I've enjoyed reading this thread.

Some excellent points of view and also some good banter.

No one can demonstrate and prove the existence of God. Atheists know that and believers who say they can are lying or deluded.

I don't think that its even a believers job to convince people there's a God.

As someone who does believe in God but sees the absolute insanity of it and also the damage and manipulation of religion, I will probably bring negative response from both camps.

I think that religion has both been a cause of good in the world and also the cause of much hatred, death, abuse and corruption. All can be true.

The holy scripture is full of poetic beauty and also some shockingly absurd things.

I find the conservative evangelicalism in the US absolutely abhorrent. But I also see the kindness, gentleness, wisdom and care of some people of faith inspiring.

At the end of the day it's everyone's right to believe and not to believe... And I think everyone, believer or not, should be on a journey to discover their own beliefs or non-belief and many shades in-between.

The damage is done when people are indoctrinated into certain beliefs that removes critical thinking, logic, care and kindness from the equation. Religion is about controling people.

But someone with a quiet, personal faith that is centred on love and kindness surely is a good thing.

If there is a God, and I believe their is, I think he and his son left the building of religion a long time ago.