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In America, It's Religion and Spirituality
Religion and spirituality remain a seminal feature of American society and culture – unlike in many parts of Western Europe – in large part because of the vibrant and fluid nature of Americans’ religious affiliations. The fact that Americans are switching their religions is indeed characteristic of an animated and healthy religion in this country.
While a society can perhaps provide the tools for the attainment of material and intellectual prosperity, religion and spirituality are fundamentally relationships between the human soul and God. Thus, society can only create an environment conducive to spiritual development; it cannot generate spiritual prosperity through the enforcement of religious adherence. Rather, people must seek it in their own way, which they are doing – whether within their own faith tradition, by embracing another tradition, or through creating some sort of personal fusion. Individual Americans have rejected their own faith traditions when they have become stagnant, dogmatic, and fail to powerfully speak the divine truths to them. Many, therefore, have turned to less rigid mystical traditions. But most importantly, the fact that our society has permitted individuals to seek universal truth and their own visceral connection with the Divine is a positive sign!
Of course, millions of Americans do not identify with any sort of formal religious tradition, and I do not doubt that most are content with this decision. Nevertheless, happiness and spirituality remain inextricably linked in the hearts and minds of most Americans, and as a result, they are actively seeking out faith and a connection to God. As the Pew Survey indicates, this has frequently meant switching religious affiliations or discovering new ones. This should not surprise anyone! We live in a hybrid society: uniquely diverse and a singular product of intermixing between cultural, ethnic and faith traditions. Because of the freedom of religion we enjoy, people are merely expressing these freedoms in their quest for spiritual fulfillment.
By
Daisy Khan
|
March 4, 2008; 7:27 AM ET
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Posted by: Alex | March 19, 2008 6:59 PM
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I am so glad our government is Christian. And has a Department of Religion. D.O.R.
Posted by: Conan | March 4, 2008 4:11 PM
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"and as a result, they are actively seeking out faith and a connection to God."
I'm not seeing that.... Most people I know that are not 'thumpers' (wearing their religion on their sleeve 24/7) Are at best tepid about their 'religion'. In fact they seldom discuss or mention religion, or spirituality, opting instead to calling it 'church'. Many I know that go to church, pretty much shake it off very shortly after the service. Many I know that are active in the church, are volunteers for this cause or that event, the fact that it is religion-related is almost irrelevant as far as the spirituality is concerned.
I have know several ministers, and most of them are far more concerned about complacency and the need to Vegas up the service just to keep the pews warm as opposed to nurturing souls. In the main stream I really don't see that much faith-searching as I do comfort-searching. Don't even get me started on the number of guys I know (most of them) that only go to church for the wife and/or for the kids.
Posted by: Possum | March 4, 2008 3:59 PM
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If these past years have taught me anything, it is that I am free to explore my inner self and I don't have to feel guilty about turning my back on the religion in which I was raised. In my estimation, organized religion is a political tool and the cause of a great deal of hypocrisy, suffering and intollerance. My inner self is enough for me to know, feel, respect and work with every day.
Posted by: RandyNason | March 4, 2008 3:09 PM
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Daisy,
I believe I share with you a healthy, although minority, perspective on spirituality. There is so much ignorance about religion and spirituality. I would think a short review of the work of Mircea Eliade would open anyone's eyes, but dogma prevails. My views are at:
Posted by: L.Kurt Engelhart | March 4, 2008 1:38 PM
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Ms Khan
You say: "The fact that Americans are switching their religions is indeed characteristic of an animated and healthy religion."
I am simply curious to know how do you appraise a religion that orders its adherants to kill the apostate?
Posted by: Ibrahim Mahfouz | March 4, 2008 12:20 PM
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The comments to this entry are closed.
Daisy,
"The fact that Americans are switching their religions is indeed characteristic of an animated and healthy religion."
It is definitely a healthy religious environment, but it may or may not be healthy individually. Freedom to move among religions and freedom of religious speech together keep the environment for religious inquiry healthy. Indeed, that freedom is necessary for a person to truly approach God. However, I'm not so sure that because there is a lot of movement out there, that that necessarily means that spirituality is increasing. Religious freedom doesn't address religious merit, but it does provide individual religions to rise or fall based upon that merit.