Translate: "I don't necessarily believe in God but I'm very spiritual"

[curiousj]

I hear this a lot, but I find it very confusing.

What does this mean? How is "spirituality" different from "connecting with God".

 

[~Anastasia~]

That's exactly what I'd want to ask a person, if I needed to know.

It can be a little insulting, but I've seen a meme that shows a girl saying, "I'm very spiritual, I'm just not religious" and the comeback was "Be more specific - the demons are spiritual!"

There's some truth to that.

 

[Sketcher]

If I heard that, I'd have to ask the person who said that what it meant.

 

[rockytopva]

I have heard this term as, 'spiritual but not religious.' Which to make a long story short, means 'I am a wild party-er who does not go to church.'

Someone who undoubtedly feels she is 'spiritual but not religious' ...

 

[ViaCrucis]

I hear this a lot, but I find it very confusing.

What does this mean? How is "spirituality" different from "connecting with God".

"Spirituality" is an incredibly broad and not well defined concept generally speaking. In different religions what constitutes "spirituality" is different based on that religion. If we take Buddhism for example, many forms of Buddhism are non-theistic (not necessarily atheistic, but non-theistic, the existence or significance of "gods" is largely considered irrelevant either way) but, of course, there are spiritual disciplines and practices, there is a spirituality in those Buddhist traditions.

In the modern west "spirituality" is sometimes completely divorced from a religious tradition at all, is even more nebulous, and can largely mean anything that someone wants it to mean.

Which is why "spirituality" without anything qualifying it is almost impossible to define in any concrete way. Spirituality has a specific meaning within a Christian context, as a Lutheran I'd define Christian spirituality as exoteric rather than esoteric (exterior rather than interior), depending not on my personal feelings or emotive responses but rather it is centered upon things outside of myself: the preaching of the word, the Sacraments, repentance and absolution. Something that is spiritual is spiritual because the Holy Spirit is present in it, the Spirit is at work. This, of course, is a very different understanding of "spirituality" than how some other Christian traditions would understand it, and is very different than what "spiritual" means for many other religions. For many the "spiritual" refers primarily to interior, esoteric, experiences; which is quite nearly the opposite of how I would understand spirituality.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Winken]

Spiritual. Capital S. As in Holy Spirit; the Spirit of God. Context.

spiritual. Small s. non-Spiritual. Not of God.

 

[Eryk]

Spiritual but not religious

According to Philip D. Kenneson, to be "religious" conveys an institutional connotation, usually associated with Abrahamic traditions: to attend worship services, to say Mass, to light Hanukkah candles. To be "spiritual," in contrast, connotes personal practice and personal empowerment having to do with the deepest motivations of life. As a result, in cultures that are deeply suspicious of institutional structures and that place a high value on individual freedom and autonomy, spirituality has come to have largely positive connotations, while religion has been viewed more negatively.
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https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_but_not_religious

 

[Winken]

Religion is structural. It involves steps, policies, procedures, organization, rules --- in short, works --- leading to its acceptance and maintenance.

Christianity is "none of the above." A Christian is one accepted by the Grace of God through Faith, not of works. There isn't even a hint of structure in that relationship. It is entirely Spiritual (capital S).

Therefore......... systems (denominations, Catholicism, cults) which impose "something more" or "additional requirements" for, or to continue in them, have waltzed (sometimes marched) away from simple, child-like Faith. That which is spiritual (small s) has nothing to do with that which is Spiritual.

 

[~Anastasia~]

If the statement of being "spiritual" is prefaced with a statement of non-belief in God ...


Eta: since that is the title of the thread.

 

[graceandpeace]

To know what someone means, you'd have to ask them.

I think most who refer to themselves as "spiritual but not very religious" may have a range of beliefs - belief in God, atheism, & a range of possibilities in between.

 

[aiki]

I hear this a lot, but I find it very confusing.

What does this mean? How is "spirituality" different from "connecting with God".

If the Bible is to be believed (and I think, of course, that it ought to be), there is no real spirituality, no real spiritual life, apart from a relationship with God through Christ. Those who have not been saved and thereby spiritually regenerated are "dead in trespasses and sins." (Eph. 2:1, 5) Whatever an unbeliever may describe as spirituality, as far as God is concerned, it is not genuine spiritual life, which can only be obtained from Him.

When I have pressed unbelievers to explain what they mean when they say they are "spiritual," ultimately and invariably what they mean is a positive emotional state/experience. They are "at peace within," or "balanced" or "in touch with the cosmos or nature" or "seeing themselves clearly" and/or have achieved "inner harmony," etc. Each of these statements boils down - at least in my experience - to a positive feeling or set of feelings that are utterly subjective in character.

For the Christian person, spiritual life is imparted by the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ.

Romans 8:9-11
9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

The Holy Spirit is not a manipulator of our emotions but an Agent of conviction (Jn. 16:8), an Illuminator of our minds (1Cor. 2:12-14), and a Transformer of our desires and will (2Cor. 3:18; Phil. 2:13). As the Holy Spirit works to change us, our emotions fall in line with what He is doing in our mind and will, but unlike the "spirituality" of the unregenerate person, our emotions are never to be the fundamental ground of our spiritual experience.

Romans 12:2
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 7:25
25 I thank God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God...

1 Corinthians 2:16
16 For "who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Selah.

 

[NJA]

I hear this a lot, but I find it very confusing.

What does this mean? How is "spirituality" different from "connecting with God".

basic translation:
I believe in human spirituality rather than materialism.
What the person may not realise is that the human spirit, though made in the image (shadow/pattern) of God, is not The Holy (perfect) Spirit.

What conviceted and converted me from believing in my human spirituality was the utter superiority of God's Spirit, seen (filtered) through my peers ... I just couldn't attain top the way they were .. the contentment, love, joy, peace, answers etc.
What was coming from them wasn't in me.

I realised my need to call on God to receive His Spirit (be born again).

 

[food4thought]

I agree, NJA... what they probably mean is that they believe there is a human spirit that extends beyond physical life, but not in a God who will judge them.

 

[stevevw]

I am suspicious of movements like some of the charismatic churches. I use to go to one many years ago. There is a lot of music and feelings and some get carried away. Though I dont want to make a blanket judgement on them as there are a lot of good things about this as well. I think we can be joyous and use music in worship but we should always keep grounded in the word of God. In fact in some ways God used this path as part of my salvation. But I also had the salvation armies approach which was more down to earth so I could use the best of both. Now i find it is about the Holy spirit which means that Jesus is at the centre of things. Sometimes you can feel very spiritual when you look at the universe and Gods creation. I can see its easy to mix spirituality with other forms of beliefs. New age beliefs use mother nature and there is a sense of being a part of nature.

I think the key is putting an identity onto your spirituality. Many world beliefs are mystical and there isn't a specific guide to what it is about. I like the part in the book of Acts I think it was when Paul came into a city and there were many idols and beliefs that the people were worshiping. One had a sign to the unknown god. Paul said to them that his God could be known and identified Him as the creator and giver of life through Jesus. When we know this I think we can have a spiritual awakening and this can be a revelation. It can have practical effects in our life such as helping use things more positively. Knowing that we are forgiven and belong to Gods family can make you feel good about things. But its different to a feeling or high you get thats temporary from material things.

 

[Neogaia777]

That's a new age religion saying, they think that human beings are quantum mechanically affecting not just the earth, but the entire universe, they worship the powers of creation, rather than the Creator, and believe in the worship of self, or the worship of human beings and believe they can have "power" through self-introspection and it is catching on and may lead to world religion...

God Bless!