Spiritual v Religious

By DESHON FOX

In the Bahamas, we like to think of ourselves as a religious nation. More precisely, we say we are a Christian nation. But are we a spiritual nation? Is there a difference? I believe there is a subtle, but important difference. To be religious implies that we hold to a limited view of spiritual truth - we strive to live according to certain ideals that we believe have been endorsed by God.

We may, for example, always end our prayers in a certain way for fear of not being heard by God if we do not. Similarly, we may always attend a particular church, believing that to attend any other is wrong. To be religious also implies that we have strong beliefs about God, and that we feel our version of religious truth-and the version of those who agree with us- is the only correct version. This is, in my view, detrimental to our spiritual growth and to the progress of a nation.

Spirituality, on the other hand is like swimming in a vast ocean and realising that the same ocean that carries you also holds and supports everyone else. When you are spiritual, you do not feel you have special access to God, or that you have found the absolute truth; you feel alive and blessed by a presence that is loving and generous to all. You feel no need to compete for God's attention; no need to be right. You are free to be who you are, to explore and investigate religious teachings with an unbiased eye.

How would our society change if we matured into a spiritual nation? This question is one every Bahamian should ponder.

Our society is, by any reasonable yard stick, in trouble. Our children are killing each other at school, the very place where they should be maturing into thoughtful adults. Our educational system is largely outdated and ineffective. Our politics is petty. We have rightfully lost respect for many of our religious leaders. And yet, amidst this worsening social decay, we still claim to be a religious nation. Very strange! What would help us to move forward as a nation is not more bombastic preaching from pulpits, but a deeper awareness of our common aspirations as human beings and as Bahamians.

This does not require us to abandon our religious ideals; indeed, it requires us to reassess what true religion is and to independently evaluate our religious beliefs. If we did this sincerely, with an open mind and with absolute detachment, we would become more enlightened and would gradually be transformed into more compassionate human beings. Such a global shift in spiritual awareness would fundamentally change our society. A kinder, gentler Bahamas would gradually emerge. Our political discourse would be elevated. Crime would be reduced as we perceive more fully the sacredness of all life. The Bahamas would become an island nation known not only for its physical beauty, but also for the spiritual beauty of its people.

And so, while we may and should pride ourselves on being a nation of strong religious traditions, let us strive to be more spiritual than religious. Being religious cannot and should not take the place of being spiritual. Our ultimate goal should be to become spiritually enlightened. Religious activities and traditions may, for some, be the vehicle to this enlightenment, but it is only a vehicle, not the destination. As we "travel" towards spiritual enlightenment, we should respect and value the different paths that others may take towards the same goal. We should wholeheartedly embrace even those who hold vastly different religious beliefs than us. With spiritual eyes, we would be able to see their humanity and love them unconditionally.

This love must find expression in our actions. Tolerance becomes divisive when it is the kind of tolerance that breeds pretense. Political rhetoric that sings the praises of compromise and consultation becomes background noise when it is not harmonised by unifying policies and behaviour. Attempts to stem crime become a waste of human resources when humility and kindness are not consistently modeled by parents and teachers. Without true spirituality-an enlightened awareness that allows us to perceive the beauty and sacredness of all life-our efforts to forge a unified and prosperous Bahamas will only have incremental benefits.

If we want to launch forward, to see monumental changes in our country in the coming years, our religious values must move beyond our heads to our hearts. Our actions, not simply our words, must be aligned with the central teachings of our faiths. If this does not happen, positive change will be slow and painful, and our country will continue to be just a religious nation.

Deshon Fox is the author of The Middle Theory. He is also a professional engineer and columnist. To learn more about his new book, visit www.themiddletheory.com.