Why Do People Embrace Religion Instead Of Only Spirituality?

I personally would never follow anything out of fear.

I - like many - was assimilated into the Christian belief. So I do have a bases for discussing it. Unlike many Christians who slam other beliefs they know nothing about.

Even at 5 years old it didn't make any sense to me. But like many - I stayed with it - trying to be the "good little Christian".

Having OBE's and other experiences since my earliest memory showed me there was more going on then what appears in front of me. Perhaps that is why I could never accept something I considered manufactured by man.

As far as Spirituality as a "belief" (which is different then BEING Spiritual) - - there are plenty of books and teachers and leaders one can follow. In that aspect it is no different then following the bible - in my opinion.

Spirituality in oneself - - is being of the One. Knowing all is a ripple in the same pond. Thought energy creates. Every thought becomes part of the creation - - as a ripple in a pond affects the whole.

There is great responsibility in living "every thought is an action".

If you think FEAR - - you spread Fear through the pond - affecting the whole.
If you think HATE - - you spread Hate through the pond - affecting the whole.
If you think ENVY - - you spread Envy through the pond - affecting the whole.
If you think HARM - - you spread Harm through the pond - affecting the whole.
If you think GREED - - you spread Greed through the pond - affecting the whole.
If you think LOVE - - you spread Love through the pond - affecting the whole.

How do you want your pond to FEEL?

Annee, pretty good listing of the vices there.
I would have LOVED to see a corresponding list of virtues.

The Roman Catholic Church also recognizes seven virtues, which correspond inversely to each of the seven deadly sins.
Vice↓. ...... Latin↓....... Virtue↓....... Latin↓.
Lust. ...... Luxuria. ...... Chastity. ....... Castitas
Gluttony....... Gula....... Temperance.......Temperantia
Greed. ...... Avaritia ....... Charity....... Caritas
Sloth ........ Acedia ....... Diligence ... Industria
Wrath ........ Ira. ...... Patience. ... Patientia
Envy........ Invidia. ...... Kindness ...... Humanitas
Pride ........ Superbia...... Humility. ..... Humilitas


[edit]

Associations with demons

In 1589, Peter Binsfeld paired each of the deadly sins with a demon, who tempted people by means of the associated sin. According to Binsfeld's classification of demons, the pairings are as follows

* Lucifer: Pride (superbia)
* Mammon: Greed (avaritia)
* Asmodeus: Lust (luxuria)
* Leviathan: Envy (invidia)
* Beelzebub: Gluttony (gula or gullia)
* Satan/Amon: Wrath (ira)
* Belphegor: Sloth (acedia)


link: en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 18-8-2010 by slugger9787]

[edit on 18-8-2010 by slugger9787]

[edit on 18-8-2010 by slugger9787]

so evil spirits are at the
root of the tree which
produces the fruit of vice.

and good spirits are at the
root of the tree which
produces the fruit of virtue.

conscience contains virtues, and rules promulgating from the virtues.
feelings, intellect and physical body contains potential threads of the vices.

reply to post by slugger9787


Its called simplicity.

My gramma was Catholic. She tried to raise me Catholic. Even at 5 years old I found it too ostentatious. I asked her: "Why does God need all this?"

My best friend was Catholic. She tried to convert me. Took me to church - explained confession - mortal sins - immortal sins. She eventually married a Jewish man and converted.

God does not need to be complicated.

*** no I do not believe in the religious concept of god. But - it still does not need to be complicated.







[edit on 18-8-2010 by Annee]

Originally posted by slugger9787
so evil spirits are at the
root of the tree which
produces the fruit of vice.

and good spirits are at the
root of the tree which
produces the fruit of virtue.

conscience contains virtues, and rules promulgating from the virtues.
feelings, intellect and physical body contains potential threads of the vices.

Conscience is energy thought and personal responsibility - simplicity.

Do not believe in evil spirits.

Do believe in energy beings without physical form.

Do believe we program our own physical bodies to experience a programmed plan in a physical world. So yes potential vices can be part of the plan. Or just a mistake in the physical design - - without intent.

[edit on 18-8-2010 by Annee]

reply to post by Annee
Excellent reply.

I have a few questions. Do note I am constantly learning.

1. How can belief not be part of spirituality?
2. Can beleif not affect your pond? Or lack there of?
3. What is the pond? Oneness?
4. Where does this pond come from?
5. Does not one expell what the believe?

Me personally, following the WORD is like a flicker of light in a dark room. And I am drawn and so joyful while Im in the light, as long as I keep facing it.

Belief to me plays a heavy roll in my spiritual growth. Using the word spiritual as I understand.

If I say I am on a spiritual growth it shouldn't mean I'm not a Christian. If I was a Republican but entertain some Democratic views it shouldn't mean I'm not a Republican, right?

Fear is a something I've learned to use as a tool that I've learned that I can control and to use to improve my spiritual/Christian growth. By no means will I spread full out fear as a ripple.

But I do see your point whole heartedly and truly respect it. Fear is something if not controlled will spread like a cancer.

I've lost site of God before and walking this earth without God in my sight isnt good for me. That's when I start to spread the negative energy. With my fear of losing site of God is only my way of knowing that I for sure don't want to turn my back on God again. Which goes back to the OP's original question. Again I'm all for spiritual growth, but my previous methods allowed me to forget to glorify the creator. That is why I posted, I'm only speaking from my experience.

This is my spiritual journey, and I've found that being intimate with the Word is something that helps me be a better father, husband, friend and neighbor.

You mentioned books and I am sure I've read some of them, and they make good fundamental sense. To me, the Word is what makes me feel joy internally and it shows externally. I don't preach, nor inundate people with my beliefs. But I am always asked why am I always smiling and in a good mood. If they truly want to know I then I share.

You mentioned OBE and boy do I have stuff to share. Also I've had some rich active dreams all my life to where they totally floor me. Some heavenly and some hellish.

its easier to say you are religious. You have to put spirituality into the works, and people are lazy. With spirituality comes cool things like Astral Projection, however folks are lazy, and won't bother with it unless they can see it can be done.

Originally posted by syrinx2112
reply to post by Annee

 

Excellent reply.

I have a few questions. Do note I am constantly learning.

1. How can belief not be part of spirituality?
2. Can beleif not affect your pond? Or lack there of?
3. What is the pond? Oneness?
4. Where does this pond come from?
5. Does not one expell what the believe?

Have to go somewhere - here's a quickie.

The Pond is just a visualization for purpose of understanding.

Will respond to the rest later.

Originally posted by slugger9787


* Lucifer: Pride (superbia)
* Mammon: Greed (avaritia)
* Asmodeus: Lust (luxuria)
* Leviathan: Envy (invidia)
* Beelzebub: Gluttony (gula or gullia)
* Satan/Amon: Wrath (ira)
* Belphegor: Sloth (acedia)

Simplicity.

Positive - Negative. Positive Energy - Negative Energy

Pride - nothing wrong with Pride kept in Positive Energy
Greed/Gluttony - negative energy. Taking in/holding - not recycling out or releasing. Held in confinement.
Lust - mechanism to promote procreation. Not negative or positive in itself. Can be negative or positive depending on responsible or irresponsible action.
Envy - depends on action taken after this emotion. Envy can be positive if used to motivate positive energy.
Wrath - negative energy
Sloth - physical or energy thought? Depends on the interpretation of Sloth. Being in a state can be positive without action.

reply to post by John_Q_Llama


I think of it more like a lack of knowing anything else. If you don't know anything about spirituality and all the people you live with persue the Quran, you will most likely become Muslim. Same for people in the bible belt. Also, and it's the saddest reason in my opinion, is people actually LIKE to be told what to do and don't really like thinking for themsleves.

Originally posted by pepsi78
There is no biblical god, the bible is an invention by men to control other men. They put only the books they saw fit and made the bible, god is only one, the rest are just god's creatures that come and play.

Pepsi,

I'm unsure of why you are telling me this when what I wrote was a basic response for Slugger, using the words and concepts that he understands.

You are preaching to the converted, so to speak.

reply to post by Annee


if conscience is "energy thought" where does the energy originate from?

does the energy being lose this energy by converting it to thought, then emotion, then action?

Energy is either Positive or negative.

Which is it?

who decides whether it is pos or neg?
you?
if so how do you decide and why?

So we are energy beings in a physical body?

how does the energy transfer from the energy being to the physical body?

If the energy being picks a body, why would they pick one that is defective and full of vices?

What animates the energy being prior to a physical body?

Through that animation where does the animated energy go to, what does it produce?

So in the energy being world, can energy be created or destroyed.

If it can be created or destroyed then prove it.

[edit on 18-8-2010 by slugger9787]

Originally posted by slugger9787
reply to post by Annee

 

if conscience is "energy thought" where does the energy originate from?

Energy is either Positive or negative.

Which is it?

I am not going to get into all these details. You are trying to complicate. It does not interest me.

Where does god come from? Who created god?

Everything is energy - - thought is energy. Thought creates. Thought can be negative or positive.

To answer the OP
People embrace spirituality cause they do not like being told what to do.
Look at Lucifer, Adam and Eve.
Same old same old.

They ues their free will to unhinge their SPIRIT (spirituality) from any inhibitions and restraint. They operte off of an internal, subjective set of standards.

called moral relativity and secular humanism.

[edit on 18-8-2010 by Annee]

Originally posted by Tayesin

Originally posted by pepsi78
There is no biblical god, the bible is an invention by men to control other men. They put only the books they saw fit and made the bible, god is only one, the rest are just god's creatures that come and play.

Pepsi,

I'm unsure of why you are telling me this when what I wrote was a basic response for Slugger, using the words and concepts that he understands.

You are preaching to the converted, so to speak.

I'm not a preaching but debating and yes the bible is modified, books were left out of the bible.

There are a lot of positives about being organized and part of a larger social group. And people are social animals. Being vaguely "spiritual" is perfectly fine, but not tremendously powerful. Alone, you can be a happy little spiritual firefly, but join 10,000 other people all praying and chanting and singing in the same direction, and you get to be part of a supernova.

Personally, I'm neither spiritual nor religiously organized, but I can recognize the positive aspects of both approaches to the problem of unknowing.





[edit on 19-8-2010 by Blue Shift]

reply to post by John_Q_Llama


I saw the saddest thing a few days ago: a grandmother was teaching a two year old boy about God and how the boy must obey Him.

So to answer your question, I think that sometimes it's taught at such early age that the religious person takes their belief as second nature, never questioning it.

Originally posted by ohsnaptruth
I saw the saddest thing a few days ago: a grandmother was teaching a two year old boy about God and how the boy must obey Him.

So to answer your question, I think that sometimes it's taught at such early age that the religious person takes their belief as second nature, never questioning it.

You understand, though, that children don't have the mental capacity to understand very complex symbolism, and must be managed. If the kid has any brains at all, he'll eventually come to question what he's been taught, and either accept or reject it. Anybody with a decent sense of self-awareness goes through that. And if he's not that smart, maybe it's better that he at least have some strange tale guide his life than simply running amok.

We all go through this existence alone. And in the end, who are we to say what is the right or wrong way to do it?

Originally posted by Blue Shift
There are a lot of positives about being organized and part of a larger social group. And people are social animals. Being vaguely "spiritual" is perfectly fine, but not tremendously powerful. Alone, you can be a happy little spiritual firefly, but join 10,000 other people all praying and chanting and singing in the same direction, and you get to be part of a supernova.

Personally, I'm neither spiritual nor religiously organized, but I can recognize the positive aspects of both approaches to the problem of unknowing.

Yes - this is true. Congregation - to gather in a group.

Prayer is energy - - the more energy the more powerful.

However - not all prayer is positive. Many are into - sin - punishment - and guilt - - which is negative. So you have 10,000 putting negative energy into the whole.

I'll happily go with the individual positive firefly. That energy will merge and be just as powerful as if sent out in a group.