Re: News release: Spirituality Up, Religion Down in America


<info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1120880137.152229.293010@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> SPIRITUALITY UP, RELIGION DOWN IN AMERICA
> by D. Patrick Miller

> Meanwhile, a full third of American adults now say they are 'spiritual
> but not religious.' What does that mean exactly?

"Religious" means "churched" or belonging to a particular dogma.
"Spiritual"
means having a sense of personal connection with the spiritual aspect of all
people...a holistic view of life as evolving toward an ever fuller
expression
of divinity regardless of religion, and regardless of whether one is
religious
or not. Historically, the churches have taught that only religion is the
expression
of divine spirituality.

The new realization is that every path in life, homemaking,
science, politics, religion, art etc. is a path to God. Whatever uplifts,
inspires toward
wholeness and right relationship with others and one's self, is spiritual.
The basis
for this new realization is the fact of divinity, as potential, within each
person,
called by some the Soul or the Self. A basic purpose of life is to realize
the Self
and to express it more and more fully until one's life expresses the
characteristics
of the Soul...inclusiveness, justice, sharing, service to the needs of
others or to
humanity itself.

And why aren't these
> numbers making news?

There is, as yet, little understanding of what spirituality is...and how to
measure its
impact. Growth is very much grassroots..but will soon show important
results
in the outer world.
see: http://www.share-international.org



.

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