“I’m spiritual, not religious.”

I’ve heard this so often from  the most sincere people.  They seem to wear it as a badge for having accomplished some sort of rite of passage.

What is your translation for:

“I’m spiritual, not religious.”

Here’s mine:

“I want the comforts of Christianity, without the challenges.”

Becoming like Jesus Christ – a challenge that lasts a lifetime, it certainly takes committment and direction from something more substantive than one’s gut. Reflecting further:  Christ without a Body, why bother with the Cross.

I agree Church is work, and messy at times, just like a family, but Jesus thought we were up to this challenge with a little help from the Others in His Family, the Father and the Holy Spirit.  Actually, Christians get two Mothers, Mary and the Church.  The Church isn’t optional.  It is the Body of Christ.