Spiritual activites are relief to human in some ways. This world is a tension world. Using spiritual activites, we can reduce our tension. we can live in different mode of life. If you go to temple, you will feel some change in mind. There are different issues in god concept. Some people accept god meanwhile some people don't accept god. But the truth is we can form god in our mind.
Same time, we can also form evil in our mind. If you get jealous, you form some type of evil. If you get unlimited lust, you form another type of evil. Spiritual activities is the only medicine for cure wound made by that evils. Now a days, we heard many saints fall in sexual activities. It is very bad. Because they have responsiblity to lead some innocent people.
yes! saints are not neccessary to get spiritual things. But it is traditional method of teaching spiritual things by saint. Now a days many duplicate saints are there. We should aware of duplicate saints. First of all, Saints must have a quality of simplicity. If you see any saint who wearing jewels, using car, he is not a true saint.
Worshipping god and telling mantras not only enough for prayer. we should concentrate in god's nature. what is god's nature? peace and completeness is the nature of god. Using mantras, we get concentration on god's qualities. we also get some bid of qualities while at praying time. Yes! not blood and flesh, god is in symbolic form of good things.
Some people using figures for worshipping god such as pictures, idols, statues. But figures are only temporary pillars for innocent people. God is our mind. We make our mind be a god by protect from evil things and insulate good things and hope.