It is very common to hear people speak of being - religious - spiritual - in both positive and negative ways. For some - particularly - those who do not participate in a specific community gathering on a regular basis - being religious - spiritual - a practice to be mocked - ridiculed. I recently read a post that said that among those who focus - think often about God - His existence - His reality - on a regular basis - are #1 - those who practice a specific belief in God - #2 - secondly atheists - those who spend as much - perhaps more energy than the believers - as they seek to disprove the believers beliefs. Weird - yes? Of course there are others - for various reasons - who say the word religious as if it leaves a bad taste in their mouths. For the majority the word religious relates to a belief in God - the One who created everything. Consider others who practice things completely unrelated to God. We all know people who meet routinely - on a set schedule - at a set location - with the same people - for purposes unrelated to God. They may be a breakfast group - a sports group - or gathering routinely for dozens of reasons completely unrelated to God. Those who meet following a set routine - time after time - can be said to be religious about these events. Being religious does not specifically mean being Godly. Spirituality follows a similar path. There are hundreds of forms of spiritual expression - the majority focusing on one's relationship with God - many others looking to a different kind of spirit. Finally - being religious does not automatically mean one is spiritual and vice versa. 
One of the greatest gifts God gave to humanity besides life - free will. Although we have been created in the likeness of the Creator - we are not gods. What that means - simply - we have the ability to accept - reject - anything - everything - that we experience. It is up to each individual to determine if they were hurt - or helped. Perspective is reality - reality for most is what is clearly seen by each individual. Being religious - spiritual - exists in the mind of the individual. No one else has the ability to really know the heart of another. That alone belongs to God. What is important is that for those who profess a belief in God - their observance whether religious - spiritual - is honest - true.
Deacon Dale
