Not religious but spiritual

Almost always it seems the person adopts eastern mysticism and things like yoga and meditation and doesn't go to a established church

Well Being religious means following a religion whilst being spiritual means being 'alive' to the world of spirits. So I am afraid for me neither is very complimentary. After all the Pharisees were religious and Satan is spiritual!


Pete from Peterborough UK

Religious means do this do that out of your own strength but thats man made religion what they mean. Not real religion like James says.
Spiritual, they mean like Romans 8, get lead by the Spirit I think.

jsimms435 said:

Almost always it seems the person adopts eastern mysticism and things like yoga and meditation and doesn't go to a established church

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Yes that too.

For me personally; I don't too much say I am religious, because people automatically want to class you as a member of some denomination or sect. I don't believe division along sect or denomination or even religion is correct. I believe those who are faithful to GOD make up the separate leaves of the same One vine regardless of the divisions of man, and not due to them.

One saying they are spiritual could mean any level of things. They may consider themselves wholly Christian but not of a particular sect or division. They may understand that all life is ultimately of One source, but do not have the discernment or knowledge it takes to rightly divide their own spirit/s and motive/s. A spiritual person can even be an atheist or a pagan or polytheist, or deist in my experience. I actually know a few atheists that when pressed, will indeed agree that there is a singular spiritual source for all creation (deism).



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Lämmchen said:

I've heard people say I'm not religious but I'm spiritual. What does that mean?

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I think PART of it is radical individualism.

Some people see SPIRITUALITY as an uber-individualistic, personal, private thing. No community, no relationships, no cooperation, no accountability... no need for morality or anything else. Christianity is just God and ME.

I think they see RELIGION as something that suggests community, cooperation, relationships, accountability, brothers and sisters willing to raise the issue if whether what we preach is true, what we do is moral. Many want a religion that involves nothing and no one but Jesus and SELF, the feelings of self, the opinions of self - the chapel being their own shower. It's a result of the uber-individualism that has ravaged the West since the Enlightenment.

Lämmchen said:

I've heard people say I'm not religious but I'm spiritual. What does that mean?

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That is going to depend on the person saying it. I highly doubt that such a response could be generalized into a single definition.

In many social circles, religion is lightly tolerated, because it is often such a divisive issue, and arguments are easily ignited. If I heard a person say this I wouldn't assume exactly what is meant by it, but if they didn't wish to elaborate, I'd take it as an indication that they don't wish to discuss private/personal matters/beliefs with the person who inquired and basically a way of saying "this is not your business".