Religion vs Spirituality

Saturday morning musings

My take on Religion vs Spirituality 

The goal is the same. Realization of inner potential.

The prescriptions are known and similar across cultures, the sages had it figured out.

But it calls for individual understanding and effort. A combination of bhakti, karma, jnana and Raja yoga, as per individual personalities.

The general masses are, as we all know, quite dumb. They can't do all that on their own.

So religion comes in, with a set of codified rules. Suitable for the masses, but not suitable for the discerning. And then you have priests to "guide" the public. Again, necessary for the masses, but restrictive for the discerning. 

This watering down and dumbing down is the essence of religion. It is basically spirituality for idiots.

The discerning seekers would be of course put off by organised religion, and they , on their own, go back to the essence of religion, which is spirituality.

Meanwhile, organised religion meanders on, in the form of a stultified grotesque parody of itself; a necessary parody though, for the masses need their opiates, and the rulers, something to control the masses with.