JosephM

I've posed this question numerous times in numerous situations and still don't understand what "spiritual" means.

 

Anyone help? Remember the rule when you were school: you can't use the word you are trying to define in the definition!

spir·i·tu·al (spr-ch-l)

adj.

1. Of, relating to, consisting of, or having the nature of spirit; not tangible or material.

Spritual is an intangible. Flesh is one thing and spirit another. Flesh is seen and easily grasped with the mind but spirit is not seen with the physical eyes and is like the wind. You know it is there and can feel the effects of it but cannot see from where it comes and to where it goes.

Here are some contrasting comparison terms that might help.... This is my personal experience and view and only given as an aid as it may not be applicable in all cases.

Spiritual sees God as one with all creation. Religion sees God as separate.

Spiritual teaches unconditional love and acceptance. Religion has an 'us' and a 'them'

Spiritual doesn't need an organization. Religion re4quires one.

Spiritual doesn't need rules or controls. Religion needs rules and controls.

Spirituality doesn't force itself on anybody. Religion requires Proselytizing

Spirituality teaches a God of Love and Peace. Religion teaches a God of emotions such as jealousy, hate, anger, vengefulness and changing his mind.

Spirituality teaches trust only in God. Religion teaches trust in a book or individual.

Spirituality uses love to attract. Religion uses hate or fear.

Spirituality is grateful. Religion is prideful.

Spirituality relinguishes opinions. Religion is very opinionated.

Spirituality requires deprogramming. Religion requires programing.

Hopefully, this gives you some taste for the definition of spirituality in a round about way as it is difficult to define something intangible in tangible words.

Love in Christ,

JM

Does this passages from Sacred Scripture offend you?

 

Saint Paul's Letter to the Epehsians 5:21-24

 

21 Being subject one to another, in the fear of Christ. 22 Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord: 23 Because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of the church. He is the saviour of his body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be to their husbands in all things.

 

(snip)

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Hi All,

Wow.... What a long thread concerning a simple issue. I barely got through the three pages to the end

My response would be... Why should one be offended? Paul is merely expressing his own cultural opinions. He wrote it as a letter and I have never seen his permission given that it should become scripture.

1 corinthians Chapter 11 contains 15 versus more of the same 'stuff' but one must not stop before verse 16...

1 Cor. 11:16

But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

He clearly indicated that they were customs only and not applicable to the churches of God. In light of his more inspirational statements such as :

Galatians 3:27-28

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. [28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Taken in context, one can plainly see there can be no difference in Christ. All else is tradition and custom. Does not even the 'spirit' speak the same to you?

The real problem comes from the consideration of all his epistles (letters) as being sacred scripture. Letters containing inspired words (and some not inspired), yes!, but sacred.... only to to those who believe all they are told.

Love in Christ, (where all are equal)

JM

We study different philosophies and bring ourselves to a greater consciousness, positive life affirming beliefs are accepted and negative thoughts and problems disappear as we express more love, peace, joy, wisdom and harmony with everything that flows unceasingly from God. Different people learning different things at different times so why can't all be accepted. Can it all be true? No mistakes, everything has a purpose leading us to pure happiness.

Hi Soma,

There is no reason that all (people) can't be accepted. I agree with you they can be.

But can it all be true? In my view, there are obviously many different levels of truth as their are different levels of consciousness. Man's truth is dependent upon his current level. An angry man sees his world as antagonistic. A fearful man sees his world as frightening. An Optimistic and willing man sees his world as hopeful. A man of reason sees his world as meaningful, whereas a man of LOVE and PEACE sees his world as perfect and complete.

My conscious understanding of 'God' now is not the same as it was 20 years ago nor might it be the same tomorrow. To a child God is taught as a man and understood at that level. To a child it is 'bad to cross the street alone. As we grow 'God' becomes more undefineable in words and the concept of a man is no longer acceptable. We have to use abstract words like, love, truth, life, light and so forth to begin to even communicate that which is beyond communications in words. As we grow we find it is was not 'bad' to cross the street alone, just unwise for one not skilled in the wisdom of caution.

Terms like true and false even lose old meanings. Only truth is now said to exist. And on a certain level of consciousness that is true. Why because false has no existance of its own. We call something false only to indicate the absence of truth. Truth is all there is. False is a fabrication of the duality of mind. Love is found to exist but 'hate' is a non-existant fabrication of mind when there is a certain absence of a degree of love. The point of its demarcation varying widely with social cultures, customs, teachings and a myriad of other factors.

Why is this seemingly play of words important to the spiritual seeker. It is important because the mind is much like a computer, a tool to be used. It constantly takes positions, uses words and makes opinions on things that it has no real context of. Understanding how and why it believes anything helps us to see how it constantly by nature tries to divide us and find differences. The carnal mind itself delights in religions that create a 'good' and a 'bad', a 'them' and an 'us', 'believers' and 'non-believers', 'saved' and 'lost', 'jews' and gentiles', 'elect' and 'forsaken', 'believers' and 'infidels' when in truth in the eyes of God, there is no such distinction. We are all one. We are all creations of God without one being valued above another. How could it be any other way. Can an all-loving father value one son above another? Man's initial pristine state was in an absence of such distinctions of mind and without 'the knowledge of 'good' and 'evil''.

It seems to me that if we all knew our intimate true relationship one to another and to God there would be no need for morality or religions. There would be no need to believe all is true or all is not true. Each in his/her own state of evolution would be accepted as perfect as is. As Soma says.... No mistakes....

From that perspective, I find all of Soma's post to be true.

Love in Christ,

JM