Religious vs. Spiritual....

[mdehners]

I'm a touch OCD and tend to organize things that most folks don't(well, "normal" ones;>). In the "World of Woo" I divide the theistically inclined into 2 camps: Religious or Spiritual. Not the definitions communally accepted however. The Religious Believe in Beings that exist, Individually or Communally. They are SENTIENT. The Spiritual either Believe in Psychological Archtypes that have no existence outside one's brainpan OR that "They're Reaaaaalllly" anthropomorphized natural forces without Individuality or Sentience. There are some in the middle but most folks devotionally oriented tend into one of the 2 camps.
And don't think that it's just an alt.rel "thing". Most of the Christians I personally(as in Midgard, not Cybergard)I define as Spiritual. They don't really Believe that YHVH or Joshua ben Yusef are Individuals in Their own right. They're just cultural patterns they inherited from their parents as an ethical template. Sadly, because of this they're more Tolerant of my Sexuality and Religious Beliefs than religious Christians I've known....folks that have more in common with me than the Spiritual Christians. In fact, the last Christian church I attended in the 80's(I figured that I should, as an adult experience Christianity in case my childhood experiences coloured the whole religion) Pastor was Spiritual. Needless to say,as someone who actually Believes in Divine Beings(btw, I STILL Believe that YHVH and Joshua ben Yesef Exist, I just have no interest in Them or the traditions created around Them)I found the leader of a congregation Believing Psychologically somewhat distressing. I returned to Celtic Reconstructionism not long after....
I guess the reason I define these terms so is that in practicality, that's how in action these terms are used, even in my own family.
In Heathenry generally, there's more Religious than Spiritual but they are there. In the Pagan, IME I'd say 50% are either, though if you tell a Spiritual person my definition, you usually get an argument. Well, until you ask them what they reeeeaaaalllly Believe the God/desses are and they begin to describe something related to Electricity......
Both views CAN "Get Along" if they both agree to disagree. I Believe that it's something that's integral to the way a person Sees the Universe and unless a literally World Shaking Experience happens in their lives it's not going to change...so don't try. Work with your common physical world beliefs and leave the "They're just Blind" stuff at home....
Cheers,
Pat

Comments

[weofodthignen]

Good distinction, though I always quail when I hear the two words distinguished because of the usual usage. It's interesting that you see so much of the "spiritual" among Xians, but I suppose in a religion that makes such a big deal about "faith", it has a certain logic.

M

[mdehners]

The sad thing is that Spiritual Christians don't really have Faith that their God and His Avatar really exist. More metaphor than Person basically. I mean, most folks of whatever Way they are on have to take the existence of their Divine Beings on Faith. Most can't See(which makes it a bit hard to Disbelieve IME;>) but those who have decided that the whole bowl of wax is "just a metaphor", etc don't even really, IMO Commit. This is a subset of Theism that I personally find annoying, but then again, like most "Out" folks I have a "thing" against "fencesitters"....esp those to "get along".
Cheers,
Pat(Bitchy as Ever;>)