What is the difference between religious and spiritual?

1. 69

   RBJ33posted 12 years ago

   What is the difference between religious and spiritual?
   
   Can one be religious without being spiritual.  Can one be sportiual without being religious?

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2. 73

   KellyG05030posted 12 years ago

   In my mind, being religious means following a structured set of beliefs that can lead you to the direction of spirituality.  I think that being spiritual leads one to feel peace.  I feel as though you can have one without the other, but I also think that having both in one's life leads to a more fulfilling aspect of both.  That's a great question, by the way!

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      RBJ33posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That is a very good answer Kelly - I've never gotten any peace or solace from anything religious, in fact I think formal religion is one of the worse things that ever happened to the human race.

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      KellyG05030posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I have to agree with you. I find some of the beliefs to be very outdated and not willing to change with the times. I've always had a hard time trying to figure out how a religion can preach that they're based on love then leave a lot of people out.

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   jennshealthstoreposted 12 years ago

   Religion like Kelly said is something you follow. You have and follow the same beliefs as others in the same religion. I do not think being religious is wrong, but I think that it is very important to be spiritual. Yes you can be spiritual without being religious. And you can be religious by trying to follow a set of rules and ideas of others without really feeling it in your heart, therefor lack spirituality. That is the key to spirituality. If you yourself have a relationship with your God, then you are spiritual. With some religions if you do certain things or do not do certain things then others in your religion may say that  you really are not religious, but I believe that if you follow your own beliefs and do what you feel in your heart than that is much more important to God.

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      RBJ33posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you Ms store -  good comment - however I think your last line should read "feel in your heart then that is much more important than God."
      
      Thanks for your visit.

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   Seek-n-Findposted 12 years ago

   Religion is man's attempt to reach God and Relationship is God reaching down to man doing what man never could.  Relationship is key--some people find relationship with God through the environment of the religious system, although the religious system often hinders that relationship to develop and mature.  Spiritual people sometimes find relationship with God, but other times they find relationships of a "spiritual" sense with other things/beings/spirits besides God.  So I would say whether one is religious or spiritual, it is relationship with God that defines what they do or do not have that truly matters. 
   
   Metaphor:  A person could be "religious" about their spouse as in reading the right books saying the right things, and fulfilling their "duty" as a spouse but if the heart is not in it and true relationship does not exist, how healthy is the marriage?  And a person could be "spiritual" about spouses--loving one--then another--and being free to just float from one to the next based on whatever they decide leads them--seeking significance in one lover then another, but without being committed to one.  The sacredness and intimacy of those relationships suffers.

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   1. 69

      RBJ33posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Hello Ms. Find - thanks fo answering my question.  Very interesting answer.  I like "religious system" never heard that before.  I agree with your 1st paragraph mostly, but in the 2nd I don't totally.

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