I have heard people say this and I’ve even said it myself, “I consider myself spiritual but not religious.”. Some thoughts have formed around that idea in my consciousness and an analogy presented itself to me that I thought was pretty helpful.
What I believe most people mean when they describe themselves as spiritual but not religious, is that they are drawn to the spiritual that exists within everything around us but reject the constriction of organized religious groups trying to define what it means to be spiritual. I have arrived at a place presently where I don’t think you can be one without being the other.
So being spiritual is having a desire for God. Its consciously accepting that the here and now is not all there is and exploring ideas that are portals into a world we can’t see. It is a desire to journey to Eden. A place we believe we can get to where God and man live together.
The means by which we decide to take that journey is the faith we choose or are born into. Whether its a car, train, plane or boat our faith is our vehicle. Christianity, Bhuddism, Islam, or any faith that we are a part of is the vehicle that gets us there.
Religion is the system, its the roads, airports, train stations or whatever. It provides the systems and mechanisms we need to arrive at our destination. It provides guides and pilots priests and ministers to help us navigate our way.
Love is the GPS. The constant ever-stationary guiding star. The voice that informs us how we’re doing and when we’ve gone off course. It reroutes us each time we take a wrong turn and always offers a way from wherever we’ve strayed, back to God.
If I am religious but not spiritual, I will find myself longing for the passion and desire that I see in those seekers who hunger for the Lord. If I am spiritual but not religious, I will find myself longing for the direction, community and meaningful rituals that I see in those who practice their faith. This is why I believe that to live out our faith means to embrace being both spiritual and religious.