Sunday Tribune

Is spirituali­ty without belief a new religion?

- LEBOHANG MOSIA lebohang.mosia@inl.co.za

MANY people believe sub-saharan African societies are very religious.

According to a paper titled “African and Not Religious: The State of Research on sub-saharan Religious Nones and New Scholarly Horizons”, published in Sage Journals, “at least 30 million sub-saharan Africans identify as ‘religious nones’ and are allegedly not affiliated with any religious tradition”.

Stress and anxiety levels are increasing to unpreceden­ted heights as a result of contempora­ry stresses.

Many people are realising they need more calm in their lives as life becomes increasing­ly chaotic.

According to author Ravi Kathuria: “In the past, religion has served as a haven from life’s challenges, but the present generation is looking for logical and scientific answers to life’s most difficult concerns. The present age no longer accepts blind faith.”

Is there a viable remedy for the current generation? Can non-religious spirituali­ty step in to offer comfort and a sense of serenity if religion is unable to satisfy?

According to Kathuria, ancient Indian sages realised that people had marvellous spiritual aptitude thousands of years ago.

They came to understand that it was a fundamenta­l aspect of human nature and that everyone was born with spiritual potential.

One of the most important discoverie­s in human history, to put it mildly. They were found before religion and have nothing to do with it.

Kathuria said: “Religious ideologies have diverted us from our innate and natural spirituali­ty.

“Despite the stresses of the modern world, we can find calm if we connect with the spirituali­ty within. What the present world so sorely needs was found thousands of years ago, which is ironic.”

Every person possesses a spiritual talent that is inborn, unalienabl­e and potent, independen­t of caste, creed, religious beliefs, region, social status, intelligen­ce, gender or sexual orientatio­n. Without exceptions, no prerequisi­tes, Kathuria emphasises.

“Religion is prejudiced. Spirituali­ty is not. It can’t,” Kathuria exclaims. “Spirituali­ty exists everywhere.”

There is equal access for all. Kathuria emphasises that this reality has the power to create a calmer, more peaceful world. He thinks it has the power to alter the trajectory of human history.

No one can discredit our spiritual abilities, according to Kathuria, whether we are Christian or atheist, gay or heterosexu­al.

We can’t let anyone steal it from us. Not a leader in the church. Not even God can.

 ?? ?? MANY people are realising they need more calm in their lives.
MANY people are realising they need more calm in their lives.

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