Religion Vs Spirituality?

We have spent some time looking at different faiths, religions and spiritualities. The ones we have looked at so far are Islam, Christianity and Indigenous Spirituality. These sessions have taught me much about my own faith and the faith/spirituality of others. Which is better? Does there have to be a hierarchy of faiths? Can we/ I incorporate other aspects from different faiths/spirituality into my own? No faith is perfect, Christianity has a violent history as do other faiths. Is it only terrorism if it comes from a faith that isn’t our own? Can we admit when our own faith causes pain and suffering to others? This is something I have had to face when talking to Erica and Miriam, two indigenous people from America and Canada or Turtle Island as it is commonly and first known to them (America and Canada are the names us colonisers gave the land). The pain that Christianity has caused indigenous people by forcing our faith onto them, trying to make them abandon all aspects of their spirituality because it was seen as being “uncivilised” and wrong. Could we, as Christians learnt something from them? Take for example the value of the written word. As Christians we have the Bible as sacred text, because the indigenous people tell stories and use spoken word as a way of passing on information about their spirituality, does it make it less meaningful? I don’t think so and I think we could have learnt a lot from their way of life. The indigenous people have a relationship with the earth, something Jesus taught about as well. Christians, especially those with power, have forgotten this vital aspect of faith. They respect the earth because it sustains our live, they do not worship trees or animals, they respect them for giving their spirit to us in order to keep us alive. There is a big difference. Could we learn from them in order to protect the earth when we are making decisions that destroy it?

Their view on justice gives us something to learn from, not only from a faith perspective but as a way of life. Our justice system buts people in prison for their law breaking, this does not get to the root cause and often results in reoffending. What about the indigenous way? They look at a healing process. Could this be a better way forward?

This links to their views on life. When Erica was talking about this aspect in class it related a lot to my personal experiences. Life, for the indigenous people, is a journey not about the destination, which we seem so focused on reaching God through our life on earth. They don’t see death as the end but as the spirit leaving the physical body and continuing on their personal journey. The dead may still be with us in spirit. This helped me a lot. I have found it very difficult to go on this journey I am on knowing that there are some family members that I will not be able to share it with. To think that they are still with me and have stayed with us as a family since their death helps with the grieving process. Mine has got more complicated the older I have gotten and this helps. Could it help others to include this aspect of death into their own faith? Where does it say that God and Jesus said we could ONLY follow the Bible? This Bible was written by men years after the life of Jesus. What would he have to say about it? I got through the death of my Granddad by seeking comfort in the stars; this was my Granddad looking out for me when I needed him. This is reflected in the indigenous spirituality and it seems strange to learn about it years after I developed this relationship with the stars. Is it part of being Human to have a relationship with the environment around us? They would argue yes, Jesus would, I feel, argue yes. What would Jesus say if he could see what we are doing to his Fathers creation? The relationship with the earth and with nature should be valued and respected not taken for granted like so many of us do.

When we look at the values that Christianity teaches (I talk about Christianity because this is what I know) they are similar to those that indigenous spirituality teaches. They have 7 values or teachings that are passed down through generations through stories and each value is represented by an animal. Firstly, the eagle represents love, to act in love and to love everyone and everything, secondly is the Buffalo that represents respect, to respect everyone and everything and the essence of respect is to give (I’m sure there is something in Jesus’ teachings about this?). Thirdly, the bear to represent courage, the courage to do what is right, fourthly, the Sabe or Bigfoot represents honesty, to speak from your heart and be true to your word. Fifthly, the beaver that represents wisdom, six, the wolf represents humility, to be thankful for what you have and to find a balance within your life and finally, the turtle that represents truth, to always seek the truth and to live life truthfully. Is it me or are these similar to Jesus’ teachings? To live life by these teachings would be to follow the spirit in the teachings of Christ. So why, as Christians, did we fight so hard to get rid of it? Surely they can go hand in hand with each other if the individual so chooses to? Indigenous Spirituality teaches about freedom, the freedom to interpret teachings for yourself, the freedom to choose what you like, freedom. In the institution that is the Church; does it teach freedom or preach something else?

Many indigenous people like Jesus, his teachings and the profound person that he was. It does not make them a Christian or any less of an indigenous person. They have found a way to have a balance in their lives with Jesus and their traditional teachings. Is this possible for other Christians? Can you be a Christian and still incorporate other aspects of spirituality into it? Is this a personal decision?