When Spirituality Might Hinder Common Sense

By Author: Chaitanya Kumari
Total Articles: 94
Comment this article

When an individual properly embraces spirituality, it promotes common sense. However, there is another angle to this aspect. If a person misinterprets spirituality, it can lead to blind faith, where common sense is hindered. This can potentially expose people to perilous situations, threatening their well-being. This article will succinctly focus on when spirituality might hinder common
sense.

If an individual’s spirituality is based solely on dogmas that discourage questioning, they may behave irrationally. This often leads to making wrong decisions, some of which can be dangerous. For example, one might discard mainstream medical treatment and blindly rely on practices like faith healing.
When people give excessive importance to aspects like intuition, it could again pave the way for many unpleasant situations. Even when evidence or logic strongly conveys something, if you still prioritize ‘gut feelings, you could create unnecessary problems for yourselves.
There are people who make decisions regarding crucial financial matters solely based on astrology, ignoring actual market conditions. This ...
... is another example of spirituality hindering common sense. In such cases, there is a strong possibility that the individual will face serious financial issues in due course.
In the same way, there is no shortage of people who use spirituality solely as a means of escaping their responsibilities and commitments. They redefine spirituality in their own way to make it convenient for themselves to avoid resolving issues. They adopt a fatalistic approach that serves no purpose.
One of the most popular arguments extended by these profiles is “nothing happens without a specific reason; we should not interfere in anything.” This misguided notion is used to justify their decision not to make any efforts.
People who hold on to an erroneous view of spirituality tend to believe blindly in pseudo- Here, their common sense is overridden. These unscrupulous elements gurus and pseudo-saints. unfortunately possess the power to exploit gullible people to further their ulterior motives. These fake spiritual heads and leaders indulge in actions that can be detrimental to the well- being of their believers. We often hear about the misdeeds of bogus gurus, some of whom have also been prosecuted by law.
Some people present their flawed interpretations of spirituality, claiming that their beliefs are the ‘standard. These individuals refuse to engage in healthy dialogue with those who follow different belief systems, increasing the risk of conflict and potentially disturbing the peace in society. True spirituality is inclusive; it respects the right of every person to adhere to their own spiritual beliefs.
When spirituality impedes common sense and logic, the concerned individual could face another unpleasant circumstance. Due to their false understanding of spirituality, they could go into isolation drastically cutting down interactions with other people. This tendency markedly raises the risk of developing psychological disorders like depression and anxiety.
Ideally, people’s spiritual approach should always conform to logical reasoning. It should not become disconnected from reality. Only then will individuals be able to lead a life that perfectly balances faith with their various responsibilities as members of society.

Living-smartly.com is a wisdom vault that covers helpful topics for being wise, healthy and financially sufficient. It is a repository of ancient wisdom of India and has articles for living smartly on cultivating wisdom, what is niti, niti in English, Sanathana Dharma, Dharma meaning in English and being sensible.