I’m a spiritual person.
Lots of people
One of the things I love about humanity is their irrepressible quest for understanding their physical world balanced with their passionate drive to find some sort of meaning in the daily slog of our lives to help shape our moral values. For some, the answer is religion, for others it is simply being guided by a love for others. The path is less important than the motivation. Those motivated by fear of death or the hope for some reward here or hereafter aren’t seekers, they are greedy. Those motivated by compassion and a desire to end suffering are on the path to fulfillment.
We must differentiate between the two so as not to be fooled by posers who are obstacles to fulfillment.
I hear people announce that they are “spiritual” all the time, especially on reality shows when they’re trying to prove they have intellectual depth beyond their expensive purses, chiseled abs, or micro-bikinis. A variation of this quote is “I’m spiritual, not religious” which is a form of communicating that they think about the Big Questions, but don’t adhere to the theological confines of any religion.
I’m all for people exploring the Big Questions: Do we have free will? Does God exist? If so, what do we owe God, if anything? If not, how do we establish moral teachings? And so forth. But there is a difference between actually exploring those questions and trying to imply you are without actually doing it.
Saying “I’m spiritual” is so vague, yet self-congratulatory, that it is more of a humble brag than a statement about one’s depth of inquiry. It’s something to say to avoid depth, the way someone will tearfully wave the flag to proclaim their patriotism, yet not bother to read the U.S. Constitution. One poll found that 37% couldn’t name a single right protected by the First Amendment and 33% couldn’t name any branch of government (“Americans know literally nothing about the Constitution”). Patriots or sham pretenders?
What does it mean to be “spiritual”? To believe in crystals and tarot cards? To believe in immaterial ghosts and other spirits inhabiting the material world? To believe in a God or gods who created humans and then took off for parts unknown? I have no idea and most of the time the person who uses the phrase has no idea either. Dictionary definitions are variations of this one from the Cambridge Dictionary: “relating to deep feelings and beliefs, especially religious beliefs.”
What’s more vague than “deep feelings and beliefs”? It’s like saying “I’m a good person.” Without details or context that phrase is meaningless. Almost everyone thinks they are basically a good person, even when empirical evidence proves otherwise. For example, Trump sells Bibles but also sexually abuses women and habitually lies and defrauds the public. He thinks he’s good. So do millions of others. They don’t really mean they’re a “good person,” they mean they’re a “good enough person.”
My advice is to skip the “I’m spiritual” routine because it signals the opposite. Instead, say something like, “I grapple with philosophical and religious questions but haven’t reached any firm conclusions yet.” I can respect that level of vague honesty more because it doesn’t try to announce intellectual depth, just curiosity and a willingness to explore different ideas. I admire the true seeker but mistrust the lazy thinker seeking approval. If their goal is approval, they’ll go along with anything the mob wants.
