"I'm Spiritual, I'm Just Not Religious." Spare Me.

It has the same effect on me as the word "Irregardless" (an illogical word) or the phrase "I could care less" (so you're saying you do care?).

You've likely heard it yourself.  Or, maybe you've even said it yourself: "I'm spiritual, I'm just not religious."

Spare me.

Frankly, the statement makes me just a little bit sick to my stomach when I hear it. 

You see, I think it's a cop out.  The impression I get when I hear the statement is that the one speaking it lacks backbone.  He wants to appease both the unbeliever and the believer at the same time.  To the unbeliever he says, "Sure, I'm a Christian, but it's not like I'm one of those wacky fundies who quotes Scripture all the time and goes to church every Sunday."  Then he speaks out of the other side of his mouth to the Christian, saying, "Society sure is going down the tubes because of all those godless heathens.  It sure is great to be a Christian."  The problem is, we can't have it both ways. 

Jesus said, "All men will hate you because of me" (Mark 13:13).  So why bother trying to compromise?  Pick a side and stick with it.  You're either committed to a great deal of cross-bearing as a Christian, or you're a lukewarm wanna-be who's looking at getting spit out.

"I'm spiritual, I'm just not religious."  It's kind of like me saying, "I love dessert.  I just don't ever eat it." I do love dessert.  Few things on this earth make me as happy as peanut butter and chocolate.  But one would have to question how much I really love dessert if I never ate it (barring legitimate reasons, of course... assuming a legitimate reason for not enjoying dessert actually exists).

According to the Bible, Christians rejoice at the prospect of going to church, which I suspect is at least in part what people mean to avoid when they claim they're not religious.  A Christian who doesn't relish the opportunity to be in church regularly to hear of the good news of free salvation in Christ Jesus???  "I love dessert.  I just don't ever eat it." 

Now maybe a person claims he's not religious because he's turned off by "organized religion" or claims "the church is full of hypocrites" (to the latter excuse, I had a professor whose response was, "There's always room for one more.").  I will grant you that Christian congregations have messed up - inexcusably at times - and also that they will continue to.  I will also grant that there are indeed hypocrites within the church (just as there are outside of it), but are these reasons enough to stop eating dessert?  I can assure you that if I ever meet a dessert I don't like, I won't swear off desserts altogether.  Why would the Christian swear off the rich blessings of gathering together with other Christians at a local congregation just because he had a bad experience at one?  Wouldn't it make more sense to search for another congregation that adheres faithfully to the Bible, and keep indulging in the rich fare of the Jesus and his forgiveness, rather than assuming that all Christian congregations are suddenly a waste of time?

It certainly would seem to be worth the effort.  That is, if you really like dessert.