Dear Baya,

      God is a real problem to me. I don’t seem to be able to do without Him (or is it Her?), yet equally I cannot do with Him/Her. Without Him how would I know what is right or wrong? How would I be able to face pain and terrible events? How can I feel that there is a meaning or purpose to life? I really do need a God.

       Yet with Him around, other problems multiply. Why does He allow so much suffering if He is all-powerful? Why are his followers often so intolerant and the very opposite of what they preach? Anyway, how do we know He exists at all? When I ask him for help, he usually seems to be deaf.

      Are there better options? Is our religion the best? Indeed, is it a religion at all? What do others believe? I’ve heard that only some peoples believe in one God – Jews, Christians and Muslims. Is it better to believe in a lot of gods, as Hindus do? Or in no God as I am told real Buddhists do?

       And why do people go to Church? Is there something special about religious places?

       I can’t find anyone to explain the fundamentals of religions, just the outer shell. Nor can anyone give me simple options and alternatives.

      Could you give me a little advice on all of this? I’d specially like it now because I’m thinking about all of this afresh. Lots of what I took for granted is falling away and I’m trying to build up a new understanding.

      I really do want to believe in something and to lead a good life, but, as you know, ever since I was five or six I’ve had my doubts about God. What do you believe?

Lots of love,