In a couple of weeks I am going to be formally asked the question “what is your view on religion”. The expectation is that I will immediately respond to the effect that I am a Christian and believe in the higher, ultimate power of God. I may, however, be lying about this.

I have always considered myself a spiritual person, if not a religious one. I was never Christened, and although I've been to church on many occasions, have never felt the need to declare myself as a Christian in any formal ceremony. I have a strong moral code that aligns with the various teaching of the major religions – if someone was to ask me if I would abide by the Ten Commandments then I would say yes. I don't believe these things because they have been dictated to me by a priest, but because I believe that the behaviours that they enshrine are essential to the existence of society.

At the same time I wouldn't describe myself as an atheist. I have had occasions where I feel that there is something looking over me or helping me along. Sometimes I've asked my late grandfather for help when tinkering with a project or trying to find tools, and it feels, at least, like it works. As a scientific person I don't accept the existence of ghosts, but there is something looking out for me and helping me – or maybe it is just coincidence. It all helps me down the path of life.

In fact if I had to align my beliefs to any one religion then i would have to choose Budhism. I like and agree with the search for inner peace and karma. Even this, however, wouldn't work for me entirely – I eat meat and have no intention of giving it up, although I do believe that we should all know where our produce comes from, and be prepared to face the way it was made (does this make me a ramsayan?). I also don't believe in reincarnation, although I do believe that there is a spiritual energy in every one of us.

What happens when we die? Who knows! Sometimes the world makes me feel like I am already in purgatory, sometimes I think that there is just nothing after this world, at others I am sure that I will meet with friends and relations that have passed. Who's to say that death isn't just a movement sideways – that our relations are still with us just not obvious to our eyes! I certainly don't know how to answer any of these questions at the end of the day, and so my philosophy isn't to preach or to devote myself to one spiritual path, but to devote myself to fulfilling my ambitions and to work to improve myself and the lives of those around me wherever I can. In a way I live my life like the Hippocratic oath – first do no harm.

So what does this make me, how do I answer the question? If the group that I am joining requires me to declare my religion then how do I answer? This is where the questions continue!