In trying to define matters of debate I think there are categories we may fall into. By these categories I do not wish to limit options, so if you think there are other general categories please let’s add them to this discussion. I think these three categories are:

Do we believe there is a spiritual realm?
Is there an afterlife?
And is there a God?

About the first category: Does a person believe there is a spiritual realm?

If not: If there is no spiritual realm I would assume that God is completely out of the picture and so is the afterlife. But, I could be wrong.

If yes: if a person believes there is something out there then they may be trying to understand it. For me I look at all the different religions (I use this as a generality as everything as far Animism, Tao, Buddhism, Christianity, Voodoo, Satanism, Judaism, Muslim, Zoroastrianism, New Age, General spirituality, Dualism, Hedonism, etcetera) and think hmmm.... there is something out there. Plus, I look at all the weird phenomena’s in the world. I look at the stories about ghosts, exorcism, myths, legends, ESP, things that go bump in the night, demons, angels, astral projection, collective consciousness, visions, and all the stories passed down through the ages and I wonder Hmmm....

Then I look at my personal experiences with angels, evil spirits, physical attacks by seen forces, the phone that rings and I know who is calling, non religious people whom I've known that talk about pictures flying off their walls, chairs turning in their kitchens and them calling me up to come over to their house ‘NOW!’ to pray, and things like that and think... there is something out there. But this does not mean that what I believe is right or that there is not some other explanation. But, it makes my hunt and search and study and try to figure things out

Now, I think there is a category that is for those who believe there is or is not an afterlife.

If there is no afterlife then I would say we do as we all please. Enjoy this life; have fun, it is the only one we've got. And if there is no afterlife then there is no need to concern ourselves with God or gods; because if he/she/they do exist I am only going to struggle or enjoy them for this life.

But, if some believe there is an afterlife then we hunt and search and think and study and try to figure out, what is that afterlife going to look like? And what might be some requirements or principles to either enter it or to be able to live there in a pleasant fashion.

Then there are those who believe or don't believe that there is some form of God or gods or whatever up/down/around there that we have to contend with.

If we believe there is no God, gods, or higher power, but we believe there is a spiritual realm then we may believe in such things as a neutral force that we can access, 'the force be with you..' (I apologize if I caused any offense to you Star Wars fans). We may believe in such things as New Age, non-intelligent non-being powers, such as the life force of every object, (gamers call this manna), from reading the Tao yesterday I think the Tao ascribes to this belief, but I could be wrong, for the Tao is referenced as a she. (So, if someone wants to clarify on this that would be great). I am not an expert in the Tao.

Now there are some who believe that there is a higher being and the nature of this being and how to access this being, is what a lot of people are trying to figure out.

Sometimes we have to find some religious belief and use that as an authority when speaking. But, someone once said that only what you believe is an authority source can be used an authority. And, some of us Bible thumpers believe so heavily that this is a true and only authority that we turn around and try to force people to accept it's principles and try to control their lives but others have not accepted it as an authority and so they don't accept the words because the Bible is not an authority source to them. I personally am so limited right now in my world religious knowledge that I usually only use the Bible's information as my only source to communicate spiritual principles that I believe to be true. I am working on other authority sources of religion and my common ground logic.

I think we sometimes ascribe to different spiritual authority sources due to our base belief systems about life. Do we think life is about morality, then we might subscribe to Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, Muslim, Confucianism, etcetera. If we believe in relationships as life’s primary base system we might subscribe to any personal relational system with God/gods.

Now, I think there is a difference between religion and spiritually. I think religion is the actions we try to do to get closer to God/gods and spirituality is our direct interaction between us and the spiritual realm. So, I believe that some of us can be just religious and just do things for whatever reason, there are some who are just spiritual and just like to interact with the spiritual realm, and those who are doing both, whether in a decent way or not.

I believe that if there is a God and he wants us to know him, all we have to do is keep searching and keep asking and then he will reveal himself to us personally.

Now with what we believe there is also how we relate to others about our beliefs and experiences. Some people try to control others and force medicine down others throats. I think this can be an immature way of control, lack of relationship with the other person, and our lack of faith that if God/gods exist and He/She/They cares, because we do not trust that God is big enough to direct them or that he truly loves them and wants them to find Him/Her/Them, or that God has been directing them all along.

For me personally I think that God is truly caring and is leading those who are truly seeking him and that He will reveal himself when that person is ready, but that is just my belief. So, I try to lead people not so much to my belief system, though I use it as a reference because that is what I know, but I use Bible references because to encourage others that there are some spiritual truths in it and it is a great source to seek God more.

There are those who use the Bible to control and if you look at me through my writings you see that I try to warn people about them. See ‘The Conversation of Mary’ and other such titles under Christian Satire on my homepage.

As for me I believe:

That there is a spiritual realm because of all the things I’ve seen.

That there is an afterlife because I just know it in my spirit and many religions talk about this afterlife.

That there is a God because of my own personal relationship with Him and the way He has revealed Himself to me. Plus, all the things I’ve seen in the spiritual realm.

That God is loving; though we attribute so much of the suffering in the world to God that are caused by the actions of dark forces and humans’ nature.

I believe that the Bible is full of wisdom on how to love and give people freedom, yet many Christians are not loving and this causes much confusion.

So, I would value your input into these thoughts.