Being from the Middle East, born into Islam...I know a bit of the traditions.
What must I say?
Muslims, and the majority of the Arabs are mentally weak; perhaps they are the most blind, faith-wise. The common Arabian, the common Muslim - he or she does not even half-believe the on-going self-deception, the contradiction, the denial one undertakes if only to prove a point or another, no matter how seemingly fallible...no matter how pathetic.
The Christians, the Americans, however, are a different species. They, at least, believe their lies...they actually live their deception - they have nothing to hide. The Arabian says something and does something contrary, or vice versa - when one observes them as animals, he can see how unintelligent and enslaved they are. The American and the European, however, is at least readily willing to swallow whatever myth, whatever lie, and even act fully out of these deceptions.
When I mention "God," when I look in the mirror - I see myself - I see that power rests in my hand. God is either my friend, close to me, even is me - or man himself - or...if not...then God is an enemy. Does such a thing exists? Only if you let it be...
The sad and desperate, the broken, the beaten...the one who observes unfairness and injustice usually believes that he has no power to change the world, that he is nothing...and so, he conjures this "God" so as to have a hope in a better life, something more divine...something beyond this and now.
The seemingly arrogant, the one who believes that change comes from the self, he believes in himself more than anything or anyone else.
The truth is, whether there is a God or there is not...it does not make a bit of difference to the actuality of the matter: man is weak and pathetic, unwilled, unskilled, unintelligent, hateful, greedy, and unenlightened. Even the so called "open-minded," or the "intellectual" - they readily accept values and morals, readily digest truths that are, not necessarily, truthful. God becomes this "toy" that swings by when you want to, and vanishes when you don't - it is something that goes to your personal liking. Does one's experience reflects any kind of truth? Maybe, but I am beginning to find fallibility even in subjectivity.
“Where your mask, and be living. Unmask, however, and you will be alive.”