What Are the Differences Between Religion and Spirituality?

Guru: Tom, you know there are many people don’t know the differences between religion and spirituality.

Tom: You are right, Guru Harry. So, can you enlighten us?

Guru: Sure. First, do you know what causes the confusion?

Tom: No, I am confused.

Guru: Because the terms used in religion are also used in spirituality, and yet they have different meanings.

Tom: So, they are talking about different things?

Guru: So, they are talking about the same things with different meanings.

Tom: That is really confusing.

Guru: Let’s see if I can make it clearer.

Tom: As clear as mud?

Guru: Okay, when we talk about religion here, we are mainly referring to organized religion.

Tom: So religious.

Guru: So, religion tends to be practiced in a group and within an organization.

Tom: How about spirituality?

Guru: You can practice it on your own.

Tom: Wow, this is a big difference!

Guru: And since religion is practiced within an organization, the followers tend to follow an organizational truth.

Tom: How about spirituality?

Guru: You are encouraged to follow your own truth.

Tom: But what is the basis of these truths?

Guru: In religion, it is largely based on some doctrine passed down by some earlier masters.

Tom: How about spirituality?

Guru: It is based on your own experience.

Tom: So, what happens when my own experience differs from those stated in the doctrine?

Guru: In religion, you are asked to reject your own experience as truth.

Tom: How about spirituality?

Guru: You are encouraged to accept your own experience as truth.

Tom: Wow, this is another big difference!

Guru: Indeed. This is also why many people are not comfortable with religion.

Tom: Of course, because what they read and hear from religion is not what they experience.

Guru: Right, and this is how spirituality came about.

Tom: How did it come about?

Guru: Spirituality offers a way to people to practice their own truth.

Tom: Their own truth through their own experience.

Guru: This is where they feel comfortable.

Tom: So, people feel comfortable practicing their own truth.

Guru: Since there are many organizations within religion and they may adopt different doctrines, so they tend to be divided.

Tom: How about spirituality?

Guru: Since nobody is forced to follow any particular doctrine, so they cannot be divided.

Tom: Are they united?

Guru: Well, the practice is to encourage everyone to follow his or her own truth, in that sense, they are united.

Tom: So, we are all one.

Guru: Indeed. In religion, it tends to be we are all one hundred and one.

Tom: Or even one thousand and one.

Guru: This is, of course, the source of religious conflicts.

Tom: How about spirituality?

Guru: As the practice allows everyone to follow his or her own truth, differences are accepted as part of spirituality.

Tom: Like the different colors of our bodies.

Guru: Yet, we are all one.

Tom: Are there other differences between religion and spirituality?

Guru: Religion tends to be very ritualistic.

Tom: Why is it?

Guru: This is a way for the senior followers to assert their “seniority”.

Tom: How about spirituality?

Guru: There is little or no ritual.

Tom: Why is it?

Guru: Since everyone is on his or her own path, so there is no such thing as “seniority”.

Tom: How about God?

Guru: Religion tends to teach a judgmental, outer God.

Tom: How about spirituality?

Guru: They tend to teach a non-judgmental, inner God.

Tom: God and I are one.

Guru: This is also why religion tends to be fear-based.

Tom: What is fear-based?

Guru: They use fear to motivate people to do good.

Tom: Is it wrong to use fear to motivate people to do good?

Guru: Well, if God is love, and fear is opposite to love, how can fear-based teachings be God’s teachings?

Tom: What an enlightened observation!

Guru: But many people are not able to see this.

Tom: Why is this so?

Guru: Because they are misguided.

Tom: So, they instill fear by telling us we are no good.

Guru: Like we are born in sin.

Tom: And we are not good enough to go to Heaven.

Guru: Like we may end up in Hell.

Tom: How about spirituality?

Guru: Since the belief is that we are God, and God is love, spirituality is love-based.

Tom: So, it tends to use love to motivate people to do good.

Guru: That’s right. If you are no good, how can you be God?

Tom: But are we good enough to go to Heaven?

Guru: But there is no Heaven.

Tom: Oh yes, that’s what you said in an earlier conversation.

Guru: There is another difference in the teaching of God between religion and spirituality.

Tom: What is the difference?

Guru: In religion, you may make contact with God but there are many intermediaries.

Tom: How about spirituality?

Guru: It is the essence of spirituality that you should make direct contact with God without an intermediary.

Tom: Wow, this is another big difference!

Guru: Oh yes, and there is another major difference between religion and spirituality regarding the sources of income.

Tom: What is the major difference?

Guru: With religion, their income usually comes from donations or tithes.

Tom: Is this why religious organizations can give away their products or services for free?

Guru: Sure, because they have already been paid for by donations or tithes.

Tom: How about spirituality?

Guru: They may ask for donation but usually they don’t get much.

Tom: So, how do they get their income?

Guru: They usually have to sell their products or services at commercial prices.

Tom: Is this why spiritual products or services are not free?

Guru: If they give away their products or services for free, where is their income coming from?

Tom: Wow, this is a real major difference!

Guru: Okay Tom, are you now clear about the differences between religion and spirituality?

Tom: Yes, Guru Harry, it’s as clear as a crystal!