Summary

The author describes a personal transformation from a religious upbringing to a spiritual but not religious identity, influenced by a neutral and informative World Religions class in junior college.

Abstract

The author, who was raised Lutheran and attended church regularly, shares a journey of spiritual evolution prompted by a World Religions class during their accounting degree studies. The class, taught by an unbiased professor and supplemented by Huston Smith's book "The World’s Religions," provided a comprehensive overview of various faiths without promoting any one as superior. This approach led the author to view God as a multifaceted entity, with each religion reflecting a different aspect, much like a diamond's many sides. The realization that spirituality is personal and distinct from organized religion's tenets and rules allowed the author to embrace a spiritual identity without adhering to a specific religious doctrine. The author advocates for a world where diverse religious beliefs are accepted without judgment, fostering unity and peace beyond religious differences.

Opinions

The author's initial view of religion was shaped by parental influence and the social aspects of church attendance.
The divorce of the author's parents further skewed their perception of religion towards social recognition rather than spiritual connection.
The World Religions class and its professor's impartiality were pivotal in reshaping

Spiritual vs. Religious

How one professor changed the course of my spirituality

Ever heard someone say “I am spiritual but not religious?” Well that’s me — at least that’s me now. Not so much growing up.

I was born to Lutheran parents. We went to church every Sunday, including Sunday school when my brother and I were real little.

As we got older, I noticed a difference in the way my parents acted at church. It felt like my dad was really there to feel closer to God. My mom on the other hand, always had to be seen by the “right” people (you know, THAT click). When my parents divorced, it was my mom that we went to church with, so my view of church became THE RIGHT PEOPLE MUST KNOW WE ARE HERE.

That was my first glimpse into religion not being what I thought it should be.

Life Changing Class in Jr. College

When I was going to school for my Accounting degree, one of the general ed. classes that I took was a World Religions class.

Can I say LIFE CHANGER???

I was fortunate enough to have a professor that taught the class totally unbiased. Along with the required textbook, she had us read The World’s Religions by Huston Smith which explains the origins of many of the world’s religions in great detail.

But the most influential part to me was how unbiased the professor was when she discussed each religion. She didn’t try to say one was more right than the other. Luckily, she didn’t even try to persuade any of us students that her religion was the true religion.

She taught the course as a basic, straightforward class just like one would with a math class. “Just the facts ma’am.”

I learned more from her in that 4 month class than any other college course I took — well more that changed my life that is.

One thing that the professor said that stood out the most to me was this:

“God is like a diamond, and each religion sees a different facet of the diamond. Each religion has their own belief tenets, their own rules, or guidelines that they follow, and none are more right or wrong than any other. At the end of the day, when they all speak of their ‘God’, they are speaking about the same higher source of power — just from a different perspective. A different facet of the diamond that is God.”

That clicked! That made more sense to me than anything in my religious upbringing ever had.

I’ve often wondered “What makes one religion right and every other one wrong?” You can’t really ask people that because everyone believes their viewpoint is the correct one.

But if you can look at it from the diamond point of view, then it all makes sense! God is the spiritual part. Religion is the man-made part.

So now when I hear someone say that they are spiritual but not religious, I totally get it.

If everyone could just understand this, accept that just about every religious person out there believes in the same God just in a different way, then wouldn’t it make sense that we could all just get along?

No more fighting over religious beliefs, religious traditions, religious clothing, none of it. No more being judgmental about it either.

Just acceptance that everyone has a right to believe in what feels right to them without judgment or persecution from someone else.

And if we could get to a judgment-free land for religion, maybe we would just be steps away from being judgment-free for race, age, gender, sexual preference, all of the things that people think separate us.

If only we could get to a world of complete acceptance.

Maybe someday…

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