Buddhism and God belief

[LARA]

I googled the term "buddhism and literal transmigration" and got the following as one result:

http://scienceblogs.com/gnxp/2009/04/bu ... _but_d.php

The post is so so, but it really has an interesting discussion in the commentary on whether Buddhists are atheists, though you may want to avoid comment 20 if you are particularly sensitive to apocalyptism.

Buddhism has influenced me a lot (did I hear a "no shit" comment?  Guess that's just my own imagination) but I'm faithless so I'm not sure where that leaves me.

Anyway thought maybe someone would appreciate the link.

[Recusant]

...someone would appreciate the link.

Yes.  Thank you for the link, LARA.  I'm sure that whatever I have to write will be stuff you already know, but for the sake of conversation, or even to clear up a couple of possible misconceptions on the part of others who may read this, I'll indulge myself:   It's pretty clear that a belief in the supernatural is not necessary for many varieties of Buddhism.  At the same time, there are some types of Buddhism that seem quite god-ridden (Tibet, I'm looking at  you) but may in fact be using those images of deities as a tool on the path to enlightenment.  Sure, plenty of followers of this type of Buddhism actually believe in the literal existence of their particular Buddhist pantheon.  However, for the most part, as was said a couple of times in the comments, those who have delved deeper into the practice understand that the deities are another illusion (or tool, as mentioned.)  I read most of the associated links (for instance, to Tricycle Magazine) as well.  From a related Tricycle online article:

 

... many Buddhists do share the greater number of American's belief in God or a universal spirit...

 It really has a lot to do with "...or a universal spirit."  That's so damn vague that no doubt plenty of the respondents figured it was quite reasonable to answer in the affirmative.  I think a lot of American Buddhists are of the pantheist persuasion, which is not necessarily a theistic world-view, but may give the impression that it is.