Excellent piece, and it makes sense. Too often religion is used to divide us and condemn those who are different from us. But I like that you point out that Jesus' teachings don't appear to support that. This to me has always been the defining difference between religion and spirituality.

I see spirituality as a personal journey and religion as a societal construct. I don't avoid spirituality, I seek it--but I don't outsource it to a church.