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What is the difference between spirituality, religion, andchurch?
By Frank Kaufmann Thursday, July 14, 2011
There exists an online community and webspace called Quora. Seems anexcellent project that introduces itself in this way :Quora is a continually improving collection of questions and answerscreated, edited, and organized by everyone who uses it. The most important thing is to have each question page become the best  possible resource for someone who wants to know about the question.One with some knowledge and expertise registers for various relevant areasand responds to questions that arise in these areas.Recently a Quora participant this question: “What is the difference betweenspirituality, religion, and church?
 
I have heard people say they are all thesame (almost like a three in one) and others say they are very different ideas.” 
Here is my response: This is an excellent and important question.As with many semantic concerns, there is both the "popular sense" and "popularusage" of terms, and there is the formal, technical, scholarly treatment of thesame question.It is my view that neither the popular nor the scholarly should be consideredsuperior to the other. Both have their place and importance. I believe that thereshould arise an ever closer and broader common ground between scholarly rigorsand popular grasp and usage. The question you ask is especially important in our current time because a greatmany people have interest in and seriousness toward the spiritual dimensions of life (both personally and communally), but have come to have serious misgivingsabout what they perceive or understand to be "religion," and "church." Heardconstantly "I'm spiritual, but I am not religious." If pressed, the average personwho describes him or herself so often is incapable of explaining this declarationany further, but it becomes clear that the core impulse in the declaration is that"religion" is bad, but "spirituality" is good.Personally I have found that the best tradition (from among the world religions) tohelp us look into this question is Buddhism, (even though all the major worldreligions have
some
version of the same thing). Buddhism seems most simple and1
 
clear on those what comprises balanced support for human, spiritual needs. There is what is called in Buddhism the “Triple Gem,” or “Triple Jewel.” Thisbeautiful image refers to the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Roughtranslations for these terms are: Buddha, the highest, most perfect, mostdelightful, without beginning or end, a sweet destiny for us all and for all. TheDharma is the Truth, and the Sangha is the community of humble , surrenderedaspirants. Every religion has something comparable, some version of these. InChristianity for example, these could be compared to Lord Jesus in the divinetrinity (Buddha), Scripture (Dharma), and “the church” – not the building, itspreacher, and the little crowd of folks I hang out with on Sundays, but “thechurch” as the family of believers who, like me, live, breathe, and have our beingin Lord Jesus (Sangha).Spiritual paths and communities of believers begin with what most “religions”recognize as the the divine breaking into human affairs; somehow the infinite andunbound manages to enter human affairs (limited though they are), a paradox (of the highest order). The person who serves as “the point of contact,” the“manifestation” of the divine (like the Buddha or Jesus for example) introducesthree things: 1. an accurate account of reality (the “truth”), 2. A 'spiritual path”(namely the steps you can take to liberate and realize yourself), and 3. An“example (“In me you can see your
real
potential”).In time (especially since these special people all “die” sooner or later) thesethings they brought for our benefit become institutionalized. Thisinstitutionalization becomes what is called a “religion.” The beauty and wonderfulfact that the gifts of Jesus, Lao Tzu, or Moses become institutionalized is thatthose millions or billions who weren't so lucky to be around and meet and listen tothem can still have the benefits of what these people brought. Just because youare born 4500 years too late to meet Siddhartha Gautama, 20,000 miles away,why should you be punished? You didn't do anything wrong.How is the beauty and infinite love of Lord Buddha or Lord Jesus preserved so thatanyone anywhere anytime can be blessed by their gift? It is preserved through areligion. Remember religion is these three things: the Buddha (Jesus forexample), the Dharma (the Bible for example), and the Sangha (the
church
forexample).But is there a problem with such institutionalization? Yes. Tragically yes. This iswhy so many religions are so hated by so many (often legitimately). Greed,selfishness, abuse of power, sloth, arrogance, complacency, and so many horrible,human habits can contaminate and defile a religion. This sin is great. We're nottalking about a messy McDonalds, or a crooked real estate company. We aretalking about contaminating and defacing the infinite compassionate one, thelegacy of Jesus, the Buddha, or the many saints and founders who came toliberate us and open our way to decency.2
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