These are two vastly different things. A Spiritual person has little or no dogma while a religious person will usually be lead by their dogma. In my 61 years of experience having been baptized at the age of 5 I have had a world of experience with religion. Baptized at the age of 5 first going to church in a country Tabernacle from 9:00 in the am until church let out after 9:00 in the pm with lunch and singing on the grounds in the between time.
The Challenge a Spiritual person has is to be sure they are following the right "Spirit" as there are many spirits out there. So it is to us to learn what is the "right" Spirit to follow.
An easy way is to listen for the still small voice that is never hurtful or harmful to you or to others. If your spirit is guiding you to harm yourself or others you can be sure it is not the true voice of Spirit.
It is many times hard to turn the other check or to walk away from a confrontation. What is hard at times is to apologize when you know you are in the "right".
One of my favorite sayings is 'would I rather be right or happy. To be happy I will allow the other person to be right. I can only live my life with harm to none and right action to all.
Love is the first and only commandment that the Master Teacher Taught. Love and forgiveness were his teachings. Many do not know or realize that Love is also translated Charity.
So as Charity begins at home so does love. To receive either we must be will to give it.
Yes I want nothing to do with religion, no matter what it may be. Give me Spiritual every time. Show me a person living a Spiritual life consciously and I will show you a satisfied person.
Show me a person living a religious life and more times than not I will show you person full of doubts, searching and confused by the confliction of the amount of religions out there.
The Christians are always disputing who has the truth and if one isn't living as they tell you then you are going to Hell. What they do not tell you is that prior to Christianity there was not hell.
Then there are those that will kill innocent men, women and children over the fact that they KNOW their way is right.
As St Paul said 'Seek your own salvation' he said with fear and trembling. I say with faith and joy. Spirit loves us completely if we live by the harm none with highest right action for all think what a wonderful life it would be.
Remember I love and believe in you for there is nothing you can not do once you decide to do it.
Blessings,
Rev. W. Isaac Norris 3rd
wisaac3rd@aol.com http://www.whitedovebooks.co.uk/inspiration-spiritual/
wisaac3rd.com http://wisaac3rdsspirituallife.blogspot.com/
