This is a phrase that has confused me. Faith is always a personal journey, whether or not there is a public element to your faith. So this phrase, much like deep faith, must mean different things to different people. Most often when I hear this phrase, it seems to imply that there is something negative to being found to be religious. At the same time, the "but, I am very spiritual," seems to be an assertion that "I am not bad - not damned to hell."
When I was younger, a friend once said to me at a party: "I can appreciate your faith. You seem very religious, but you don't force it on anyone." I took that as both a complement and an insult. The complement I could never really get my hands fully around, but now I think it to be an example of St. Francis of Assisi's words: "Preach the gospel at all times -- If necessary, use words." The insult? Well as a Catholic wasn't I called to evangelize and bring others to the faith and was I doing that if he felt I was living and let live...Well, at the time, I didn't think so, but again with a bit more wisdom behind me, I was probably indeed living the words of St. Francis. Faith after all, can never be imposed with any real success. It must be accepted and internalized and become part of us.
This is why Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York has said that "you may leave the church, but the church never leaves you" It is a part of what shapes your beliefs -- even the ones you reject.
I have to wonder though what is the difference between "spiritual" and just plain old fashioned "agnostic" -- they seem to be the same thing in many cases, at least from what I have heard and seen from folks. If we define spiritual as having to do with the soul and we considered ourselves spiritual, wouldn't we also be greatly concerned about the care and well being of our soul? What have you done for your soul lately? Prayer, Yoga, anything? Participating in a church....
So, this has been bothering me for some time and now Parade magazine (the Sunday insert in many papers nationally) published this past weekend their not so scientific poll, on this very same topic. They found that the about a quarter of Americans consider themselves spiritual, but not religious. It seems to be a trend that people are keeping faith and dumping the church. Could it be the hate and judgement expressed by some churches? Sex scandals? Why practice your faith where the leaders are amuck with sin. I would rather see us ask, how can I fix the problem? How can I be a part of the solution. For christians it is clear that we are called by Jesus himself to worship together, to be the many parts of the one body (Colossians 1:18, Ephesians 2:19-22, Galatians3:26-29, Matthew 18:20, 1 Corinthians 12:27, Romans 12:5-6)
What does it mean to be religious?
Does it mean you belong to a church? Does it mean you pray regularly? Does it mean you follow prescribed norms or worship? Are there rules to being religious?
What does it mean to be spiritual?
Does it mean you believe in one God, a god, THE GOD? Or does it mean that you sit quietly under a tree staring at a waterfall contemplating the meaning of life. Do you follow any prescription of a faith life? Are there rules and beliefs that you adopt or do you just meditate and pray randomly and hope to do no ill to your fellow man (traditional use of the word meant here, I don't conform to political correct watering down of our language).
How do you define this and what does it mean to you?
