Does one's sense of the spiritual world around them come entirely from within themselves or is it a response to spiritual reality which is external?

I disagree with the basic premise of this question. I don't think that "within oneself" and "real" are binary opposites. I also don't believe that "internal" and "external" are so at odds.

Both.

It's both, really! I know...

internal

imagination....perception...idea......

Uhh...this is a little complicated. I would think that "one's sense" of ANYTHING is "entirely within themselves". To draw the conclusion from THAT, that it is therefore UNREAL or IMAGINARY is a valid philosophical concept, but it isn't going to make you much fun at parties!

"Is it a response to spiritual reality which is external?"

I suppose it COULD be, but more likely it requires something beyond the immediate sensory input. It requires thoughtful contemplation and analysis among other things.

The statement; "Spirituality is rooted entirely in the imagination and is therefore not real" SOUNDS like an attempt at LOGIC, probably due to the use of the word "therefore". However, it is NOT a logical statement. For example; I have never been to New York City. For me, New York City is rooted entirely in my imagination. Would it be logical for me to say that, because of this, New York City is not real?

A bit of both. There's probably some evolutionary component and purpose to spituality. But also, everyone talking about it probably pushes all the non-believers over the edge into believing. If no one told me about god and the afterlife all the way up until now, I'd probablly think they're crazy or something. Off course the issue would have came up as soon I was to have some expirence with death anyway.

It HAS to be real, after all, you saw it on TV

Enheduanna, this survey is deliberately written the way it is to be exactly as it is. If it were not you would not have had to put as much thought into your comment, as you have, and this makes me glad.

Not at this time of the morning please. I do suspect it is all internal.

Both. The semantics here a little difficult to wrap my thoughts around, but I think I get the gist that the creator is after...so both.

Define Spirituality. The definition is not clear enough for me to answer this very well.

I'm going to say for those that are real Spiritual that it comes from both (in & out).

(This is just a guess, a guess of ROCKMAN's undefinable mind.)

I believe the desire to reach for the spiritual is innate in human-kind, and a side-effect of being made of dust, but in God's image. So many cultures turn to the spiritual, the religious, to explain their world, to comfort them, to give their lives more meaning. I can't remember which theologian originated the concept of the "god-shaped hole" but the theory is that we are all innately born with an emptiness that can only be filled by something larger than ourselves, something god-like. This search comes to fruition and we feel a sense of completeness when we find what we seek....god.

I'm sure that's true. I'm not criticizing you for formulating the question this way, and I didn't rate the survey bad or anything. This just isn't the way I perceive the world to be.

Both.

It's entirely internal.

Hmm...let's not go there!

For me, spirituality is a response to both internal and external spiritual realities. I experience spirituality beyond the empirical.

I really don't know, it depends on exactly how you define everything.

A combination of both I would think.