Exploring the difference between Religion, Faith, and Spirituality

While there is obvious overlap between these three words, there is also some distinction to be made.

Religion is an organized practice- something that prescribes certain behaviors and beliefs. Generally- if you do not follow these beliefs and behaviors, you are seen as other, lesser than, in need of conversion, or completely outcast. 

Faith is simply believing in something greater than oneself. We often hear people talk of their ‘faith’ in humanity, which is indicative of having a collectivist mindset– when we better the whole, we better ourselves. Faith is actually not required in order to practice religion. It is a common topic, but often people pretend to have faith or even weaponize the belief system to attack others without faith (or without the same faith). 

Spirituality is a practice and an experience that happens at the individual level. This often leads to an experience of ‘oneness‘, ‘wholeness’, or ‘connectedness.’ Spirituality can also lead to emotional and even physical healing- individually and collectively. Spirituality can be used in negative ways, though- people sometimes chase the bliss of spiritual experience, only to create an ego trap of being in seeking mindset rather than gratitude. 

People actually get rich by capitalizing on the spiritual experiences of others, and then many followers become disillusioned because the bliss is always temporary. We eventually always come back to the suffering and mundaneness of everyday life. That is why spirituality is beneficial as an individual experience- it allows us to integrate what we learn from spirit- to become better people because we want to, not because someone told us to. When we completely submit to what we are told, without questioning, we stop asking if what we are doing is right. By ‘right’, I mean what is in alignment with our collective wellbeing.

Dogma is another word worth exploring, as it relates to these topics. Dogma is essentially the ‘prescription’ that religion gives all its followers. It turns beliefs into a formula to be followed: if you do X and believe Y, you will get result Z. Usually, result Z is reserved for something after this life- a Heaven, Elysium, enlightenment, or generational wealth. Often, result Z causes us to forget the Here and Now, rather than protecting the present moment, treating it as sacred, as something worth participating in. 

When people are so focused on the end result, they make the Here and Now into a literal Hell that must be tolerated or avoided. We see this with the capitalists and religious extremists of this world. Dogma is what allows people like fascists to rise in society. Extremists are experts at weaponizing belief systems to control one group of people- getting them to hate, attack, and kill people of other groups. They do this by brainwashing their followers into dehumanizing the others, so it is easier to commit atrocities against them. Genocide, holocausts, wars, slavery, and racism are all examples of this. 

Why am I writing all this? One of my siblings told me that when I criticized Christianity, it made them feel like I was attacking their faith. It was through that conversation that I realized that I have a different understanding of religion than some people- I see how religion and faith are connected, but also how they are separate. For some people, religion, faith, and spirituality are one inseparable whole- wrapped into a neat package. I also realized that many people attach their whole identity to what they believe, ie their ‘faith.’ 

I forget this fact because my life experiences have led to my complete dissolution of identity (ego death)- forcing me to rebuild my ideas of morality, personal worth, and sense of purpose ‘from scratch.’ Of course, what I have built for myself is not completely independent from the world, nor unique. I simply allow myself to find the common threads between the different belief structures that exist in order to see the inherent truth they all present. In my eyes, the inherent truth is to love others as you would be loved, give unto others as you wish to receive, and to take care of the whole.

When we exclude members of society because we fear them, are threatened by them, or simply don’t understand them- we are planting seeds of hate. For wounded and opportunistic people, those seeds bear fruit, and thus we see Nazis, racists, rapists, murderers, and warmongers come to life. It seems that if every person had a spiritual experience that led to them feeling empathy for the collective suffering of our planet, while simultaneously feeling gratitude for this breath being taken in this very moment- the world would become a much better place, almost immediately. 

Unfortunately, those who are wrapped in dogma refuse to stop and focus on making this moment, this world, RIGHT NOW, the best it can be. They create enemies instead of community. They spread hate instead of love. They live in fear instead of trust. 

To me, spirituality has become a practice that makes it easier to trust in the bigger picture. I can observe the terrible things in the world and still acknowledge that there is beauty to be appreciated. 

Life truly is a paradox. Most of it doesn’t make sense. What does make sense, for me, is to keep living life as if it’s worth living- which is also my fuel to fight for a better world for all people and living beings of this Earth. That is what I pray for every day. I don’t know who’s listening to my prayers- and that’s OK. 

Whatever greatness exists beyond my understanding is far older and more vast than I can ever be or imagine as this individual self. So, I give my faith to it- I believe in this powerful force that can never be described by language, religion, art, or science. I am accepting of the fact that everyone will have their own name for it. I celebrate the individual experience of spirit- for that is what made me who and what I am. I hope for everyone else to have that experience, too.