What Religion Means To Me

Maybe I am unique, but religion means the same thing as spirituality to me. I see a lot of teachers and students separating those two subjects these days, and it seems very curious to me. The word “religion” comes from the Latin word meaning “to tie, bind or fasten.” Doesn’t it seem logical to use that word for a spiritual mindset that connects a person to God?
First of all, there are a lot of other things a person can connect to besides God, although one prevailing theory is that since everything is God then certainly everything to which we are connected is also God. We could go in circles on that one for hours, so for the purpose of this article I am going to establish that, from my perspective, being tied, bound or fastened to God is a good thing. And it is exactly what I mean when I use the word religion to describe my spirituality.
Then, my next point is that being tied, bound or fastened to God, despite all other connotations of those words, actually represents freedom. I’m going to say that again another way, because it is the crux of an enormous divide in all major religions, currently and historically as well. The things that bind me to God do not constrict or restrict me, they free me spiritually. Now, that last sentence bears deeper explanation because being bound to something in the material world rarely represents freedom, yet in the spiritual world that is exactly what occurs.
With the exception of cults (shortened form of the word “culture”) that may use God for selfish purposes, and extreme, self-serving radicals that use God as an excuse for hateful behavior towards others, religion is primarily a vehicle for a human being to gather himself or herself with God, frequently along with other humans who are doing the same. Religion has historically been socialized such that groups of people practice various traditions and rituals together at certain times to worship God and establish a relationship with God. Yes, there have always been individuals who isolated themselves for deep spiritual contemplation or to escape religious persecution. But I am referring to the way things work most of the time, not the exceptions. The majority of human beings find ways to practice their religion in groups. This is very significant, and it may very well be the most significant factor in my stating that religion means the same thing as spirituality to me.
The human spirit hungers for companionship and connection. Although human bodies hunger for those same things, the way most of us find our companionship and connection with God, the way our human spirit experiences the satisfaction of being tied, bound and fastened to God is in a group of other people with whom we share religious practices. Some of us may only need it once or twice a year on religious holidays, and others every week or every day. How often we choose to make a connection with other people is not the point, but the fact that there are places where we meet and things we do together to worship our Creator is what sets us apart from all the other animals on the planet.
Some may say that we have no way of knowing if a tiny bluebird is worshipping her Creator when she fills the morning with song. Perhaps it is pure arrogance to assert that a human being is the only species that chooses worship its Maker. So, it would probably be safest to say that humans are the only ones who are aware of their choice. Humans know they are choosing to worship or not to worship, to remember and observe Biblical commandments or not to remember and observe. This is the knowledge that sets us apart from the rest of God’s creatures and gives us the inestimable privilege of gathering together for religious practices. When human spirits are gathered together to worship the Creator of Heaven and earth, it is truly a spiritual event. Although some participants may not “feel spiritual” it doesn’t change the fact that their spirits are gently tied, bound and fastened with other people to their Maker. It must be a beautiful thing from the viewpoint of Heaven.
I am blessed beyond expression to live in a country where I have freedom of religion. My religion is my spirituality and I pray to God that it always will be. I pray that the Creator will see fit to place me alongside other humans to worship, remember and observe Him all my days. That is what religion means to me.