DO WE NEED TO BELONG TO A RELIGION TO BE A "SPIRITUAL PERSON"?

by foodalls 158 Replies latest jw friends

  • Satanus
    Satanus

    trueone

    I think we've crapped all over poor foodall's thread.

    S

  • Hortenzie
    Hortenzie

    A couple of days ago I heard a lecture that Chris Hedges gave at the University of Toronto and one of the things he mentioned was the difference between Christianity and Spirituality:

    Spirituality - inward oriented, self-centered, selfish...

    Christianity (as taught by Jesus) - outward oriented, self-sacrificing, benefits other people, helpful, caring ...

    I really liked that thought.

  • thetrueone
    thetrueone

    trueone

    I think we've crapped all over poor foodall's thread.

    Dam it, he disappeared, he promised that he would give us more insight on to when and how these

    extraterritorial aliens were to return, changing everything on planet earth.

    Now I'm really disappointed .

  • trevor
    trevor

    VoidEater
    Spirituality is born from an inner experience.
    Religion is someone else''s theory, a mental exercise. Institutionalized dogma.
    They are antithetical to each other.

    Beautifully put.

    Religion does not necessarily encourage a spiritual approach to life. Things that cannot be observed through our 5 senses require a deep spiritual appreciation. Spiritual awareness may not require belief in a personal god or membership of a religion.

    It does require awareness of our limitations as humans. What is now thought to be spiritual may one day be part of mainstream scientific discovery.

  • Heaven
    Heaven

    Many of my spiritual experiences have come from interacting with the other species that inhabit the Earth, including insects, birds, and animals. In the mountains and a forest of lush trees there is an energy there like no where else. It captivates the soul and joy radiates from within.

  • Finally-Free
    Finally-Free

    If spirituality was food, religion would be the equivilent of a Big Mac.

    W

  • AGuest
    AGuest

    Very interesting (may you all have peace!). Intuition, feelings, experiences, etc. But nothing about "spirituality" having to do with the "spirit", i.e., the literal life force that is not the physical man (i.e., the body in which he dwells), but the "person" that is master (or not) over that body. Even animals are spirits (i.e., persons)... contrary to what some (a certain presbyterian church, perhaps?) believe.

    If you have pets (heck, even domestic or wild animals), you know that they are NOT their bodies, but an indivual "person" residing IN that body. Just as human are. No difference. We are all spirits (whether good or bad), dwelling in physical vessels.

    Thus, ALL life... is "spiritual". Regardless of whether they follow religion or not.

    I hope this helps!

    A slave of Christ,

    SA

  • Heaven
    Heaven

    But nothing about "spirituality" having to do with the "spirit", i.e., the literal life force that is not the physical man

    To me, spirituality has to do with the giving of; the sharing of one's life force; one's positive energies. In so doing, we are also receivers of other's energies; life forces. We must give to receive and we must receive to give. It is a reciprocal process. Spirituality is also interrelated and interdependent on the Physical, Emotional, and Mental needs we have. All of these needs affect the others. This is not exclusive to the human species. Life force is very much a part of spirituality, but it is not the whole.

  • blondie
    blondie

    If a person believes the Bible, what religion did these people belong to? Where did they worship? Did they have a creed? Did they even have sacred writings?

    Adam and Eve (and family)

    Noah and his family

    Job and his family

    Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, his family

  • thetrueone
    thetrueone

    If you have pets (heck, even domestic or wild animals), you know that they are NOT their bodies, but an individual "person" residing IN that body.

    Really I've never seen anything like a spirit coming out of a animal or a human being and I've got 20 20 vision.

    Do you have proof to back up that stament ?

    Please don't tell me you say this because you're read it in a ancient scribed manuscript written by bronze age primitive men.

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