Spirituality and Religion

Running Hawk of the Lakota Nation is reported to have said, "Religion is for people who are afraid of hell, spirituality is for people who have already been there." Two recent studies in the online versions of the Journal of Pediatrics and the Journal of Adolescent Health seem to testify to the truth of Running Hawk's words. The studies report that teens with chronic illness are helped by a sense of spirituality. According to the studies, "Spirituality is defined as one's sense of meaning or purpose in life or one's sense of connectedness to the sacred or divine." A knowledge of the spiritual helps to make sense of suffering and place it in a proper perspective.

Modern Christianity is uncomfortable with the idea of suffering. Instead of Jesus' call to die to yourself, many modern churches preach that it is God's desire to keep you healthy and wealthy. Knowing that Jesus died penniless after a horrific death on the cross, it is amazing that such an idea can be communicated with a straight face. Jesus seemed to be unaware of such prosperity guarantees when he prayed that he would not have to drink of the cup the Father gave to him. But the great difference is that Jesus did not sacrifice for his own benefit, instead he did what he did for the sake of others and in obedience to the Father's love. He did not obey the Father to avoid hell; he obeyed the Father by following him into hell. And by doing this, he demonstrates the difference between the worship of self and authentic spirituality.