How important is religion to personal and spiritual growth?

I believe that one can be religious yet not achieve spiritual growth. The challenge with religion is that we can adopt all of the “approved” beliefs or practices of said religion without growing spiritually.

2 Peter 1:5-6 says, “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.” (NIV) So we begin to see that God wants us to be like Him. God is love. (1 John 4:8)

God’s list is more robust than Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This type of growth cannot be mastered through human effort alone, given that we are essentially self-centered creatures. The good news is that God gives followers of Jesus Christ His Holy Spirit to guide, and empower them to be like Him.

patrick, author
www.beyondbeliefbook.com

My religion is very important in my personal and spiritual growth. Without it, I would have had nowhere to start my walk with my Lord.

Through the church where my walk started, there are so many godly people, with their arms open wide to welcome me and show me the path to walk. They truly follow the Word of God in actions and deeds.

In His grasp,
<:))))<><
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21

I would dare to say that spiritual growth take place either way, whether religion is involved or not. If you are religious, much of your spiritual growth and makeup will depend on culture, parents, peers, friends and location etc… Unless you are dead, you can not arrest your spiritual growth. Just as your life is in the blood while you are in the flesh, your faith is your “blood” spiritually. It is your life by faith whether you are religious or not that shapes you spiritually. Even atheist lives by faith (not in God obviously.) But atheist also believes (by faith) that there is no God. That is still faith. Strange enough even the scripture states that demons also believe in God.

See James 2:19 “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder”

But, more that just a dogmatic religion, personal relationship with God makes a tremendous gain in spiritual growth. Being a Christian, I can only speak from my own experience, and urge you to seek out the “source” of the spirituality which is God. He will never turn you down; just plainly ask Him to guide you to your “well” where you can be nourished. Who knows’ maybe will meet there. Good luck…

In Many cases, religion could either be of great benefit or hindrance to ones spiritual growth, in my opinion.

On one hand, religion can help introduce one to many values.

On the other, it may discourage one from finding what is right for -them-.

So it depends on the person

i'd say that varies greatly with each individual. it helped me greatly because it made me question things and eventually led me to where i am now. i no longer believe in any organized religion but i am glad i was, at one time, a follower of the ones i was born into or chose. ;)

I think how much you grow personally and spiritually is more to do with what questions you ask of yourself and others, and how honestly you answer those questions.

If religion is what inspires you to ask those questions, then that's fine, but I think you have to accept that we are largely responsible for our own actions and we can choose to grow or not grow - it's up to us.

For me, religion had nothing to do with my personal growth.

scale 1-10...its really a 10............if you dnt have expectations you wnt get any better and spiritually its awesome your so much peaceful