| What is the difference between religion and | | | | when we focus on obtaining and doing the right thing |
| spirituality--religion is a pathway towards God and | | | | here and right now. |
| Spirituality is also a pathway towards Him. However, | | | | 4.) Inner Worship vs. Outer Worship. Religion places |
| their distinctions lie in their approach. The central idea | | | | concern and great emphasis on outer rituals and |
| of religion: Obey God and fear Him. The essence of | | | | other forms. These are helpful for providing a sense |
| Spirituality: Love God and also become another God. | | | | of formality in the way to worship God. Yet, |
| 1.) Love vs. Fear. Oftentimes, the fear of God is the | | | | spirituality is never really concerned with outer rituals. |
| approach of religion. It reminds us in doing the right | | | | Through the practice of spirituality, we seek and find |
| and proper thing to prevent suffering in what the | | | | to create and build an inner shrine within our hearts. |
| future may bring. On the other hand, through the | | | | Through spirituality, it says that what is essential is a |
| journey of love-that is the spiritual approach to God. | | | | seeker's inner attitude. |
| The spiritual approach teaches us to honor Him | | | | 5.) Universal Logic. Most followers of religion feel that |
| through the path of love and not to fear him. | | | | only their way could lead to eternal salvation. They |
| 2.) Where is God-Religion often talks of God as being | | | | have such great faith and belief in their own religion, |
| high above the heavens. Sometimes, He could be | | | | yet at the same time, they feel that other religions |
| seen far away from the humanity's aspiring reach. | | | | are wrong and therefore can't lead and direct a |
| However, the spiritual approach is showing us that | | | | seeker to The Supreme Being. On the other hand, |
| God is omnipresent and all-knowing and could be felt | | | | spirituality knows that there are many paths that |
| as a living presence within our own hearts. In addition, | | | | could lead to the same goal. |
| He is not only reachable and accessible, but we could | | | | Spirituality accepts and welcomes all religions from |
| achieve the inner actualization of The Supreme Being. | | | | around the world, but at the same time, is never |
| 3.) The Present vs The Past-The religious approach | | | | constricted by any religious forms or doctrines. |
| tends to acquire great inspiration from the past. It | | | | Religion and Spirituality have their own unique and |
| regards with great respect and devotion-those | | | | various distinctions yet at the same time, religion |
| ancient religious texts as the path to attain eternal | | | | could embrace and welcome spirituality. Through |
| salvation. Spirituality on the contrary, is not very | | | | following their faith, great saints have achieved and |
| concerned regarding about the past. It believes in the | | | | reaped the fruits and actualizations of a spiritually |
| timeless now. It is neither the future nor the past | | | | symbolic approach to God. And this includes Christian |
| that brings us to liberation. To achieve liberation we | | | | mystics such as Teresa of Avila and St. Francis of |
| have to live in the present. We attain peace of mind | | | | Assisi. |