There are so many religions in today's society, especially in the United States. One has a choice of being an Atheist, Baptist, Buddhist, Catholic, Hindu, Methodist, New Age, Pentecostal, or any other form of religious order of his/her preference. People lead spiritual lives and have their own reasons to do so. Religion and spirituality are inseparably close, and it is sometimes hard to distinguish between the two. However, they do not have to be one and the same. A person can be spiritual without being religious. However, can a person be religious without being spiritual? I think not. Being religious and being spiritual do tend to be in close cooperation with one another, but from research and personal experience, I tend to believe that a person can be spiritual without being religious. With so many diverse religions to choose from, no one has to experience the feeling of being "tied down" or "chained" to one specific religion. However, the question to ponder is, "Is religion truly the basis for spirituality?"
             Religious people tend to lean toward their beliefs in God and the church. They believe that by belonging to or becoming a member of a certain religion, or religious faith, they are spiritual in their own right and in the eyes of God. Take, for example, my mother, who is a devoted, dedicated, member of the Pentecostal faith. She believes that the only way to have God in your life and be spiritual is to be a devout Christian. To quote her exact words, "spiritualness is Godliness", and "to be spiritual is to be next to God". She reads from her Holy Bible each day, gives prayers and praise to God on a daily basis, attends church each day of the week-no matter the occasion-, pays her weekly tithes and offerings, ministers to others about the goodness of Jesus Christ, and treats others better than herself. My mother has a strong belief in every word of the Holy B...