I am absolutely positive this post will offend someone out there. Know that these opinions are my own, and though I may not agree with yours, I respect your right to have it. All arguments on this topic are valid, so long as they are well thought-out and that all beliefs have been examined.
What I really don't understand is why religion has to be a competition.
I rarely discuss what I believe, beyond "I'm Jewish" or making cultural jokes about my people. Part of this reason is because it's complicated--but isn't everything nowadays? The other part of it is that I believe that religion is a personal thing, your singular connection with whatever you may or may not view as G-d. Religion, in my opinion, is my own. I came to my beliefs on G-d through a lot of thought and turmoil. I've settled into what I believe, and what I believe is this:
In the traditional sense, I am Jewish. I believe that there is one G-d. I view the books of the Torah as parables for the way we are supposed to live. I find beauty in the stories told and psalms read. But I'll be the first to admit that my going to a religious service is mostly to participate in the traditions rather than to have someone show me how to connect with G-d.
I've always liked to do things my own way, and I am in no way discrediting those who find religion together in groups. I personally feel that my relationship with G-d is very personal, and I find it best in those quiet moments in the middle of the night when you lie awake, thanking G-d. The traditions I uphold and the songs I sing and the holidays I celebrate are little reminders of my devotion to my religion, but not something I obsess over. I have always believed more in the spirit of the law than the letter of the law. And should I be judged, I believe the judge will know that I have good intentions.
What I don't believe is that any one religion is "right." There should be no competition to convert a person from one religion to another, just like major-league athletes can get stolen from a team and have to change allegiance to another one. Religion is not a competition; it's all of us groping for an answer. And who cares if the girl in front of you solves the problem with calculus and you solved it with algebra? The answer's still 3. I believe that religious groups are people finding different manifestations of the same overall power, whether S/He is divided into a trinity or multiple different characters. My personal belief is that any polytheistic view is a way of showing that personalities are multifaceted, that G-d has sides that are like us, but pull them all together and you get everything. Every human encompasses a little bit of everything, good and bad. And thus, I am frustrated by the view that Jesus is the only way, or that Judaism is the one "right" way to worship.
I believe that G-d is celestial, powerful, and a creator. But I believe that religion itself is of man's creation. Just like different people have different learning styles, one person may not understand G-d in the same way as another person can explain it.
And to all the atheists/agnostics: though I personally am religious, I hold no grudge. Maybe logic and math and science are your version of what I interpret as a deity. The only thing that I'm sure of is that there's something out there we're all trying to explain, and that we're all taking different approaches. Whatever works best for the individual is what they should pursue, and that's why I believe religion is such a personal thing.
