--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a phrase for this that has…" description: "\"“There is a phrase for this that has become quite common: “I’m spiritual but not religious.” Polls show that some 20 percent of Americans identify over..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/218/ken-wilber-1886_catholic_there-is-a-phrase-for-this-that-has-beco_2366312.jpg" --- # There is a phrase for this that has become quite common… ![“There is a phrase for this that has become quite common: “I’m spiritual but not religious.” Polls show that some 20 percent of Americans identify overall with that phrase. And some polls have shown that, in the younger generation—those between eighteen and twenty-nine—this percentage explodes to…” quote by Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/218/ken-wilber-1886_catholic_there-is-a-phrase-for-this-that-has-beco_2366312.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/218/ken-wilber-1886_catholic_there-is-a-phrase-for-this-that-has-beco_2366312.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/218/ken-wilber-1886_catholic_there-is-a-phrase-for-this-that-has-beco_2366312.jpg) > ““There is a phrase for this that has become quite common: “I’m spiritual but not religious.” Polls show that some 20 percent of Americans identify overall with that phrase. And some polls have shown that, in the younger generation—those between eighteen and twenty-nine—this percentage explodes to an astonishing 75 percent!2 In other words, three out of four young individuals have a deep spiritual yearning that no existing religion is addressing.”” [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many young people feel a spiritual longing that organized religion does not satisfy, leading them to identify as spiritual but not religious. **In simple terms:** Young adults often feel spiritual yet disconnected from religion. Key Takeaway Explore personal spirituality beyond institutions. Themes spirituality identity religion generational trends Mood conflicted hopeful Type observational analytical When to use this quote - college campuses - online communities - personal meditation practices - interfaith dialogues Key Concepts Secularism existential search cultural shift Questions to Reflect On - How can individuals find meaning without organized religion? - What role should community play in personal spirituality? A Different Perspective Spiritual yearning may be superficial without deeper philosophical grounding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) ## Related quotes > [I would call myself more spiritual than religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-kroeger/i-would-call-myself-more-spiritual-than-religious/) [Chad Kroeger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-kroeger/) > [Love is our most unifying and empowering common spiritual denominator. 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I would say I'm more spiritual than religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxanne-mckee/i-m-not-religious-i-would-say-i-m-more-spiritual-than-religious/) [Roxanne McKee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxanne-mckee/) > [ \[My childhood was \] spiritual than religious. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-malveaux/my-childhood-was-spiritual-than-religious/) [Julianne Malveaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-malveaux/) > [I have a very powerful belief structure. I'm very spiritual. I'm not religious but I am spiritual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toyah-willcox/i-have-a-very-powerful-belief-structure-i-m-very-spiritual-i-m-not/) [Toyah Willcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toyah-willcox/) > [I love the good in all the religions and respect people's religious beliefs. But, I'm more a spiritual being rather than religious. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanda-kaushik/i-love-the-good-in-all-the-religions-and-respect-people-s-religious/) [Chanda Kaushik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanda-kaushik/) ## More by Ken Wilber > [A language possesses utility only insofar as it can construct conventional boundaries. A language of no boundaries is no language at all, and thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/a-language-possesses-utility-only-insofar-as-it-can-construct/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [Gaia's main problems are not industrialization, ozone depletion, overpopulation, or resource depletion. Gaia's main problem is the lack of mutual understanding and mutual agreement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/gaia-s-main-problems-are-not-industrialization-ozone-depletion/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [If Spirit has any meaning, it must be omnipresent, or all-pervading and all-encompassing. 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Or have I just written a clever book that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/is-this-a-topic-whose-time-has-truly-come-the-integration-of-science/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [In other words, the real problem is not exterior. The real problem is interior. 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The dictionary meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/what-s-my-philosophy-in-a-word-integral-and-what-on-earth-or-in/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) > [Matter begins evolving back to Spirit and, when it's reached, the whole process begins over again for the billionth time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wilber/matter-begins-evolving-back-to-spirit-and-when-it-s-reached-the-whole/) [Ken Wilber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) [Explore all 200 Ken Wilber quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wilber/) ## More Catholic quotes > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [ The young man \[Turgot\] destined for an ecclesiastical career was placed within walls carefully designed to keep out all currents of new thought; his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-dickson-white/the-young-man-turgot-destined-for-an-ecclesiastical-career-was-placed/) [Andrew Dickson White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-dickson-white/) > [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. 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