Religion vs. Spirituality
- Mike Rhodes
- Apr 30, 2023
- 5 min read
We are just two guys walking the spiritual path. We absolutely don't have this thing figured out. We learn and grow through messages and relationships in our church, from other men walking the path, from music, from reading the Bible and spiritually based books, and from the wealth of resources available online.
We paint a distinct line between religion and spirituality.
When we think of religion, we think of man-made rules and regulations. We think of judgment and condemnation. We feel cold and cloudy.
When we think of spirituality, we think of our relationship with our creator. We think of forgiveness and unconditional love. We feel warm and clear.
We have heard it said, "Religion is for those who fear or don't want to go through hell, and spirituality is for those who have already been there. – we were in alcoholic hell.”
“Why I hate religion – but love Jesus” is a massively viral spoken word poetry piece written and recited by Jefferson Bethke and can be found on YouTube by clicking here. We want to unpack some rich impact lines in this blog.:
Why does it (religion) build huge churches but fail to feed the poor?
Though this phrase seems rash, it is worth dissecting. Of course, we don't think this statement is true for all churches, but we are certainly open to the fact that it is accurate for many.
The problem is that churches symbolize hope and help; some use their buildings for self and wealth.
We see feeding the poor as a metaphor for all that is less-than in circumstance and certain stereotypes: the morally poor, the poor of spirit – the addicted and divorced, the abused and the dirty. The forgotten and the destitute. As some churches pass out sustenance, many hold back inclusion.
Before we pass judgment on an entire institution, we feel the need to play our role as we walk through the doors of the church we attend. Are we inclusive? Are we welcoming and nonjudgmental? Are we gracious and helpful? Then, we can be part of the solution that reverses this dark statement.
Religion might preach grace, but another thing they practice.
Again, this line beats up the religious and churches in general, and we don’t feel that it applies to all religious people or churches. Christianity.com describes God’s grace this way: “Gracious, the Hebrew word channun, in its verb form, means to be considerate, to show favor. That God is gracious would mean that he is favorably inclined toward us. That he wants to show favor to us. To do what is best for us.”
Unfortunately, we live in a world built on the constant hunt for self-consideration and self-favor.
The God of the Bible is favorably inclined to us. That is a spiritual principle that we live by. Therefore, we feel the need to extend that gift of grace to those we interact with, physically or mentally. That is being spiritually right – to love one another with a forgiving, favorable spirit.
In a 2008 interview, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder, says the platform is: “a place that brings people together and connects groups of friends so that they can then share information and ideas about the things that they're passionate about.”
We believe it has become that and so much more. In our opinion, it has become a place that showcases the glamorous side of lives while neglecting the ugly realities. This wouldn’t matter much except that people buy into the one-sided story, compare, and envy full lives that don’t exist.
Then, in the heat of the political or material-upping battle, there comes the Christian badge. Positioned as a lifestyle, it seldom follows through in the outside world. The word for that is hypocrisy (the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's behavior does not conform: Oxford).
This wasn't meant to be a rant about social media. But, unfortunately, it is what it has become. We just thought that the phrase in the poetry made us consider our position on these boards.
We couldn't pass up the opportunity to jump on this beautiful piece, as the real beauty of surrender is found in the strength it delivers. The author of this poetry identifies on so many levels that in surrendering to a new master, we have discovered the depth and fortitude to take each step in confidence.
We remember, throughout the years, those projecting Christianity as a weakness, a crutch, or a shallow life perspective. Some acknowledge Jesus as only a historical figure but not deity-worthy.
That, we guess, is what our podcast and these writings are all about. We have found strength in believing and want to pass that power and hope to those in need.
Interesting play on words here and the quote is attributed to several individuals. We connected because we believe the statement should end: Spirituality is both.
This is where “relationship” comes in. As we seek understanding, we see how the God of the Bible seeks us. We don’t intend to throw much “scripture” around in these blogs, but we have one for today: “draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” comes from the book of James, chapter 4, verse 8. That neatly wraps up spirituality. We get to live our lives with him – not against him.
Here in lies one of our favorite marks of this poetry. The relationship starts with pain.
One of the reasons Alcoholics Anonymous works so well is that it is the broken healing the broken. Nobody knows how to treat pain better than somebody who has experienced pain.
Acknowledging our brokenness defines us.
So often, we see churches as designs to be admired: the purple, the gold, the gems, and the statues. We agree that the God of the Bible is royalty (king of all kings) but also see, through the words of the Bible, that God doesn’t want the ritual - He wants the bond.
This is not to say that a church building is a bad place to be. Nothing could be further from the truth. We need to remember that we are there to be healed, not impressed.
In the New Testament of the Bible, the period of which Jesus came to earth, there are over 1000 commands. Nobody, and we mean nobody, can live up to the expectations laid out in the Bible. We can't be good enough for man-made rules. And we are far from good enough for the God-made rules.
SPOILER ALERT: Jesus made us right – regardless of our failures.
(more to come in future blogs)
There is such a freeing nature when one embraces this truth.
May today be the next step in your newfound freedom,
Thoughts and ideas for this blog post were taken and built upon from asweunderstandhim.coffee podcast #5 titled “Why I Hate Religion - But Love Jesus” The podcast dropped on 4/23/2023. Click here to hear the podcast.
Photo by James Kovin on Unsplash
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Alcoholics Anonymous and AA are registered trademarks of Alcoholics World Service. Inc. References to AA, the 12 steps, and 12 traditions does not mean that AA has reviewed or approved the contents of this publication nor that AA agrees with the views expressed herein. This publication is intended to support personal growth and should not be considered a substitute for healthcare professionals' advice. The author’s advice and viewpoints are their own.
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