People are generally disavowing organized religion with such statements. What they are then embracing varies by the individual's definition of "spiritual". But I generally regard them as a "religion of one" or, more often, unwittingly a reinvention of the same religion that countless other people have, more or less -- some independently and some not.

There aren't really, after all, a lot of creative new ideas when it comes to religion.

Religion, whether it offers a deity or not, in its essence makes up explanations for the constantly shrinking gaps in human understanding. Since we don't have a clear factual explanation for the origins of existence and life, and whence, if anywhere, it goes in death, and since the fear and loathing of mortality is widespread, these are the things that religion primarily concerns itself with. Also, religion often tries to assuage guilt and regret and aging and sorrow, with varying levels of success. There's a little church down the street from me that has a sign out front, that says that Jesus takes away our guilt and makes our past okay again. The holding forth of such promises is a major selling point, too, at least for the guilt-ridden and disappointed among us.

In reality religion offers either faux comfort, or comfort that can be readily had from other sources. Ultimately in fact each of us can only help ourselves, and religion is one way we can put ourselves over the top and keep from giving up on the whole enterprise. Sometimes all religion really provides, through generic mechanisms like community, is "you can do it" encouragement.

For me personally, spiritual just means attitudinal, and religious just means attitudinally disciplined, so I see everyone as spiritual but only a very few as genuinely religious.

For me, to be spiritual is to be deeply aware of the profound significance of reality and to live in awe and appreciation for its overwhelming dazzling mystery.

For religion to mean much it should be based on spirituality. Without spirituality religion becomes just rote adherence to dogma, and quits being religion. A set of beliefs is important for those carrying the flag of religion, but spirituality is not about belief. A spiritual person is enrapt by nature and has no time for arguments about belief or non belief in the unknowable.

To me, being "religious" is following a belief system imposed on a society from an outside source, likely to control the thinking of the masses.

Being "spiritual" is the ability to interpret and/or express some poetic or philosophical inspiration using natural elements or events, and is often a little bit "out of the box" and original.

Either avenue can go overboard for sure, but I quite like a little humanistic spirituality in my life. That's how I make my living.

to me it's religion light, anything from god is in the trees to your great-grandmother communicating with you through your cheerios.

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To me it just means we don't know, I don't know, you don't know. Is there something more to this existence? I think it is possible. Physics shows us the observer matters, makes a difference, so some of that spiritual stuff has science behind it, which makes it possible in my way of thinking.

Means different things to different people. Thinking of native American practices might fit. No Messiah. No second coming, but living in consideration of the unknown or unknowable.

In my experience, most people who use that phrase mean they’ve stopped going to church but they’re not giving up their superstitious outlook on life.