CAN ONE BE SPIRITUAL AND NOT RELIGIOUS?

As amn open mindex Pagan Celtic earth witch,I dont know how this would work,but i'd like to.Can you be spiritual and not religious?

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Permalink Reply by Nix on May 26, 2008 at 2:58pm: Yes i think you can because i feel i was, i combined abunch of small ideas of religions without practicing a religion but i became a little bored and unsatisfiyed not doing anything my spritual belifes were usally based on athisim (sorry for spelling).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by myfauxfoe on May 26, 2008 at 3:19pm: I think so. I'm pretty sure that I'm "spiritual but not religious". "Spiritual" refers to a belief in the supernatural, in forces that can't be perceived by conventional means, which I have. "Religious", to me, implies devotion to a diety, which I lack.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Reanna on May 26, 2008 at 6:04pm: I have always felt that I was spiritual, but maintained a stance of "non-religion". I believe in a "higher power" that is essentially nameless. I have never been able to connect with any particular religion. Maybe there were just too many rules. LOL Seriously though, I believe that there has been too much misinterpretation in most religiouns for me to connect with any one of them.

I looked up the meaning of the two words 1) religious 2) spritual and it held true to my current belief. The definition of religious states "faithful devotion". That is definately not me. I am not one to wake up in the morning and say a prayer to a specific deity. I do not say "my prayers" before going to bed. I do not pray to or worship any deity.

I do however belief in a universal power and tap into that power through meditation and by just "linking in". I consider myself spiritual and based on the definition it does fit for me. I do have religious values and feel all religions to be based on truth. I just do not feel that the universal power is above me or you. We are all one and a part of the same.

Below are the definitions that I found. And there it is....

Main Entry: re·li·gious
Pronunciation: \ri-li-jəs\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French religius, from Latin religiosus, from religio
Date: 13th century
1: relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity
2: of, relating to, or devoted to religious beliefs or observances...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Reanna on May 26, 2008 at 6:28pm: Main Entry: 1spir·i·tu·al
Pronunciation: \ˈspir-i-chə-wəl, -i-chəl, -ich-wəl\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French espirital, spiritual, from Late Latin spiritualis, from Latin, of breathing, of wind, from spiritus
Date: 14th century
1: of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit : incorporeal
2 a: of or relating to sacred matters b: ecclesiastical rather than lay or temporal
3: concerned with religious values
4: related or joined in spirit
5 a: of or relating to supernatural beings or phenomena b: of, relating to, or involving spiritualism : spiritualistic; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Celticlass on May 26, 2008 at 11:36pm: So by definitiion 3 it can be? these are all some good points.thanks!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Xuchilpaba the Nezahualcoyotl on May 26, 2008 at 6:24pm: Yes. Alot here have a distainment for any kind of organized religion.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by d'Arqstar on May 27, 2008 at 12:48am: Happily, one CAN be quite spiritual without being religious. In fact, some religions tend to squash (Gadz! I can't spell!) spiritualism in favor of towing the line of dogma. I don't see Witchcraft as a religion and I'm very spiritual, so yes...one CAN most certainly be spiritual without being religious!
LOL! There! I've spoken! LOL! So it is, so mote it be! LOL!
(sorry! It's late and I'm getting goofy! LOL!)
BB
d'Arqstar (aka, she who needs sleep!); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Beloved_Isis on May 27, 2008 at 1:15am: I don't think spirituality has anything to do with religion. It depends on what people think the both are...but the majority that i have met, don't believe the two are the same.; ▶ Reply to This