What Do You Believe In?

"What DO you believe in?"

"That's beside the point, the point is, a man should determine his own opinion on what a divine entity is to him, and further more, the influence that entity has."

"So basically your saying that God should be everyone's personal imaginary friend."

"No, that's not what im saying. Are you even listening?"

"Yea im listening."

"Really, because it sounds to me like your just taking what I say, and dumbing it down like I'm some-- babbling idiot!"

"You don't have to be all pissy about it, that's just how it sounds to me."

"Well what's your opinion than, all knowing one."

"My opinion?"

"Yea, your grand opinion."

"Okay smart-ass, I believe that God is to complex and paramount to be summed up with one man's, opinion. I believe that God grants a certain few the inimitable ability to understand his will."

"Prophets."

"Yes, in name, prophets."

"So you believe that these self-proclaimed, prophets, are the only ones able to see past the bullshit, and the rest of us are just to dumb to challenge their superior knowledge."

"See, now your twisting my words."

"What goes around comes around, that's karma. Karma, in case you didn't know, is a belief in the Hindu and Buddhist religions, two of hundreds of religions that share the same basic plot line."

"What are you a preacher now, what are you getting at?"

"Are you gonna listen to what I say and not rub me off?"

"Yes, i will listen to what you say, promise."

"all right, well first of all, of all the seemingly diverse religions in this world, they all share the same basic outline. You live, you die. What you do in-between living and dyeing determines what happens to you in the after-life. This, of course, is all judged by a supreme God or number of gods.

"That's it?"

"Well that was just first of all but yea, that's religion in a nut-shell. Now what makes you think yours is right"

"I just know, you ever just know something, like you can feel it?"

"Yea."

"So then what do you believe in?"

"I believe in God, just not religion"

"What?"

"Look, religion is an institution, and a corrupt one at that. Its history is littered with bigotry and prejudice! Just take Christianity for example; for years the christians ruled over Europe with an iron fist, and what happened to any one who had a different view of things; The Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, all in the name of religion! It's all just bull-shit to me, just bull-shit!"

"I know what happened back then, but we move on, with faith."

"Can't you distinguish faith from religion?"

"Can you?"

"Faith is believing, Religion is believing that you know."

"If you say so John."

"I do."

"Well I'll pray for you buddy."

"Save your prayers partner, save your prayers."