[lbo-talk] Question re: Religion vs "spirituality"

[Jeffrey Fisher]

On 11/30/05, joanna <123hop at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
>
> Carrol Cox wrote:
>
> >I define spirituality as spoiled or frustrated
> >solidarity, but that won't convince anyone who isn't already convinced.
> >
> I think that's a great definition -- given the current conditions.



i haven't had time to peruse lbo-talk in ages, and when i finally do get
back, lookie what i find! :)

i don't know about the definition. it has its appeal, but it seems
reductive, to me. in my religion classes, i will often do an exercise at the
beginning of the course where i ask the students to try to define religion.
every single time we have to address the "spirituality" thing, which always
means a hostility to institutionalized religion - a hostility, btw, that is
ill-informed and to be honest mainly lazy in the case of these 19 and 20
year olds. interestingly, we have enough True Believer christians that there
will often be one or perhaps two people decrying "spirituality" as a kind of
wannabe religiosity, religion light, etc. etc.

j

--
The easy way seems hard;
The perfect square has no corners.
- Tao Te Ching (41)
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