I began this when I was 19. It started as an email to family and friends, and I thought it would be interesting to see not just if people believe, but *why* they feel the way they do. Please enjoy the survey, and if you would be so kind, email me so I may expand my "findings". Also, please note as I am quoting you, I am not in the habit of formatting or correcting spelling errors, so keep your grammar tidy! Thank you!

Chloe
"i belive in god b/c i know he was the creator of this world we sleep on tonight and the food we put in our stomachs everyday. Jesus died and got put thru mizzary to set us free from our sins. and everybody should respect that."

Jone
"My thoughts on God:

Yes, there is a being greater than we are. I only need to look at the sunrise every morning, or a shooting star on the anniversary of a loved one’s passing, stand in the canyon of Zion National Park, or look at the face of a newborn to know that. I believe that the destruction from the hurricanes is a message sent by the heavens to pay attention to our own country. I believe in the power of prayer and meditation.

I was raised Presbyterian but I have been interested in all forms of religion. I am glad for the opportunity to attend church as a child as I believe is gave me a strong foundation of faith. I also believe that while [my mother] converted from Catholic to Presbyterian, her Catholic background influenced her parenting. I could have easily become Catholic; love all the saints and the rituals.

My interest in many faiths has caused me to be a questioning believer. I have questions and I think it is a reason that I have not committed to attending a church on a regular basis as an adult. I cannot go to a church that will not be open to many faiths. Conversations with people of many faiths are fascinating and I find similarities with them all. I am more interested in how people are alike rather than how we are different.

I am also interested in the paranormal, I believe we are surrounded by angels and that karma comes back to you."

Angela
"Yes, I believe in God. I have had too many miracles happen in my life that I feel support my answer. I am also leaning towards the idea that there may also be a Mother God as well."

Paul
"Yes, I do believe in G-d (my belief asks us not to write the full name). Many people have many different names for this entity, though the concept is the same. All mankind needs something to believe in, for guidance or blame and all in between."

Ambermoon
"Do I believe in God? Being a Pagan, I guess I should write 'no'... but I can't. I suppose it all boils down to how I percieve God to be - how I want Her to appear (or Him...I'll concede...lol). I do believe that there is SOMETHING... some kind of universal energy that may be seen by many as some sort of God/dess. Whether that energy has control over my life and destiny, or can organise my fate... well, I'd have to disagree with that - I am my own person, and it is MY actions that wrought changes in my life and future. I would have to explain that I do not believe in the Christian concept of God... for the Bible was not written by God, but by Mans' hand. There are too many mistranslations within the Bible for it to be effective in explaining Faith or even God... though it does provide some good rules for living and life. The beauty we can see in a snowflake or a leaf can be said to be due to the creations of God... But there are many differing views of what God is or appears to be. I just do not believe that only one ideal of God, one single religion, has the answer for everybody - certainly not for me. I find there is as much a lack of comfort in cold science as there is in the fighting and intolerance between religions. If God exists as the Bible shows him to be, S/He would have stopped the bloodshed a long time ago. So...there is something - but we (Humankind) have not found the right answer... not yet anyway."

Alex
Yes
"Allright, look at a clock. It's pretty simple. A LOT simpler than a human body, but a clock still needed someone to create it. Simple creation, simple creator. The human body is WAY complicated, and my science teacher says it all happened by random chance, from nothingness? A complex creation needs a complex creator. I challange people who don't believe in God to go to the freakin' mountians or forests sometime. I think just looking at that kind of beauty is proof enough."

Janelle
I think so
"I have no idea."

Sean
Yes
"I believe that people need something in their lives other than the everyday crap and God is someone you can turn to to escape that. Alternitive escape."

Jennifer
No
"There once was a God, but he must be dead because there is no way he could have NOT exsisted..but now he's dead. Either that or someone has a very active imagination. I don't believe in imortal life."

Brian
Yes and No
"There really is no proof either way. How could I take a stance on such an important issue and not make an ass of myself?"

Daryl
Yes
"Well, just because I believe in it and because it's in the bible…you have to believe in something."

Robert
Sort of
"Because, if I go in the ground and become non-existent, a place where my mind ceases to exsist…that scares me."

Nick
Yes
"I believe that there is a God but that no one religion is correct. It would be bullshit that there are all these religions and just one is right. Peace of mind. I'ld like to think there is some reason why I'm on this planet…the entire 'I live, I die' thing is depressing."

Kevin
No
"I think God was created by man as peace of mind because they don't want to believe that they are on this planet for a tiny blip of time. They want to believe that there is more to life than what they see."

Travis
Yes
"I was brought up that way."

Megan
Yes
"Well, the God I was raised to believe in may not exist. But some really really really big and powerful thing had to create this. So, the God I believe in may be false...but I do believe there is a God."

Patrick
Yes
"I just do. It was how I was raised. (I hope that makes sense...)"

Bekah
Yes
"I guess that the first reason would be because I was raised with it. But even as I grew older and questioned things I still believed all that I was raised with. And, though it's not the first reason, my main reason is because of answered prayers-both big and small things. There have been many things in my life that have happened that seem impossible, and the only thing I can think of is that God ansered my and many others' prayers for those things to happen."

KC
"Do I believe in God? Well yes and no. Something must have started it all, something to create a purpose for us and earth, and I hope that we have a purpose, because if there is no purpose then there is most likely no life after death. I also think that if there is a God then God must have a sick sense of humor. But I can't see God, I have no proof showing me God, so in those ways I do not believe in God. Um...yeah."

Mikey
"I have yet to come to a decision on this question. when i was really young i was really into religion and such (i was an alter boy for pete's sake). But now i dont know.I think evolution is a really good theory... but even it has it fallacies. I just dont know. Some people can make a really good case for either or."

Heather
No
"I was raised that way."

Lauren
No
"Because, I have no reason to believe."

Wendy
Yes
"There are a lot of unexplainable things that happen in this world and God is a good person to blame for it…or give credit to. I just don't think people are accidental."

Lena
"I believe in a god, but not this almighty god whom everyone thinks is so wonderful. I don't see any proof that we're not somebody's idea of a joke, or the equavilant of a little kid playing with an ant farm."

Ryan
Yes
"I don't know, there are just too many facts that I think are reasonable enough to be true. Not facts- theories that support the fact that there is indeed a god."

Tell us what you think!

If you would like your answer posted on the survey, please send an email to marcelle@firegoddess.net and include the following:

* First Name
* Your answer (Do you believe in God, and why?)

... and for my own curiosity, how did you find this survey? (this part won't be posted)