Judging others requires energy that inhibits one’s own quest for enlightenment. Use your energy wisely.