I am more spiritual than religious.

[LovelyChris71]

This is my personal view. I am spiritual but not religious. I feel our church can be in our heart and soul rather than a man made building. I believe in God. I also believe from my upbringing that alot of evil and hypocrocy hides out in the church. My family and mom is like this. My mother has been a horrible excuse for a parent. My mother's solution is to run away to church when confronted and continue to live in denial. I know many others like my mother. Yet I also know I could not have survived my hard life and gotten this far without a spiritual force I call God. I am open to others religous views when they don't cause me harm or are not used as a control tactic.

The bible itself says that the body is our temple. "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit,".

I too believe that religion can be harmful, when taken to the extent of killings or abuse. In fact, silly as it may sound, I believe that people who don't believe in God are also spiritual...... if that makes any sense.

My grandmother also sees the church as her sanctuary. I can't blame her. When the war broke out, she was sent by her father to the convent where she was raised by nuns, so of course she'd be religious. Plus she was born premature, 7 months, so they say she has always had the mind of a child.

[knightofalbion]

Some people prefer and benefit from being in a community, but other than that one does not require a 'middle-man' to communicate with the Divine.

'Love is the fulfilling of the Law'. Without love you won't ascend very far up the spheres of light, which is what the soul's journey is all about.

As for the constrictions of orthodoxy. All people are subject to the Law of Cause and Effect (Karma) Our actions have consequences, for good or ill. No-one can take from or add to the consequences of your actions.
Our destiny is in our own hands.

[psychoslice]

Why be spiritual or religious, why not just be you ?.

Originally Posted by LovelyChris71

This is my personal view. I am spiritual but not religious. I feel our church can be in our heart and soul rather than a man made building. I believe in God. I also believe from my upbringing that alot of evil and hypocrocy hides out in the church. My family and mom is like this. My mother has been a horrible excuse for a parent. My mother's solution is to run away to church when confronted and continue to live in denial. I know many others like my mother. Yet I also know I could not have survived my hard life and gotten this far without a spiritual force I call God. I am open to others religous views when they don't cause me harm or are not used as a control tactic.

The way I look at it is, the hypocrite is one step closer to God than you are. Because you allow the hypocrites to stand in between you and God in His place of worship. Matter of fact, I may be onto something, just put a bunch of hypocrites around the church like gargoyles to keep the evil spirits out.

All kidding aside, don't feel alone, a lot of adolescent and then some young adults have that I hate religion because of my parents rebellion. I'm sure if you search you could find a hat and jacket and even join their club!

[psychoslice]

Just read my signature, it tells all.

What has this got to do with Spiritualism! Being spiritual isnt the same as Spiritualism.

[psychoslice]

Originally Posted by Serenity Bear

What has this got to do with Spiritualism! Being spiritual isnt the same as Spiritualism.

Isn't it ?, look deeper than the ism lol.

LovelyChris - you will find many (if not the majority) here are spiritual and do not follow the confines of an orthodox religion.

[knightofalbion]

Originally Posted by Serenity Bear

What has this got to do with Spiritualism! Being spiritual isnt the same as Spiritualism.

My understanding is that Chris is investigating Spiritualism as a fairer, more open-minded alternative to the bigotry they have encountered in the Church.