I’ve especially enjoyed reading this thread. Every comment was interesting. I’ve always thought the “spiritual but not religious” phrase was hard to decipher. Sounds like double-talk to me because I always thought the two words meant about the same thing. I think as literalists continue to make religion sound ever more absurd it becomes less and less fashionable to associate oneself with the word ‘religion’ but until one does the work of actually constructing a rational worldview, the impulse-to-woo is still driving the bus, and if one word has become socially unacceptable, the person just finds another word for it.

That said, I enthusiastically agree with what Harris is saying in VictoriaNotes’ comment. As daddy4pugs also pointed out, the root word spirit is widely used in common parlance to mean all kinds of things unrelated to ghosts. So if I allow the word spiritual to be stolen from me then I have to go looking for some inevitably more clunky word to replace it with, like attitudinal. Now THAT’S dispiriting! I won’t cede useful words to the ignorati !!

I dislike the term. It seems to me too nebulous to have real meaning, and feels like a vague attempt to have one's cake and eat it too.

I don’t like the term but I accept that people use it. I always ask questions about that person’s definition of ‘spiritual’ as it tends to vary a lot so needs to be qualified.

I don't have any problem with it. I see it as people accepting that religion is not for them but there's something they haven't quite come to grips with so they label themselves with spiritual which in my opinion is with the bent towards soft agnosticism. It's a start.

I often hear people say that I am not a religious person, I am spiritual. Then they go on to explain their religious beliefs. I believe that I am a spiritual person. Spiritual in the sense of my relationship with other people, other beings (ie animals) and the earth in general. I don't fear punishment from an imaginary higher power when I fail and I don't expect rewards when I succeed. To me, spiritual is what is inside of me, not what is somewhere up in the sky.

I don't like it at all. Granted, spiritual doesn't mean you have to mean anything supernatural. But the word spiritual comes with so much baggage that I would never use it personally.

When somebody tells me their spiritual and not religious, what I hear is "I'm too lazy to put any real thought into it". But that's probably unfair of me.

I like it. I can use it to describe myself

Same crap; different rap.

It's not a term I use but it's OK.

Instead of using the word "spiritual", which does sound a bit 'mealy mouthed', I sate that I'm an agnostic who seeks the divine in nature.

When out in my kayak at sunrise I'm not a secularist. When deciding how I should vote and how I think the country should be run and very much of a secularist.

"Religion" involves buying into dogma. When I'm seeking the divine in nature I'm not doing that.

One could say that my forays in nature are a "spiritual quest".

I have wondered what it means.
I think it usually means they believe in god (or a 'higher power'
but, they do not go to church (for various and individual reasons.)

I hate it! What does it mean? A horse can be spirited, you can have school spirit, or you can drink spirits. I know the word has more than a religious meaning, but it crosses the line when it comes to atheists. I worked with children with disabilities and I work with rescue animals. I appreciate and love nature, art, and music. I love to be in love. If a non-religious person says that they are spiritual, does that mean they have a set of morals or a joy for life that is better than mine? Do they love more? Do they appreciate nature more? No! It is an attempt to apologize for their non belief, to say to a believer, "See, I'm not a bad person." I apologize to no one for my atheism. I'm proud to be an atheist. I promote separation between church and state and atheism as a positive lifestyle. I love life without guilt or a reward/punishment mentality. I can do this not because I am "spiritual" but because I have a healthy brain.

It's confusing and vague.
I don't think any two "spiritual" people would agree on what it means.
I think it's woo myself.