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jenza_s

- 3 years ago

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Should We Keep Our Spirituality Under Wraps?

Religion and spirituality can go hand in hand but they are not monogamous. Many times I've felt the need to come out and talk to people about what's going on in my life spiritually but it isn't interpreted well. Do you think that this is something that we should keep to ourselves, and let the soul searching be done by others individually. Or should we encourage it in our friends, family members, co-workers ect. even if we get a negative reaction?

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Yes, this is an issue I have come across many times. It is a fine balance. I think it can be determined mostly by the interest and questions of the person we are talking to. More than once I have given way too much information and think I have come across "preachy" or know it all. Give a little and wait for a question. If none comes, let it go. Everyone will find their own way. And when have you ever listened to someone's unasked for advice? Even if it is good? Not usually appreciated.

You can have a conversation with a very mild mannered person that turns ugly fast when you start talking about your own personal believes if they don't happen to believe in the same thing.. There's a lot of collectives on this site having to do with God, Jesus, Christians, etc., and if someone writes the opposite of someone else beliefs, the insults start flying. And that's between people who don't even know you! My point....it's probably best to just keep your believes to yourself unless you know it's someone who feels the same way you do. Having said that, I'd like to add that I get so excited when I find collectives on this site that have to do with spirituality or find a program on tv or an article in a magazine about it and I love reading books about it.. I wish more people were more open to the possibility that religion is not neccessarily the same as spirituality....and that spirituality is not bad..For me, the more I discover about spirituality, the more I discover about myself.

If someone asks, tell them a little. If they ask more questions, you can tell them more. I tend to tell people my beliefs when asked. It's usually when you randomly volunteer that information that people turn up their nose.

@zamfir I think you're right. I wouldn't want anyone yelling stuff in my face either.

I'm fine with people talking about their faith, but I do not want to be evangelized to. If you can avoid that, it would be quite a relief.

No we should never have to keep it under wraps. But we should never scream it at nonbelievers and try to force people to believe it. But if someone wears a Jesus Rocks T-shirt or you're celebrating a certain holiday or if someone asks your opinion on something that is discussed within your religion, what's wrong with that????

O SON OF BEING! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me. For I have created thee rich and have bountifully shed My favor upon thee. (Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

@FailuresArt yeah I agree, I mean a lot of times I have conversations with friends who are or aren't 'believers' and I think that it's kind of difficult when they get aggressive or defensive. But I love having these converastions because I think it makes us really aware of the present and what's going on inside of our own heads regardless of what we're believing.

I don't think that your spirituality is something to be ashamed of, but it just needs to be understood that it doesn't make you entitled to anything. Negative reactions are often the resentment of people who feel that others are insistent on that kind of entitlement.

Go for it. I say this as a non-believer (<--stupid term IMO). I full engage others in a religious/spiritual dialog and I think that discomfort is a good thing. I'm not saying to go and proselytize. I'm saying you can share your outlook unapologetically. My good friend and very devout evangelical friend loves to share his spiritual thoughts with me even knowing that I reject pretty much everything he believes. It doesn't mean I can't help him sort out what he's feeling/thinking. I can even do it in his terms.

@jenza_s New England

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Should We Keep Our Spirituality Under Wraps?

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If someone asks, tell them a little. If they ask more questions, you can tell them more. I tend to tell people my beliefs when asked. It's usually when you randomly volunteer that information that people turn up their nose.

jenza_s

@zamfir I think you're right. I wouldn't want anyone yelling stuff in my face either.

zamfir

I'm fine with people talking about their faith, but I do not want to be evangelized to. If you can avoid that, it would be quite a relief.

cincibohemian94

JsonRgo

O SON OF BEING! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me. For I have created thee rich and have bountifully shed My favor upon thee. (Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

jenza_s

FailuresArt

I don't think that your spirituality is something to be ashamed of, but it just needs to be understood that it doesn't make you entitled to anything. Negative reactions are often the resentment of people who feel that others are insistent on that kind of entitlement.

FailuresArt

Should We Keep Our Spirituality Under Wraps?

If someone asks, tell them a little. If they ask more questions, you can tell them more. I tend to tell people my beliefs *when asked*. It's usually when you randomly volunteer that information that people turn up their nose.

@zamfir I think you're right. I wouldn't want anyone yelling stuff in my face either.

I'm fine with people talking about their faith, but I do not want to be evangelized to. If you can avoid that, it would be quite a relief.

O SON OF BEING! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me. For I have created thee rich and have bountifully shed My favor upon thee. (Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)

I don't think that your spirituality is something to be ashamed of, but it just needs to be understood that it doesn't make you entitled to anything. Negative reactions are often the resentment of people who feel that others are insistent on that kind of entitlement.

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If someone asks, tell them a little. If they ask more questions, you can tell them more. I tend to tell people my beliefs when asked. It's usually when you randomly volunteer that information that people turn up their nose.