Spirituality vs. Religion: Which Leads to True Growth?

[zomgwtf]

Steve, the author This That and the The Other Thing for "Smart People" says, about Steve:
"Steve has become one of the most intensely growth-oriented individuals you'll ever know"

Jeez. All hail Steve. He probably has his own http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bays1tdQoZY".

I've seen some research suggesting that humans are hard wired to tend towards worshipping something. Perhaps that explains why, in my limited observation, that dumping all religion far too frequently ends up with the default of worshipping oneself. There's an allegory along those lines about a man, a woman, a snake, and a tree of knowledge.

Indeed this has been suggested, I tend to think that this behaviour is an unavoidable artifact of our societal evolution.

This means that while humans do tend to worship something 'greater than themselves' it's not because they NEED to but because some other aspect of our societal evolution led to it and now we just continue on a basis of 'tradition' and the strong beliefs that rose out of it.

 

[mheslep]

My understanding of religion has been that it seeks to provide an allegedly sound framework from which to explore ones personal spirituality often focusing on prayer/meditation/(prayer/meditation through)ritual as the only truly powerful medium for spiritual growth. Some may get lost in dogma while others may realize it for the scaffolding of a spirituality that can only be realized through individual experience. The realization of a personal spirituality through religion may also be further frustrated by the use of religion by the church/temple/ect as a tool for social and political manipulation, drowning spirituality under dogma for nonreligious motives.

I think that C.S. Lewis' satire The Screwtape Letters rather aptly illustrates the seeming dichotomy between spirituality and institutionalized religion.

Well said and great illustration w/ Screwtape. I recommend the Screwtape play currently circulating.