American Spirituality Research Paper

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What is Spirituality? The term "spiritual" and "spirituality" are being tossed about quite a bit these days. Almost anything can qualify as "spiritual." Phil Jackson, coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, a NBA basketball team, has authored Sacred Hoops, a book about his spiritual journey in coaching ball. Art exhibits proclaim they are part of an emerging "new spirituality." Many books have been written, with authors making the talk show circuit, that discuss how to find one's spiritual center or be a truly spiritual person. Everyone seems to be more interested than ever in finding spirituality. Yet few seem to be asking for a definition of exactly what they are looking for. Just what is spirituality? In our society, spirituality has come to…show more content…
In it she speaks of how she has discovered a "deeply personal religious path-one that wandered through Zen Buddhist monasteries, meandered through Christian churches, dabbled in African and Native American traditions . . . ." Thus "using her own journey as the road map, Lesser discusses why so many Americans are coming to a deeply personal form of religion - one that does not prescribe to a specific doctrine or definition of God." To find your own spirituality you need to wade through all sorts of different ideas and traditions to find what appeals to you, what you like and what makes you feel good. That leads to the second key idea, which is do what you want, how you want, when you want. American spirituality really is Home Depot spirituality - it's do it yourself religion. For example, one fellow has written a book about the spirituality of eating, saying that "eating connects us to the mystery and source of all living things." Others are practicing vision quests, nature hikes, or just about any thing else any one wants to do. Do what you like and then just call it a spiritual experience. Of…show more content…
1 Corinthians 3:3 tells us "for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" To be carnal is to behave like men, thus its opposite (spirituality) is simply to behave like God. Spirituality is simply being godly, or possessing godliness. A fine working definition of spirituality is knowing God so I can please God. That is what godliness (spirituality) is all about. Paul makes this clear: "If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord" (1 Cor. 14:37). Spirituality is forever tied to knowing God and doing God's will. Let's break these ideas

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