Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Differences Between Religious And Spiritual Romance Novels

By Christa Jarvis


When it comes to religious novels, there are often characters based on the Christian faith. In many cases. Religious novels are nothing more than a ploy to gain other believers. Whereas, most Spiritual Romance Novels tend to be more all inclusive and include positive aspects from many different spiritual paths which may include Christian, but is often inclusive of other faiths.

Although related at times, religious and spirituality are two distinct and different entities. Religion often represents individuals who have a belief in a specific area like Creationism. Whereas, spirituality is often used to define a number of different spiritual pathways which are other than Christian. These can include Buddhism, Paganism and others.

Unlike Christian based novels, spiritual novels often allow the reader to search many different pathways to a higher power or powers. In many cases, these novels are based in Zen Buddhism and are often universal in concept and thought. Also, books which allow this type searching also tend to include various allegorical tales along with different principles can help in various aspects of life, something not a lot of Christian based romance novels tend to offer.

Books like The Way of The Peaceful Warrior, Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, Busting Loose From The Money Game, The Celestine Prophecy are good examples of these type books. The Secret, is an interesting take on success in life through spirituality. Clearly, none of these are entirely fiction, or non-fiction yet most are quite popular in spiritual discussion groups and other realms.

All of these and other titles look into different religious beliefs and pathways while taking the reader on a journey of the soul. In some cases, its as if the book is a time machine which can be set to past, present or future. Depending on the individual's past experience, some titles may be more inviting than others.

Just one more reason why having an open mind when reading publications in any genre is a good idea. For the most part, readers do not try and find out personal information related to an author, readers just read and enjoy the story regardless of differences between the story and real life. While this is the case, should a title try to force an individual into any belief system, then it is often good to stop reading and start soul searching before following suit.

Books have and always will be a great escape from reality. While some have religious tones, there are also secular romance stories for those who do not subscribe to any particular belief system, faith or religion. Of course, for those who do subscribe to a particular path, it is important to realize that the world is a big place with a lot of ideologies. As such, it's important to always maintain an open mind when reading publications whether in the religious, spiritual or other genres.

Whether interested in getting lost in a great romance tale, or looking to gain information on a number of belief systems and pathways, books are often a great place to start. For those who have issues with regards to Christianity, or other religions, it can often be good to read a variety of reviews on sites like Goodreads and others before embarking upon the journey.




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