"Charles, I am an atheist!........."

"One thing I have learned in a long life: that all our science,

measured against reality, is primitive and childlike" Albert Einstein

"It's true Charles," insisted the voice on the telephone. "I am an atheist!"

"Mmmm, thank you for sharing that proclamation with me. Was there anything else I can help you with?"

A stuttering silence elapsed.

"It's just that I thought you may comment.... No actually I would like you to comment."

"Why? You have stated your illusion. What do you wish me to say? Do you need some sought of validation for your cause or crusade?"

"It's no illusion Charles. I simply do not believe in God. People who think there is a God are the deluded ones."

"Tell me please, can you describe to me the mind concept of God that you do not believe in. That is, if you believe in the non-existence of God, there must be a concept of God that you have created via your sum total of your conditioning, prejudices, culture, religion etc that you do not believe in."

"I guess the notion that there exists an all powerful and all knowing creator sitting up there in heaven on a throne directing the play like some medieval king."

"If that is what you say you do not believe in, I cannot but agree with you!"

"Ah so you are an atheist like me!"

"What I am is unimportant. To know what - or rather who - you are must surely be your priority."

"You seem to be toying with me Charles - I simply stated I was an atheist. You are against beliefs and I do not believe. "

The speaker was a friend of a dear friend so I felt it was diplomatic to continue rather than politely hanging up.

"One person believes in a concept of God formulated out of their ego-mind. Another person also formulates a concept of God via their ego-mind and then chooses to believe in the non-existence of their creation. To dis-believe is not non-belief but merely a belief in the opposite. Can't you see what childish folly this whole process is?"

"Obviously if you put it like that - yes it is folly!"

"As are all belief systems sir."

"What you have said gives me a lot to think about."

"Perhaps may I suggest that you enquire who the "me" is that is going to do all this thinking. Why create a modified version of your belief system? Observe the gap that exists between the real "you" and your ego mind. When the "real you" is able to observe the mind at play, the folly will become apparent with clarity."

"I thought that dropping the notion of a God is dropping a belief system."

"Atheism too is an "ism". In a way it's even a religion, as it presupposes a conceptualization of that which not to believe in. That is "here is a predefined God and here are the tenets that this God isn't!"

"So where lies the truth?"

"Certainly not from the mind. Every thought is partial. The mind dissects - it cannot do otherwise. Thoughts lead to conclusions and conclusions end enquiry. Truth can only be experienced by the spiritual heart - the heart conjoins - it too cannot do otherwise."

"So to my final question Charles, is there a God?"

"God, truth, love, totality, self, consciousness... All are words labels of the mind describing the indescribable. "Experience and know" and the question does not arise.

"What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out,

which is the exact opposite." Bertrand Russell,