Spirituality

The world is filled with so many different religions and they all claim to be the only path to save your soul. Just the mere thought of that is very intimidating. Trying to choose which path is the one for our spiritual salvation is even scarier. The simple choices we face in our everyday lives, such as trying to find something to eat can be extremely complicated. To simplify it for ourselves we ask a series of questions, “do I want fast food, pizza, or should I cook at home?” When we struggle with a choice so simple such a food, why would choosing a religion be simple? We don’t have the same simple questions to ask ourselves because each religion varies tremendously. With all of that being said. You should take some comfort that you are not alone. There are millions of people who have no idea where to place their faith.

Here's where this blog comes in. The intention is to inform you that you do not have to choose a specific religion. Since there are so many varied paths, you can choose what you want. This is called being spiritual. We want to make sure that you are informed of the differences and similarities of the two.

There are a few key points in religion. First, religion is the belief in a supernatural or superhuman like power that is the creator of the universe. Religion itself is organized to have specific dogmas and demands unquestionable belief from their followers. This leads to the creation of creeds. These creeds are binding prayers that the believer dedicates their soul to church. Along with creeds, the concept of community worship comes into place. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. However since the community meets in a brick and mortar building, there are monetary demands needed from the religious order. This leads to corruption and greed.

At the core, looking beyond community worship and dogmas the main point is your salvation. Most religions are dualistic in nature. That is that the good go to a place like heaven and the bad go to hell. The good are people who follow the dogmas and the bad are those that break it. Last, almost religions claim that they are the one true salvation.

The concept of spirituality is different. The belief is that the divine is within us all. This leads to the misunderstanding by organized religions that spiritual people consider themselves to be God-like. This is not the case. Spiritual beings work on their inner self. There isn’t any set form of dogma. The spiritual being tries to live a happy life free from creeds. With the belief that the divine is within everyone, this leads to a respect for others. Spiritualists believe that all people are inherently good and that they should be respected. Although, the spiritualists do not have a brick and mortar building it does not mean that we do not form communities. In fact, one could argue that the spiritual community is a more tight-knit community that has love and understanding for all. This understanding is free of judgment and free from fear of going to hell. The concept of heaven does exist. However, the concept of reincarnation plays a role in the spiritualist belief.

However, it is important to remember that being spiritual does not mean you are religious. However, you can be religious and spiritual. This may be confusing given what was stated above. There are historically spiritual beings that have put their faith in religion. Gandhi is one of them. He put the needs of others before himself.

With all of this being said, how do people choose where to put their faith? Well, historically many people have chosen the mainstream paths such as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and more. Being a spiritualist is like ordering an ice-cream Sunday. There are so many different types of ice cream that we don't know which to choose. Once we decide, there are other choices to decide like what toppings. Being spiritual gives you the choice to pick and choose what fits your needs. Just remember not push your belief on others. That is a violation of free will.

Now if you are a Christian, you may be asking, "Isn't this heresy? We were told that there is only one way to God and that is through Jesus." Well, the bible speaks about free will. The fact that we were given free will allows us to make choices. Now I am not saying that we should all go out and do what ever we want. There are certain moral and ethical standards that we should live up to. As long as you are not harming yourself or anyone else, do what you will with it. The purpose of the human experience is to find happiness. Becoming spiritual is finding the right blend that makes you feel fulfilled and happy.