Do you believe in GOD?

When I asked if you believed in God, I rather meant God as in a deity, a higher power or being, or even gods plural if you wish.

In my mind there is a clear distinction between "deity" and "religion" ; as to me, the two are mutually exclusive. You can believe in both, in only one of the two, or in neither; you don't have to believe in religion to have faith in a higher being.

I'm not sure what I believe in. I've not seen or experienced any evidence of "God" and I certainly don't believe much in religion, however I'd like to believe we are all linked by some higher power out there... maybe Karma? I mostly do believe in a spiritual afterlife of sorts, of reincarnation and the like - but not linked to a God or to religion, if that makes sense to you.

And then again, this wavers depending on the events going on in my life at the time.

The funny thing is that close to 80% of the world's population have Faith, they maybe don't all believe in the same thing but they believe in something.

I don't mind being part of a minority, and I totally respect what the majority is doing as long as it works for them. Like they say: "Whatever makes you happy!" It's when faith and religion come to blows, browbeating and fanaticism - that's when I draw the line. Don't push your beliefs on others and everybody will get along just fine.

Atheists get crapped on all the time for being "religion haters" and whatnot but really, they represent 20% of the pie. How many wars can they spurn in the name of Nothing?

On the other hand, crusades, religious wars, sects, screaming preachers, kids with bombs strapped to their chests in the name of their God... the extremists that poison it for everyone. That's just wrong, plain wrong.

Love your Gods but please, respect those who love other Gods or don't believe in them at all.

Is that so difficult?

*crawls Back Into Non-Conformist Cave*