Okay, Don. That's interesting. Can you elaborate a bit on being a Deist?

I don't want intermediaries of any kind between me and God either...I think of everyone as an equal in that respect...but I don't go to a church or a religious setup in order to find those intermediaries or be dependent on them. I go in order to participate and connect with other people in a way that helps brighten up my life and encourages discussion and sharing of ideas.

What I find with spiritual study is this: it doesn't supply a set of pat answers or dogma or a set of rules...rather it encourages asking a lot more questions and considering all kinds of new possibilities.

I have no idea what heaven or hell might be like...assuming they are actually some kind of dimensional existence....or whether they are just symbolic of states of mind. But I do know what is heavenly...and what is hellish. That's pretty clear.

I do think that part of the spiritual journey has to do with relating to other people, so although, like you, I don't need the guy in the robe or skullcap to "get me to heaven", I do find much benefit in just being around people with similar spiritual interests and ideals.

It's more fun than hanging out with people I can't stand or have really little in common with. ;-)