I'm not sure if this should be part of Pagan Values Month, but am going to use the label "Pagan" anyways. If it is Pagan related it's only because it's one Pagan's random ramblings on the topic.
Last week I was spending the evening with family. I seemingly got on a sugar high (although I don't know what from...several snickerdoodle cookies?) and got into a weird and giggly mood. We got on to the topic of religion and the question of whether it is discovered or created was jokingly asked. Naturally, I jokingly answered. But even as I spoke I knew that my answer wasn't really a joke.
I said that whether it is created or discovered depends on how clearly a person sees. If they see very clearly, then it is discovered. But if someone makes things up, or if others make up details to fill in the gaps (and face it, there are going to be gaps) then it's created.
Or is that the difference, mostly, between religion and spritiuality? Certainly religion can be discovered and spirituality can be created, so I don't want to say that it's a hard and certain difference. But maybe that's the rule of thumb.
What do you think? Did I hit near the mark in my sugar high? Or do you disagree with me? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
3 comments:
I don't think it's an "either/or" answer but instead, a "both/and" answer. I think some aspects of religion or spirituality are discovered through intuition or revelation but then other aspects are created to address that or contradict it in a hypocritical manner, if that suits the religion's purposes.
I think the backbone of religeon was discovered, and the founders of the different ones created the answers to fill in the gaps, and doing so was what gave us such a wide variety of religeons. So with all forms of religeon it began with discovery and progressed to creation.
As for religeon vs spirituality, I think it's the same for both and the terms are interchangeable.
Both of your responses are food for thought. :)
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