Spirituality Vs. Religion

A Bible Study

Spirituality fosters a partnership society mindset that supports inclusivity. Religion depends upon a dominator society mindset that promotes exclusivity. Read Deuteronomy 7:1–2

Spirituality celebrates the intrinsic value of all fellow beings. Religion enjoys informing you that the majority of humans aren’t good enough for an enjoyable afterlife. Read Revelations 21:8

Spirituality relies on your life experiences and your personal interpretation of them. Religion insists that you rely on what you hear men with an agenda say during sermons. Read Romans 10:17

Spirituality respects the teachings of wise women. Religion prefers silent women. Read 1 Cor 14:34

Spirituality encourages mutual respect and balanced relationships between spouses. Religion teaches wives to always be submissive to their husbands. Read Ephesians 5: 23–24

Spirituality reveres an enthusiasm for life-long learning and academic achievements. Religion frowns upon the search for knowledge. Read Genesis 3:6–18

Spirituality honors maternal lineages and paternal lineages equally. Religion instructs that only one matters. Read Ezra 2:1–58

Spirituality practices resourcefulness with Nature’s bounty. Religion teaches you to burn that which can otherwise be used wisely. Read Leviticus 12:6–8

Spirituality and atheism can coexist. Religion punishes both with eternal damnation. Read Revelation 20:15

Spirituality can partner with science. Religion is threatened by scientific discoveries. Read Timothy 6:20

Spirituality discourages unwarranted cruelty. Religion will quickly forgive you and send you to heaven. Read 2 Kings 2:23–24

Spirituality guides you away from war. Religion tells you war is glorious and God is always on your side, never theirs. Read Exodus 23:23–26

Spirituality hopes to empower you. Religion convinces even its wealthiest and most comfortable adherents that they are victims of persecution. Read 2 Timothy 3:12

Spirituality takes delight in Mother Nature. Religion instructs that to care for such worldly things is a sin, and paradise only exists after you are dead. Read 1 John 5:19

Spirituality seeks peace. Religion requires enemies. Read Nahum 1:2

Spirituality leans towards fairness. Religion depends on poverty so its adherents can be seen feeding hungry people. Read Proverbs 22:2

Spirituality allows you to follow a god, a goddess, many gods, many goddesses, or none at all. Religion offers just their one guy, or burn in hell. Read Exodus 22:18

Spirituality can be defined in any way you see fit. Religion is restrictive. Read the Bible.

Spirituality doesn’t mind if you come and go. Religion obliges you to a life-long investment, which risks harm to the ego if you consider breaking away. Read a psychology book.

Spirituality doesn’t demand excommunication from family members who follow a different path. Religion will often banish folks for daring to question authority. Read Exodus 22:20

Spirituality transcends politics. Religion uses political dog whistles to propagate nefarious rhetoric. There isn’t even biblical justification for this widely-used tactic.

Spirituality seeks to celebrate and learn from cultural diversity. Religion gave the thumbs up to the extermination of “pagan” cultures the world over. Read Deuteronomy 20:15–18

Spirituality does not demand forced conversion. Religion haunts the globe demanding conversion, then will chastise any other form of globalization. Read Matthew 7:15

Spirituality requires you to unlearn religious dogma. Religion requires you to forfeit your spirituality.

Reclaim your spirit by rejecting religion.