Spiritual vs. Religious

[Pyrotex]

...To extend the analogy then, we could say that there are seeds dropped by the tree as well... the seeds are representative of growth and new life, whereby teaching or sharing our experience of spirituality in an open and non-assuming way with another helps add to the proverbial forest.

Yes. Excellent extension.

Humanity is a forest of Bonsai Trees, though most of us are scraggly shrubs. That is a sad thought to visualize. But everyone remembers at least one occassion where you met someone who truly "had it all together". My father used to say that such folks were "comfortable in their own skin". These are the Bonsai Trees that make us wonder how WE will grow up, what WE will look like some day.

And if we're very lucky, we get to hang out if only for an hour with such folks and be inspired, enlightened, made hopeful, if only by their example. Such singular people drop "seeds" around them all the time.

But here is where the analogy must be twisted.

The "seeds" don't drop on the ground to germinate.

The "seeds" are caught by fledgling Bonsais, who germinate the seeds within themselves.

[Pyrotex]

I obviously have had too much time on my hands lately...

Perhaps if you washed your hands with very mild soap, every hour on the hour, and wore clean cotton gloves elsewhen, it might help. :hihi:

[InfiniteNow]

I'm going to go ahead and remove the single post restriction (request is more apt)... It's not really happening anyway... :)

 

 

Thanks everyone for the wonderful ideas. It was nice hearing thoughts expressed in this thread without argument.

 

 

Cheers. :hihi:

[ingannilo]

While I do not consider myself religious, I do experience feelings, and think thoughts that many religious folk associate with their religion/temple/church/pastor/rabbi/whatever.

 

I've accepted that I have as much capacity to really understand the divine as an ant in an antfarm has to really understand it's captor.

 

My opinion on these matters are pretty cut and dry. I don't know. If I come to a conclusive position, I'll let you guys know.

 

:steering:

 

People have called me spritual. I disagree with them.

But what judge of these matters am I? Only mortal.

 

John

[HydrogenBond]

Although any particular religion will work for some, no one religion works for all. Yet each religion produces some good fruit and some bad fruit. The spiritual person attempts to look for the denominator that is common to all the good fruits stemming from all the religions. In other words, the spiritual person is less concerned with the method and more concerned about the positive result.

[Southtown]

Spirituality unites. Religion divides.

“

Now all the publicans and sinners were drawing near unto him to hear him. And both the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”

—

Luke 15:1-2 asv