How important is spirituality in your life?
I know many people say they are not religious, but they are spiritual. Many times they don’t define what they mean by “spiritual” so it can be tricky to know precisely what they mean.
My spirituality is classic Christianity. I am a Lutheran at this stage of my life. I find that it gives meaning and purpose to my life. It is a source of origin for moral behavior.
It addresses Fyodor Dostoevsk’s character, Dmitri in the book, “The Brothers Karamazov” when Dmitri asks, “If there is no God, then everything is permitted?”
Put another way, if there is no God and no immortal life, what is the basis for morality? Some say it is based on what is best for human flourishing. But why should that matter in some objective sense? What is the objective standard that determines that human flourishing is moral?
It might be desired by some humans, but if life ultimately means nothing, it is just a preference by many (most) people.
My religion gives answers. Also, from a pragmatic perspective, research shows that regular church attendance is associated with less depression and anxiety, faster recovery from drug use, more sense of community, and greater well-being. All those are worth attending church.
Also, I am a product of my Western culture, which is strongly influenced by religion, especially Christianity. Classical music was derived from church music. Modern science partly evolved because of a belief that an intelligent being (God) created the universe. Therefore, it must be intelligible, thus humans can study it and discover a lot about it.
Newton wrote as much about theology as he did about mechanics. The man was a genius who invented calculus. He saw order and design in the natural world.
These are a few of the reasons why Christianity provides a coherent spirituality for me.
Peter M. Hartmann, MD
Health and Culture 