I say the difference between spirituality and religion is that the former acknowledges the myriad, and necessary, facets of our material being as a vehicle for the Divine (a spirit having a human experience) while religion encourages the compartmentalization and banishment of various “selves” (a human striving to attempt to reach the Divine).
Is it any wonder why so many are fractured? Hateful? Adoring?
Because to hate or admire another person, or a particular trait, is to project unclaimed parts of yourself outwards to an “other”.
Spirituality is the yin/yang. It’s both dark and light. It’s the whole. It’s acknowledge that all parts of our Self have a reason for being…and that reason is to manifest the Divine in our own unique, glorious way. It is whole. It is “us”.
Religion seeks to be either “white” or “black”…never both. It is fragmented. It is bad/good, right/wrong, holy/profane, materialistic/sacred. It is divided. It is “us” versus “them”.
Readers, what do you say? Is there a difference between spirituality and religion? If so, what?
-- Janet Boyer, Amazon Hall of Fame/Vine Reviewer, author of Back in Time Tarot, Tarot in Reverse (Schiffer 2012) and the Snowland Tarot (Schiffer 2013). Featured in Tales of the Revolution: True Stories of People Who Are Poking the Box and Making a Difference (A Domino Project eBook edited by Seth Godin)
