How can I quickly tell the difference between a fundamentalist Christian and a spiritual one?
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If they immediately try to save your soul from the fires of hell with no consideration for your personal feelings, you can bet they're leaning towards a fundamentalist.
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You have two options.. Both are extreme.. Become very God-based and spiritual.. Or... D-I-V-O-R-C-E..
893395
Go to the Religion and Spirituality section.
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"Religious" = A person that subscribes to a specific faith. "Spiritual" = A person who doesn't necessarily subscribe to any faith, but who believes in a Power(s) greater than themselves and tries to live by spiritual principles. ~~~ The two aren't mutually exclusive, but can be.
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Good question!!!!! I always wondered about that, too. We talked about it at Bible study one week and we found some good Scripture passages that help.\n1 Corinthians 10:12 says that discernment is a spiritual gift that some people have. Discernment is basically being able to tell the difference between spirits (whether it is from God, yourself, or the      ).  \nBut not everyone has the gift to tell the difference, so what do you do if you don't have that gift?\n1 John 4:1-3 says to test the spirits to see if they are from God. These verses refer to prophets, but it applies to spirits, also. Test them to see if they seem to be from God, and pray that God will reveal to you whether it is from Him or not. He will provide you with answers!\nIn Acts 16:16-19, we see that spirits can come from the      , but they may seem to be from God (the message may seem to be true and good). This is another case where you just have to pray and then trust that God will show you whether it is Him speaking to you or not. \nAll in all, it just involves a lot of prayer. Pray that God will reveal to you whether it is His voice or not. He will show you. Sometimes you'll just get a feeling that will tell you it is Him, and sometimes there will be signs everywhere you turn that tell you what the right thing is to do. \nCheck out Isaiah 30:21. It's a pretty sweet verse. Just keep trusting in God!
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I think you've answered your own question. ;-)  That being said, let me tell you what I think.\n\nSome people of some religions have this elitist notion that their religion is the one, right, true and only way.  They think that everybody else is a Satanist or the like.\n\nI've learned about, and in some cases gotten deeply involved in, quite a few religions and spiritual traditions.  Just about every one of them that I can think of has some sort of moral or ethical code.  In Buddhism, the religion I was raised with, as well as in Hinduism, one must take responsibility for one's actions and have compassion for others.  Wiccans try to live their lives in such a way as to avoid harm to others and to accomplish what they were put on this earth to do.  Judaism and Islam all have moral rules that are to followed.\n\nChristians seem to be particularly divided on the issues of Christian morals and ethics (though few of them seem to realize that this division even exists!).  To many Christians, Jesus' teachings in the New Testament replace the Ten Commandments.  To them, the point is to love their neighbor as themselves, avoid judging others, to do to others as they'd have others do to them, etc.\n\nTo other Christians, the point is to follow the Ten Commandments.  Still to others, the point is to see the Bible as one big, literal law book.\n\nWhat fundamentalists in any religion fail to understand, seemingly (or perhaps they understand it all too well and are just bullies) are the following:\n\n1. That they might be wrong.\n2. That other religions have morals and ethics, too.\n3. That other mystical experiences are equally valid.\n4. That there are fundamentalist of other religions who thank THEY'RE wrong and that THEY'RE going to burn in Hell.\n\nSome fundamentalists claim that they've had these mystical experiences that "prove" that they're right.  What they don't realize is that:\n\na. Lots of people in lots of religions have all sorts of mystical experiences, but that they may have mystical experiences involving some other conception of Divinity.  For example, a Hindu might have a mystical experience of Krishna.  A Native American might have one of an animal spirit.  A Christian might have one of Jesus, a saint or an angel.\nb. Just because we have interesting psychological experiences, doesn't mean that some Deity or spirit is really talking to us.  It might be all in our head.\nc. There's a difference between objective reality, to which I think we're better off turning to science, which is based on impericism and logic rather than faith, and subjective experience.  Our subjective experiences are valid for ourselves.  If some God or spirit comes to us in a dream and tells us, maybe that's useful.  Who can say?  If we get something out of that, does it really matter whether or not that Being really exists?\n\nFor example, fundamentalist so-called "Christians" (personally, I don't see how anyone can be a true Christian and be so judgemental as the fundies) love to tell everyone they meet about their mysical experiences of Jesus.  But, if some Hindu told them about a mystical experience of Vishnu, they'd say that Vishnu is a demon.  So, Fundies like these are hypocrits.\n\nPersonally, I'm sick and tired of fundamentalists telling me that I'm going to be tortured eternally if I don't believe that their mytholgy is the literal word of their conception of God.  What makes them think they know anything?  To brow beat someone into believing in your mythology by telling them that they'll be tortured forever if they don't believe it is abuse!  I can only come to two conclusions about their behavior:\n\n1. That they really DO want to abuse the rest of us, because it makes them feel superior.\n2. That they're ignorant of other religions, were taught to be fundamentalists when they were growing up and never really stopped to think that
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Try finding out what religion you most identify with by putting together what you believe is true (void of influence from any ideas other people put in your head), and their relative importance. This test can let you do that: http://www.selectsmart.com/RELIGION/\n\nOtherwise, I'd suggest a Neopagan religion. Many Neopagans take an eclectic take on faith, and piece together ideals from many different religious philosophies to define for themselves what is reasonable, rational, logical and sensible. I, myself, am an eclectic solitary Wiccan. Here is a site full of various Pagans of various paths from all around the world: http://www.witchvox.com/
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The best way is to be in the Word (Read the bible) and prayer (pray continually). Also pray and ask God for spiritual discernment. This is the thing. All of us have three "voices" that talk to us. There's God, the devil, and our self. Spiritual discernment is what allows us to be able to tell the difference between the three. \n\nThere are a few ways you can check things you "hear". \n\nFirst, when God speaks to us it will always line up with the Word (the bible). So if you have a thought, and it contradicts anything in the bible, then you can know immediately that it's not God. (That's why reading and studying the bible is so important).\n\nAnother way to check would be to ask, is this clear or is it complicated and confusing. God's word is always clear. On the other hand, the devil is called "the author of confusion." So if something is complicated and confusing, you can be assured that it is not comming form God.\n\nAlso read Galations 5:19-26\n\nRead the entire passage and decide for yourself, but from it it's probably safe to say that thoughts involving/containing the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) are from God, and thoughts of sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, rage, selfishness, envy, drunkenness, orgies, etc. are not.\n\nHope this helps.
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First of all, I don't know what you mean by "believer".  Anyone who believes anything is a believer.  Avoid letting fundamentalists box you into their label.  That gives them power.  If you're something other than a "believer", than it makes it sound like you're just stubborn or something.  You may well believe in all sorts of values, such as an objective quest for facts and trying to be good just to make the world a better place.  Instead of calling them "believers", if you're talking about fundamentalists, call them fundamentalists or fanatics.  Be aware, however, that there are lots of religious people who are opposed to the whole notion that the only way to be good is literally following a book.\n\nThe whole point of America (I'm assuming you're American, but I realize that that may be a false assumption) is that we all have the right to believe whatever we believe.  If some people believe that the Great Kumquat is God, that's their right.\n\nSecondly, if I understand what you're saying correctly, you're asking if it's better to be good just because you think you'll get into Heaven and avoid Hell or whether you think it's better to just be good for good's sake.  That begs the question: what does it mean to be good.  With all due respect to those who follow holy books, I'd like to state my opinion about ethics.  I'm sorry if it offends anyone, but that's my opinion and we're hopefully all here to communicate.  So, any holy book devotees have now been fairly warned that they might not like what I have to say. :-)  (I still respect you guys as human beings, I simply disagree with a lot of you.)\n\nIt seems absurd and even dangerous to me to base one's ethics on literal belief in a book.  I think that ethics REQUIRES thought and reason.  We have to be able to understand how our actions affect others before we can truly be ethical people.  If we blindly follow some book or other and believe that that book is a literal communication from the Divine without any evidence that it is, and that book rationalizes doing terrible things to others, we'll do terrible things to others.  In the years of the Inquisition and the Witch Craze, the Church did exactly that!  So, I'm sick and tired of people who can use their book to rationalize torturing people to death telling me how to be a good person.\n\nHere are several reasons to be good that are totally separate from any concept of the Divine, Heaven or Hell:\n\n1. The world would be better off if we were nice to others and avoiding harm to others.  It would be worse off if we hurt others.\n2. Actions have natural consequences.  If you punch someone in the face, they're likely to punch you back, or worse, go to the police and report you for assault.  Conversely, if you're friendly and nice to others, they'll be more likely to be nice to you.  Therefore, we should be nice and avoid harming people.\n3. If one thinks literal belief in an afterlife is absurd because of lack of proof (literal belief in God, Heaven and Hell are to many of us as absurd as believing in Santa Claus and his toy shop in the North Pole), one must conclude that we only have this life to live.  If we believe that, than our only acts in life that really matter after we die are those acts that outlast us.  If we leave a legacy of pain and sorrow, then we left the world worse off for having been here.  If, on the other hand, we leave the world a better place for having been here, our life has lasting meaning.  Every person we help and every person we're kind to is a legacy.\n\nThrough a combination of empathy and logic, we can be good people, but, in my opinion, we're only really good when we liberate ourselves from blind faith in books and arbitrary rules, because, blind faith in books makes us ignorant as to what truly helps others and what truly hurts others.  On the other hand, reason and em
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It's really only the fundamentalists in certain religions that believe that kind of foolishness. There are lots of religious people who have progressive, inclusive, and ecumenical understandings of their faith. There are lots of religious people who while devoted to their own faith, respect other faiths as spiritual paths.
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Of course when you ask a question like this you are going to get mixed answers from believers and non-believers.  Believing in God is a conscious choice. You either decide He is, and conform your life to that belief, or you chose not to believe and act accordingly.  DO NOT let anyone else make that decision for you!!!  Believing in Almighty God is a step of faith; God is beyond our comprehension.  We cannot even begin to understand His thinking or His "ways" because we have nothing to compare Him with.  That is why it takes faith.  \n\nI suggest you pray and ask God, with all your heart, to reveal "truth" to you; pick up your Bible and read.  This is how you "Seek" truth.  If you seek Him; you will find Him!\n\nBe careful you do not let the devil into your mind!  By asking a question like this you are inviting input from the spirit of the anti-christ.  You are spiritually vulnerable right now.  The Bible tells us to "guard your hearts and minds".  Input from non-believers is going to add to your confusion!  Surround yourself with believers and when you come into unity with them; you will see the manifest power of God.  First comes the believing (faith), then comes the seeing!  You won't see God until you believe He's there!  We take the first step then He keeps feeding our faith to grow it stronger by showing Himself in many ways.  \n\nIf you don't look for Him you won't find Him.  But that doesn't mean He's not there!!!  Just like those who chose not to believe in God, doesn't mean He's not real.  They just chose not to believe in Him!  \n\nI am believing for you.  You will find out that God is real and you will become a powerful witness to His Glory!!!
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There is no way one can know if someone else is "enlightened" or not unless one himself becomes enlightened too.\n\nI have had many instances when my guru has answered questions in my head without my having even asked him. At times I have asked him a question and his answer has seemed absurd at that time. However, in hindsight, when I have analysed his answer with a clearer mind I have seen that instead of answering my words he has answered the real question within me.\n\nIf you are really looking for spiritual growth (spiritual growth today has nothing to do with religion mind you! as most religions have just become businesses with nothing spiritual left in them) please read the book "Mystic's Musings" from amazon.com
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How do I know if I'm doing what my store manager wants of me? I ask him, and then I listen to the answer. If he wants me to change something, I do. Same thing goes. If you want to know if you're in the right religion, pray sincerely, then sit down with your Bible. Compare what your religion teaches with God's word. Does it match up? Why or why not? Can you find more than one Bible verse to back up the teachings? Are you finding that some verses seem to contradict others? Does what your religion teaches make sense of a loving God? Do they use His real name (Psalms 83:18)? Why or why not? 1 Peter 3:15 says we should always be ready to make a defense to anyone who asks a reason for the hope within our hearts. Can you prove to me, from the Bible, what you believe? \n\nI am giving YOU a new commandment, that YOU love one another; just as I have loved YOU, that YOU also love one another. By this all will know that YOU are my disciples, if YOU have love among yourselves.” (John 13:34,35) Does your religion TRULY love EVERYONE in that religion? Are there racist problems? Can you find peace at every church that claims to be of your religion, everywhere in the world? \n\nOh, and if your pastor/preacher/minister can't answer your questions and says "it's a mystery" you might want to consider changing churches. There ARE answers, and you CAN find them. God would not ask us to worship Him, to believe in Him and not allow us to get to know him. We could hardly love and worship someone we don't know or understand, now could we?
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I can well understand your confusion. Maybe this will help ... #1: No one but YOU can judge whether or not you're a Christian. If you say you're one then you are one. OK, that part of your question is settled. #2: To whom do you give the authority to decide what else you believe? Who has authority over you and can tell you what you must believe as a Christian? Isn't that a little like whether or not you're a Christian? Isn't that YOUR call? Isn't that between you and your concept of God ... And NO ONE else? #3: The paranormal, aka psychic phenomena. Can you integrate that into your Christian belief system? Well, maybe. Maybe its not nearly so foreign to that belief system as you've been lead to believe. Maybe you've just been misinformed by people who in turn were misinformed or who in their studies misunderstood the thing. Maybe ... Think about these things ... Psychics have visions of the future, channelers talk to angels and others, readers of various types make predictions, and astrologers look at the stars and find wonders there. Any biblical co-relations here? John had visions of the future. Lot talked with angels. Prophets have made many predictions. And the Wise Men from the East? They were Persian Magi, well versed in astrology. They followed a star, and found a Great Wonder. Maybe, just maybe, the Bible and REAL Christianity is wrapped all around the paranormal. Maybe its just that certain things go by different names in different schools of thought and that confuses an issue that otherwise wouldn't be confused at all. Maybe to be a Christian you have no choice but to believe in the paranormal. Maybe other Christians just use different words to describe the same things and the only real problem of integrating these "seemingly different" belief systems rests there and no where else. Maybe. ~ Peace & Blessings ~
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I'm a pentecostal,here is a site you can go to. UPCI.org     I hope you find what your looking for and understand my religon. And GOD Bless
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They are altogether different. Religion is basically a group of people following certain dogma/rituals told by a book or a prophet.\n\nSpirituality is our inner progress irrespective of our religion. A spiritual person is more concerned about the philosophy of god and creation, without caring for the mythological crap.\n\nReligious people may be fanatic, stubborn and idiots, whereas spiritual person more lives in harmony with his fellowmen, in more harmony with God and His creation.
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I don't admire your position.  My suggestion would be to first do some soul searching; decide what you truly believe God or The Divine is and how you relate to Him/Her.  Is God merciful and kind?  Vengeful and Angry?  Is He simply a Creator that allows man to choose his own path or does he have our destiny mapped out for us?\nAfter that- another hard choice- the afterlife.  Do you believe in one at all?  Is there a heaven?  if so, is there a hell?  Do you believe a soul can be reincarnated?\nMy suggestion is to actually write these questions and answers down on paper to give yourself a very clear picture of your beliefs.  Think of as many theological questions and theories that are important to you and actually put them into words.  Then- RESEARCH.  I would say go to a clergy member, pastor etc but if you do remember they are only going to give you THEIR beliefs and teachings, not what you may consider your own.  So if you seek advice from a third party, take everything from a skeptics point of view unless you find someone that says EVERYTHING you've written down as your core beliefs. (Chances are- you won't)\nTry the internet, library, bookstore- whatever nonpartial resources you can find.\nLastly, keep an open mind.  Don't write down "I believe in the Bible so I must be Christian".  Judaism believes in the Old Testament of the Bible; Mormons believe in both the Old and the New Testamants but have a Third testament as well.  Wiccans don't believe in the Christian Bible, but have many of the same core beliefs as "love thy neighbor".  Here's a good web site that has a lot of information on a variety of religions   http://www.religioustolerance.org/  \nThere's no easy way out of this one.  You've got a long road ahead of you and I wish you luck.