Somehow, someone has to come along in a leadership position in public life who can articulate the difference between spirituality, on the one hand and religion; and the distinction between the common love of God, which all religions share and fostering the establishment of religion and religious dogmas. There is a subtle difference there, but a real difference. We can see that when Jefferson starts using words like 'sacred', he is bringing in the spiritual dimension, but he is not pushing it into the realm of religion. There is a real art to his understanding and expression that has clearly been lost today.
Sri Chinmoy: Spirituality is the mother. Religion is the child. The mother has affection, compassion, sweetness, fondness, vastness — everything. The children quarrel and fight and then they come to their mother for consolation. Each child thinks that he is right, he is right and the poor mother tries to make each one feel that he is right in his own way. Then the mother tells the children, "Only love me, love me, love me. The more you love me, the less you will quarrel, fight and misunderstand each other."
Again, spirituality houses religion. If spirituality goes out of religion, religion cannot last even for a second. But, like children, sometimes religions feel they can live without the mother. Then the mother says, "All right, try in your own way." At some point they come to realise that without their mother's affection and concern they cannot live even for a second.
There is not a single person who is not spiritual. Again, there are degrees of spirituality. My spirituality need not be of the same height and depth as somebody else's spirituality. But spirituality is innate, because spirituality is in God, with God and for God. Spirituality is not made by man, whereas religions are made by men. Religions come from the experiences of human beings. In our hoary past there were some spiritual Masters and religions came from their experiences. But spirituality in its pristine form comes directly from God, from God's Vision. Religion has to learn from spirituality. Religion has to sit at the feet of spirituality, because spirituality embodies the universal, whereas manmade religion is not universal. That is why we talk about love of God. If we have love of God, then we enter into the realm of spirituality. If religion also is only love of God, then the door is open. We can go into the church; we can go into the temple; we can go anywhere we want to go.
Unfortunately, religions are all manmade. Some will say that the Indian religions came from the Vedic Seers; Christians will talk about their religion and others will talk about their religions. Spiritual figures who had a vision or experience gave it to their friends, gave it to their small world or to the vast world. Religion is getting something from within and then giving it. The quality can be excellent; the quantity can also be excellent. But spirituality comes directly from God and inundates our life-breath.
If we have love of God, then religion and spirituality will always remain inseparable. If we have true love for God and love for one religion, there is no problem. But if some religions want to exercise their supremacy, how will they express their supremacy? By trying to bind other religions, by subordinating other religions. That is the wrong process. While they are trying to bind other religions, they themselves are already bound. But once we love God in His own Way, then all the religions, which are like houses or homes, we can claim as our own. Everybody we can claim.
Humanity needs sincere love of God. When we love God, we see there is only one thing and that is spirituality. Spirituality is not a word. It is not a concept. It is not a religion. Spirituality is God's Life-Breath. God's infinite Life-Breath in an infinitesimal way He is keeping inside the heart of Mother-Earth.
I always feel and know that spirituality is the answer. Spirituality is universal. Again, spirituality does not mean only the messages that certain spiritual Masters have offered to the world. Each Master has shown a way to the Goal. Each individual has to walk along a particular road to reach the Goal. Religion will eventually surrender to spirituality. As a matter of fact, it has surrendered, but it does not want to acknowledge the fact. Religion does not want to admit that unconsciously it has surrendered to the will of spirituality.
Religion wants to maintain its separativity. But a day will come when religions, like spirituality, will be all-embracing. Either they will all love God together or, even if they love God in different ways, they will try to harmonise with each other. One religion will not find fault with the ways that other religions approach God.From:Sri Chinmoy,My heart-door I have kept wide open, Agni Press, 2011
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