International Virtual Conference on Spirituality, Religion, Irreligion, and Society today

Foreword: Spiritual, Religious, or Irreligious are nowadays different waysof assuming the position in Society to self-identify a life stance of spirituality. We strive to clear things up for all these choices with all aspects that are linked with spiritual/religious growth, placing anemphasis upon the well-being of the "mind-body-spirit". On the otherhand, our today's society has a different engagement with regard tothese choices as many domains modify or are altered by S/R. How, Why,and to What end - we summon you all to figure it out together.

Description

Some people may see the term “spiritual but not religious” as indecisive and devoid of substance. Others embrace it as an accurate way todescribe themselves. What is beyond dispute, however, is that a growing share of people seeks lesser to the aids provided by religions in buildingtheir daily lives, while the majority still entrust their life choices, families,duties, or even health to the grasp of the religious leaders and their dogma, regardless of the conflict raised with reason, social rules, orpersonal desires.

"Spiritual but not religious" (SBNR), also known as "Spiritual but notafiliated" (SBNA), is a popular phrase and used to self-identify a lifestance of irreligious spirituality, with no regard for organized religion asthe sole or most valuable means of furthering spiritual growth. Historically, the words religious and spiritual have been usedsynonymously to describe all the various aspects of the concept ofreligion, but in contemporary usage spirituality has often becomeassociated with the interior life of the individual, placing an emphasisupon the well-being of the "mind-body-spirit", while religion refers toorganizational or communal dimensions.

To the scholars that contest the terms/concepts 'religion', 'spiritual butnot religious', or 'non-religious' a clear definition and explanation isrequired from those that define themselves in those ways. Eitherconsidering religiousness as a spiritualism builder or wrecker,envisioning the religion indestructibly linked to spirituality or on thecontrary more than diverse - all of those and much more, we need to define the paths we choose to live in so that all those who are of different opinion know ours as a statement.

Describing yourself either as a religious observant, a spiritual practitioner, a religious believer without specific afiliation, dependent to a religious group identification or deinstitutionalized worshiper, atheist, agnostic, chaplain or reverend, free thinker or self developer, or non ofthe above - you are summoned to state your position in the actualhuman society for a fair and objective recognition along with the 

What drove you to switch your living from atheism to religiousness, frombeing a religious follower to become a spiritual developer, from areligious person to a nonbeliever or atheist, from serving a certain religious community to preaching another one? What made you driftamong the vast variety of religions until giving them all up to anonreligious or a spiritual person? All those motifs should be displayed and are worth to be known. People’s highest values and meaning in lifeare not necessarily tied to belief in God, but they are important andworthy of our investigation and our respect.

Our Society and the times we've arrived, they are a-changin’. As moreand more people have abandoned organized religion or have dificulty with a belief in a deity (or deities), we all need to take a very close look at ourselves forcing religious leaders to recognize their own biases andblind spots that made people drift away or renounce religious paths.

The 4 panels of the conference:

1. Spiritual Wellness

2. Religious, Spiritual, or Irreligious?

3. Religion in the Age of Coronavirus

4. Society under changes

May our journey together successfully continue! 

We look forward to welcoming you in May 2021!