Difference between religion and spiritual quest
Religion, especially Christianity, is founded on faith - faith on grace of God for the redemption of man. So it offers psychological security for believers. They think if they attend church, the sole representation of God's grace on earth, regularly and sumbit themselves as 'sinners' or 'lambs', their soul will be dedeemed by their Saviour sometime in the future.
A spiritual quest, on the other hand, offers no such security. On the contary, it is an adventure which offers no guaranteed result. There is no big and powerful parental figure from above for the aspirant to look up to for protection or redemption; there is no authority or organization to join for security or support. Most luminaries in the old time like the Buddha, Jesus, Lao Tse achieved Enlightenment in seclusion through their own effort. They did not follow any teacher either. As Krishnamurti said, ''Truth is a pathless land''. To go on a spiritual quest for the truth, one has to drop all the fears, all the burdens of social conditioning, to leave all security behind and be prepared to travel an untrodden path alone. Most people nowadays are busy trying to climb up the social ladder with someone above trying to kick them off the rung and someone below trying to drag him down. When can he ever find the time or the moment of peace for quiet contemplation? Going to the church on Sundays, attending yoga and meditation class once a week, holding one's breath and breathing in this way or that, attending new-age workshops to awaken the 'goddess' or the 'warrior' within -- do what you will, modern man still fail to find reconciliation with his own mind and soul.
A spiritual quest, on the other hand, offers no such security. On the contary, it is an adventure which offers no guaranteed result. There is no big and powerful parental figure from above for the aspirant to look up to for protection or redemption; there is no authority or organization to join for security or support. Most luminaries in the old time like the Buddha, Jesus, Lao Tse achieved Enlightenment in seclusion through their own effort. They did not follow any teacher either. As Krishnamurti said, ''Truth is a pathless land''. To go on a spiritual quest for the truth, one has to drop all the fears, all the burdens of social conditioning, to leave all security behind and be prepared to travel an untrodden path alone. Most people nowadays are busy trying to climb up the social ladder with someone above trying to kick them off the rung and someone below trying to drag him down. When can he ever find the time or the moment of peace for quiet contemplation? Going to the church on Sundays, attending yoga and meditation class once a week, holding one's breath and breathing in this way or that, attending new-age workshops to awaken the 'goddess' or the 'warrior' within -- do what you will, modern man still fail to find reconciliation with his own mind and soul.
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