it's awfully quiet now isn't it.
horrible awareness that once again it will just sink into the background. news channels have goldfish like attention spans and obviously have more concern for ratings than political justice or such.
we do live in odd times.
i rather wish i did have a faith. when i was managing a project that involved creating a working network with faith and community leaders i was brought back into first hand contact with people for whom their faith was the central aspect of their life. the catholic priest i worked with was very questioning (i was raised as a catholic) and sort of convinced that my moral/spiritual 'who i am' bit would bring me back to the church. the imam who i worked with seemed convinced that my understanding and knowledge of islam would eventually lead me to conversion. the rabbis never fussed - don't think they're really into converts 
the nicest conversations and explorations i had was with a sikh leader who seemed to 'get' why i didn't feel i could ever affiliate with 'a' religion again and said something lovely along the lines of, 'just be the best muslim and the best christian and the best sikh you can be'. think that will sound odd to most people but it made sense to me.
when religion has so much blood on it's hand thanks to tribalists comandeering it and perverting it i don't find it possible to identify with it. also when you study and travel and live through various religions it begins to feel an odd artificiality to 'pick' a label and run with it and it also begins to feel like the whole thing is such a blumming insult to the concept of 'God' anyway.
this business is nothing to do with religion and certainly nothing to do with god. the sad fact is that tyrants and agenda pushers have always found it convenient to commandeer religion into their cause so as to create that kind of blind tribalism that makes people easier to manipulate and stir up into frenzies and allows you to silence dissenters by accusing them of betraying their religion.
it is cynical and hideous. how unfair on all of the jewish people in the world to exploit a sense of being jewish as a shield to avoid criticism and a weapon to use against dissenters be it a jew (self hating jew) or a non jew (anti semite). if there is a god and there is sin then it will be this abuse of god's name for man's own greedy political and financial aspirations that would surely be the biggest sin? fortunately i don't think amongst the critics of israel outside of the region that it is common to mistake the acts of israel for acts of jewish people - thank god! but they risk that happily and recklessly. the israeli leadership doesn't give a damn what effect they have upon the image of judaism or the perception or treatment of jews internationally. it is such cynical and irresponsible abuse.
if religion is to continue rather than it's long expected demise then i hope it is reclaimed and redeemed by voices of love and reason and compassion who condemn and ostracise those who use it as a weapon.
sorry for long post - i just am pondering all this a lot. my faith or lack of faith is a part of who i am either way. i was raised 'in' religion and listening to the core messages of it and for me what drove me out of it and makes me incapable of return is the hypocrisy and what from the inside perspective i can only describe as blasphemy and idolatry. i don't know what i believe anymore but it is a very strange realisation that the people most determined to be seen as religious are often the people the furthest from the basic dictates and concepts and core values of religion.