SNR

Spiritual not religious, is how many people describe their beliefs on the subject. It's a relatively new distinction that started in the 1960's and remains a mainly American phenomenon. I think that it is a profoundly important distinction with implications that we may not yet be able to fully appreciate.

I've been running a social experiment for a few years now. I hope you will participate. Just fill in the blank. You can leave your answer in a comment below which you should do before reading the remainder of this post which follows this...

If religion is the opiate of the masses (as Karl Marx implicated),
then spirituality is the __________ of society.

Think about it and leave your answer before reading on and remember, there is no right or wrong answer. After you leave an answer feel free to return to read the rest of this post.

The question, the distinction is one of ultimate concern. It affects our views on politics, morality, ethics and science and brings us to face existential angst. What happens after death can be terrifying to contemplate. To accept that one does not have the answer takes tremendous courage. It really is the question of ultimate personal concern.

Spirituality is more fundamental than religion. Before humanity had conceptions of a supreme being, we had many gods. Almost everyone knows that polytheism preceded monotheism. Fewer people understand that animism preceded polytheism. Before humans thought about god, there were gods. Before humans thought of gods, they thought of spirits. Conceptions of spirits preceded conceptions of deities within human consciousness. So in an historical sense spirituality is more fundamental than religion.

Yes, it can be difficult to adequately define spirituality. Our language is evolving. The English language now has five times the number of words than it did in Shakespeare's time. Yet it is not the definition of spirituality that I choose to focus upon, but the distinction between spirituality and religion.

Religion is institutional. Spirituality is not. Institutions tend to be politicized. Spirituality tends to be a more personal matter independent of politics. Religion has a long and sordid history of war, intolerance, politics, persecution and corruption. Spirituality does not. Religion is dogmatic and has tendencies for exclusivity doctrines that require followers to ascribe to a particular set of beliefs. Spirituality tends toward an open exploration of beliefs. Therefore, religion tends toward more close-mindedness and spirituality fosters more open-mindedness.

Spirituality can be seen as a common core within all religions. All religions have a component that addresses humanity's ultimate concerns.

If we look at spirituality as that which affects and addresses our ultimate concerns, then we must look at developmental models to gain greater clarity. It has been said that all growth is a movement from selfishness toward selflessness. A selfish spirituality is an immature spirituality.

Religions were born from a time when humanity was in transition from tribalism into chiefdoms. The Old Testament is filled with more primitive morality, but forget about that for the moment and let's watch some videos....like this, and this, and then maybe we'll check in with the pastafarians....and what the heck, here's about getting away with murder.

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?
Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing?
Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing?
Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing?
Then why call him God?"
- Epicurus

good old logic