I would like to invite our religious friends to a discussion about the nature of the entity called Spirituality. Spirituality is a word I have seen bandied about a great deal by the religious, but have never ever been able to understand what it really means. I am told for instance that I need spirituality to understand the bible. Does this mean that I have to have become converted first before I could understand? Is spirituality achieved after conversion? Please, help me out.



1- What is Spirituality?
2- Does it exist in the living and does it survive death?
3- Is the universal amongst all humankind? IS the Spirituality of the Hindu the same as that of a Christian?
4- Are there any material benefits of spirituality?

therationa:

I am told for instance that I need spirituality to understand the bible. Does this mean that I have to have become converted first before I could understand? Is spirituality achieved after conversion? Please, help me out.

@therationa

Please think about the questions raised below, you might want to add them to you original post ->

1) Grant me, Lord, to know and understand which is first, to call on Thee or to praise Thee?
2) And, again, to know Thee or to call on Thee?
3) For who can call on Thee, not knowing Thee?
4) Or, is it rather, that we call on Thee that we may know Thee?
5) But how shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

- St. Augustine, Confessions, 401AD

imhotep:

@therationa

Please think about the questions raised below, you might want to add them to you original post ->

1) Grant me, Lord, to know and understand which is first, to call on Thee or to praise Thee?
2) And, again, to know Thee or to call on Thee?
3) For who can call on Thee, not knowing Thee?
4) Or, is it rather, that we call on Thee that we may know Thee?
5) But how shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?

- St. Augustine, Confessions, 401AD

With respect, I do not see how these questions relate to spirituality.

therationa:
I am told for instance that I need spirituality to understand the bible. Does this mean that I have to have become converted first before I could understand? Is spirituality achieved after conversion? Please, help me out.

@therationa

I was trying to address your quote above. I was trying to show you the tight corner you are in.

St. Augustine asked these questions 1,600 years ago when he was in a similar tight corner.

A serious blindness indeed