A poem

I wrote this poem when I was about 16 years old. This time of year always gets me thinking about Religion.

How do we know where we shall go
From up above or down below

Who will show us the road to take?
Our inner self
Or people we face?

I for one will determine my fate
To Heaven's doors
Or to Hell's gate.

I attended a wonderful church for about a year and half. I really enjoyed the community I felt there. The lesson that applied to how to live a better life where great. But there was a huge problem I don't believe that the bible is the word of God. I think it has many truths, but in the end I think its stories, parables to teach. By the way I don’t think that is a bad thing. You can learn much from reading the bible regardless of your faith. I also can't believe that there is only one way to God/higher power. That really is the basic belief in Christianity that their way is the only true way. The world is a wonderfully diverse place with millions of different people, cultures, and ways of thinking. How can religion be one size fits all?
This all started when a friend (hopefully she still is) stated on facebooks that she believes in saying Merry Christmas. Really what does this mean? If she would have stated I wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas then that is one thing. I would have wished her a very Merry Christmas and that would have been that. But did she mean that by stating it that way? This is what she said.
"No it means that I am not afraid to say Merry Christmas - I wish Happy Holidays to those who don't celebrate but I won't be made to be politically correct by not saying Merry Christmas -"
"I say Merry Christmas to everyone unless I know they don't celebrate"

My question is how do you know what someone celebrates? I mean obviously you know what your friends and family celebrate but what about your neighbors or your bank teller? What does Happy Holiday have to do with being politically correct? I think it would just be polite to say Happy Holiday's. Since Christmas isn't the only holiday celebrated in December. And what is this garbage: This lady told me she was sad that I didn't know Christ and would pray for me. Really save your time and energy. Once again that is your faith not mine. Now if you want to pray for happiness, prosperity, joy for my family go for it.
You might be asking if I celebrate Christmas. I celebrate the company of family, friends, the giving of gifts, eat way to much, decorating the house, but no we don't celebrate Christ’s birthday. Do I believe in God? I believe in something more then us, what that is I don't know. Do I believe in the power of prayer? Yes, I think that where ever we put our energy things will manifest (really who doesn't need some extra good energy in their life). Is that the doing of a higher power, I have no idea. I believe in reincarnation, I believe in miracles, I believe in the union of two souls in marriage. I believe in the good of humanity, I believe in being a good person not so I can celebrate in Heaven or avoid Hell but because it’s what I know in my heart is the right thing to do. I believe that there are as many ways/names for God as there are leaves on the trees. I believe that not until love and tolerance is the reigning philosophy will we have peace on Earth.