There are other equally or better answers that are just as ancient, venerable or self-evident.
That's where most religious arguments break down: they present it as a dichotomy, believe in my God or nothing. But any halfway educated person knows there are other options.


What I meant was, people who listen to the liars who claim to know of God's existence as an undeniabe, certain fact, and who accept what they say without question are gullible or deluded. People who believe after enquiry and who know that their faith is just a belief are not necessarily gullible or deluded.
It's not that simple. Before I was touched by the Goddess, I believed, in the sense that it sounded right to me, but I didn't know. Now I know from direct experience... but I also know that my experience was subjective and personal, so I can't present it as proof to anyone else, and I can't claim that other people who know differently are wrong. If I were a more persuasive person, I'd be tempted to preach and persuade and try to bring other people to see the wonderful vision: and I'd be completely wrong, because it might not be there at all for anyone else.

I often compare it to the '60s rock opera "Tommy." For people who aren't old enough to remember this, for complicated reasons Tommy becomes deaf and blind, then is cured and enlightened while playing pinball. His response is to persuade all his followers to play pinball in earpugs and blindfolds in the hope that they will find the same nirvana; and of course they don't, and they reject him furiously.
somewhere out there is a being that is eternal, omniscient and omnipresent, who is goodness in its purest form, and who wants to be worshipped (why? isn't that rather vain? vanity is a sin)
For a long time that was my problem with gods. As a gut anarchist, I automatically reject any being on any plane of existence who not only expects to be obeyed without question, but who also expects me to grovel and "praise him to the highest". (I could enjoy doing that for a Domme, but that's the difference between role-play and real life.) I couldn't even start to explore the possibility till I found that there were people who believed in gods who didn't want or expect worship or sacrifice, who just wanted to make contact because they care about us.

I love the Lady, and I am awed at a Being who exists on a level so much wider than mine. But worship her... she'd just laugh.

And for the avoidance of doubt (as the lawyers say), I'm not trying to convince anyone that my invisible friend is real. I'm just explaining how it is for me.