the spiritual not religious cop out

Alan Miller, Director of The New York Salon and Co-Founder of London's Old Truman Brewery, offers a few thoughts in a post titled "My Take: 'I'm spiritual but not religious' is a cop-out". Here are a few excerpts ...



The trouble is that “spiritual but not religious” offers no positive exposition or understanding or explanation of a body of belief or set of principles of any kind. What is it, this "spiritual" identity as such? What is practiced? What is believed?




  1. I would have to agree with this assessment. The advantage of being spiritual in this sense is being able to avoid committing to anything definite. Belief without commitment to something definite is meaningless.

    1. I agree Mike. Belief never seems abstract to me.

  2. I have read and studied the Bible. I believe that the Bible is the greatest book ever written. I love going to a spirit filled church. And,I have read and understand history; the varied interpretations of the Bible and the many historical rewritings of the Bible. For Alan Miller to take the belief in God and adherence to one set of scripture, tied together, as the non-copout route is to me the definition of irony.
    I believe that God has been the source for the scripture of many religions. And, I believe that scripture is corrupted by man in both it's written form and it's daily execution. I see the non-copout religious use "the word of God" for ulterior motives in every religion the world over. Religion (to me) is the adherence to one sect of peoples scripture. It's the glue that binds more than the actual belief in God. And to me, it's that one set of scripture against another set of scripture mindset that divides us and causes much of the worlds grief.
    To entwine the two, the belief in God and following scripture, is exactly the problem for me as a persons who feels close to the idea of "spiritual but not religious". I look at scripture with open eyes for the truth of what I believe is God yet adhere to not one complete set of writings wholly as a disciplined thoughtful pursuit of spiritual growth. I believe in God and His holy intentions for us but I don't believe that scripture is the actual word of God? Which makes me non religious. And that's no copout.

    1. Thanks for stopping by Steve! I think that it is all about the definition of what it means to be "religious". Many do not want to be associated with a religion because they see a relationship with God as "spiritual" and not "religious". I guess I am okay with someone saying they are non-religious as long as their life is not filled with religious activities like going to church or similar religious activities.

      When I was younger I saw myself as non-religious even though I did many religious things. In contrast, a person who simply follows God, has the fruit of the Spirit in their life but does not do the religious stuff may indeed be spiritual but not religious?

      Of course James does say that pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

