Larry Jordan

Mar 23, 2023 by Larry Jordan, in Christianity

For purposes of this post, "religion" is a specific set of organized beliefs and practices, usually shared by a community or group, and "spirituality" is more of an individual practice, involving a search for connection, peace, and purpose. (Of course, these definitions are not mutually-exclusive.)

Sometimes, religious people will dismissively suggest that spiritual people are not as disciplined or humble as religious people and that spiritual people practice a "salad bar" spirituality, picking and choosing beliefs and practices, without an absolute sense of morality or a fixed set of beliefs.

Most of us know religious people who are not disciplined or humble (and spiritual people who are both) and most of us know religious people who pick and choose their beliefs and practices (and spiritual people who do not.) In some ways, we all pick and choose.

Sometimes, spiritual people will dismissively suggest that religious people are not as clever or courageous as spiritual people and that religious people practice a "blind faith," embracing beliefs and practices that can conflict with common sense or science, including some beliefs and practices that can hurt people.

Most of us know spiritual people who are not clever or courageous (and religious people who are both) and most of us know spiritual people who embrace beliefs and practices that can conflict with common sense or science (and religious people who do not) including some beliefs and practices that can hurt people.

Most of us know ethical people who are irreligious (and unethical people who are religious.) Judeo/Christian ethics are claimed to be revealed by God, but these ethics are strikingly similar to the ethics from other sacred and secular sources, which do not claim to be revealed by God.

We might take comfort from the idea that religion can establish absolute right and wrong, until we take a closer look. The ten commandments prohibit killing, but is killing acceptable in a just war or in self defense? The ten commandments prohibit stealing, but is stealing acceptable to feed a family?

In this sense, absolute moral codes, such as those in the Bible, sometimes answer the easy, general questions, but not the difficult, specific questions.

We can find connection, peace, and purpose, inside or outside of church. We can find community, inside or outside of church, and we can establish practices that connect us to God or the Universe and to each other, inside or outside of church.





 

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