Can you be religious without being spiritual?

1. 66

   alexandriaruthkposted 12 years ago

   Can you be religious without being spiritual?
   
   Which one is better?

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2. 86

   Good Guyposted 12 years ago

   This is just my personal opinion. You know when it comes to religion, people can get very worked up and become acutely sensitive. Usually I don't comment on things "religion", but your question is interesting. 
   
   Being religious means being attached to once religion.  Being spiritual means one cultivates one's aspiration to know about the true nature of life and how to live a wholesome life without harming anyone in action, speech and thoughts.  A spiritual person seeks universal answers to life's mysteries. 
   
   Perhaps a more appropriate question should be :
   "Can you be spiritual without being religious?" The answer is yes.

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3. 0

   JThomp42posted 12 years ago

   Religion is denominational in which I do not consider myself a part of. I am spiritual saved by God's grace an the blood of Jesus Christ. Therefore my Spirit (Soul) belongs to God. I do believe people can be religious and not spiritual.

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4. 60

   Jonesy0311posted 12 years ago

   Many claim to be spiritual, but not religious; though I have never heard of it the other way around. Without the supernatural / spiritual element, religion would basically be raw superstition.

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5. 59

   point2makeposted 12 years ago

   You certainly could be..........but then what would be the point?

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6. 72

   Mazzy Boleroposted 12 years ago

   You bet you can, and I found that out the hard way. A person with spiritual values would not harm or betray another person.  I hired a professional person who was openly very religious and I assumed that he must have some spiritual values. However, he behaved appallingly, just took my money and didn't do the job, leaving me in a terrible position.  Following all the religious rules to the letter didn't make him a good person. 
   
   A friend also went into a business partnership with a person who was very religiously observant and a pillar of his Orthodox Jewish community. My friend trusted him implicity because of this. However, he turned out to be the biggest crook and destroyed my friend's business, his health, left  him with huge problems and terrible stress. He had no conscience about it whatsoever.
   
   And don't start me on those supposedly Christian evangelists who go around the congregation with half a dozen buckets every two minutes, telling emotionally hyped-up people Jesus will save them if they give money to the church.  (Before anyone gets angry, I'm NOT saying all evangelicals are like that, but that kind does exist as I've seen them in action)
   
   There is obviously the question regarding terrorists who claim they are murdering people for religious reasons. No one kills for religious reasons - they use religion to give an apparent higher justification for their actions. Extremist Islamists are doing this now, but we should not forget that such evil has been done in the name of Christianity in the past - Torquemada, the Witch trials, persecution of Jews, persecution of Catholics by Protestants and vice-versa. It's setting up an "us -vs- them" situation via religion, whereas spirituality would do the opposite and make such barriers between people disappear.
   
   Religion can be used as a means of controlling and manipulating people, and a way of fooling people. A lot of people go through the motions of religion for social or other pragmatic reasons. By their fruits shall ye know them, but it's better if you recognize them before you have to taste the fruits!

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7. 0

   Deborah Sextonposted 12 years ago

   Yes and vice versa. For some reason some religious people want to appear spiritual in the eyes of other people which causes them to be bond, a prisoner of their own making (known as hypocrites).
   
   There are many people who are very spiritual and have never set foot in a church and not part of any religion.

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