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Opinion
Religious belief leads one to have faith there is God and religious belief is the unquestioning acceptance of a religious dogma in the absence of proof. God requires faith. The essence of religious belief is faith.
Opinion
On the other hand, there is no evidence that supports God is only a "belief." Religious belief leads one to have faith there is God, but belief in God can also lead one to seek religion. Religious fundamentalists may rely on dogma in the absence of proof when it comes to believing in God, but atheists also hold a BELIEF in the non-existence of God by employing no less dogma. Believing that God exists in the absence of direct observable evidence obviously requires faith. No one can say for sure what is the "essence" of religious faith when faith itself varies from person to person.
