Well, let me take Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's route by asking for a definition for "God." Classical definitions of God have limited His sphere of influence (no pun intended) to the planet Earth. The problem is, what about the rest of the universe? Do our gods or THE God have devotees in other parts of the universe? And, hold on a second! Even the good old universe has a limit.^* Do those regions that lie beyond this limit also have "God"? Is it the same synidcate? Or, do they have other syndicates? If so, what sort of relationship do they have among themselves?

Let's come back to terra firma for a moment. Have the gods of the earth proved themselves to be immortal? Most haven't. The ones that escape this test are nowhere in sight. They have been absent for so long! Should we take this as a sign there is no "God"?

Saint Ramakrishna tried to answer this paradox by slapping a guy and asking him to "show" the pain. When the poor guy replied that pain was "a feeling," Ramakrishna surmised that "God" was also "a feeling" that needs to be felt. Now, that begs the question why so much salesman-speak has been wasted on insisting the "human nature" of "God."

In conclusion, the question about "God" leads us to more questions; not answers. But it has been observed that belief in a god brings a great deal of peace to the mind of the believer. Most people are only too happy to place the burden of their worries on a "God." With a lot less on their shoulders, they are in better shape to face the world. God is like a lifeline for them. So long as this seems to work for them, we should have the decency to leave them alone.

* - Yes, scientists have set a limit for the Universe. According to the Big Bang theory, the Universe is supposed to expand and contract over time. Currently, the Universe is at about 78 billion light years (7.4×1023km).

† - I was asked to write an essay on this topic as part of a written test in a job interview in 2005. (If you are curious, be assured that I did not get the job.) As a rule, I never ask people about their beliefs or lack thereof. And, even if someone asks, I don't tell them the exact status of my beliefs or lack thereof. I do hope everyone follows the same policy.