Sacred vs. Religion

By Stephanie Snyder

I enjoyed our conversation in class about the difference between sacred and religion. We talked about how sacred is that which is ultimately real. We also discussed how religion is that which is ultimate concern.

The two are related in the sense that they are concerned with ultimate... with the intense extreme of something.

However, religion is experiencing concern. It deals with what concerns us and discovering through thought and observation what our human minds don't understand or seek to know. It deals with rationale, with faith, with understanding, and knowledge. It is about our intereaction with one another and text. It helps us uncover truth and learn it.

The sacred, on the other hand, is about what is real. Sacred is more about experiencing and interacting with truth, rather than uncovering and learnign it. The sacred is being engaged with what is real and is the source of life (spiritual).

I believe that if we are spiritually dead, we truly do not live. Therefore, while one may experience religion, they may not necessarily engage the sacred. Unless you really engage the sacred, that which is real, you never fully embrace life and live it fully. The sacred is vital in unleashing the spiritual experience.