In This Biography

Religion and Spirituality

Religion and spirituality are both rooted in trying to understand the meaning of life and, in some cases, how a relationship with higher power may influence that meaning. …

Religion is an organized, community-based system of beliefs, while spirituality resides within the individual and what they personally believe.

Religion is a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices; the service and worship of God or the supernatural.

Spirituality, on the other hand, connotes an experience of connection to something larger than you, living everyday life in a reverent and sacred manner

Origins of Religions and spirituality

Religions are most often based upon the lives, teachings, and beliefs of a historical or archetypal figure. For Example; Jesus Christ, Buddha, Moses, Krishna, Prophet Muhammad). The details of their lives as holy or highly evolved beings have been carried to us across the mists of time through oral tradition and written scriptures.

These figures are the subject of worship and devotion and form the foundation of religious practices and rituals in a community.

Spirituality: By contrast, spirituality is more often based upon the practical application of the founder’s teachings.

Five similarities between religion and spirituality

Both believe in a higher power of some kind; Religion believes in God the Father or Jesus, or Allah, or Brahman, or Tao. Spirituality believes also in this God or it may conceive of God as universal or primal energy. Both believe that such being possessed power higher and greater than humans.
Both religion and spirituality desire to have a relationship with the higher power; Although the nature of the relationship is different in religion than in spirituality, the desire for this relationship is there. Religion connects with this higher power with fear and trembling. Spirituality connects with this higher power with love and affection.
Both religion and spirituality have rituals and practices; Religion usually has sacred rites or sacraments to deepen their religion while Spirituality has meditation or yoga sessions.
Both have respect for the sacred and the other world; There is respect for the reality that is beyond our senses and reason. When religion pushes this respect to its extreme, it becomes superstition. When spirituality pushes this respect to its extreme, it becomes religious spirituality.
Both have fear of failure; In religion, this failure is punished by hell fire or repetition of existence or some other worse fate. In spirituality, this failure is the inability to realize one’s true worth or value and the destiny of a life of meaninglessness. Hell, repetition of existence, non-existence, and meaninglessness are forms of punishment for failure, either in religion or in spirituality.

Difference between religion and spirituality

Religion is often forced while spirituality is chosen, for instance, if you are born into a particular religion you automatically begin the religion but spirituality is self-built so most people think spirituality should be more important than religion.
Religion is a manifestation of the flesh but spirituality is a manifestation of God’s nature.

In conclusion, true spirituality is something that is found deep within oneself. It is your way of loving, accepting and relating to the world and people around you. It cannot be found in a church or by believing in a certain way