when asked

do you believe in a God,

is a self-registry, 

posed as a question.

it establishes the concepts 

of god and of self,

as separate from each other, 

and acknowledged.

once premised, as fundamental,

then the question is posed as such,

relinquished into a self,

using a self means called believe,

and then identifying from that format,

a god.

there is nothing self-reflective in it.

the nature of the syntax 

precludes a deeper quest.

the question is nested in a structure

that prohibits a deeper search

than do you believe in a God.

one could ask,

am I real?

which at least that proposes, 

how would I know,

exposing the assumption 

that knowing has relevance, 

embedded in the question.

do you believe in a god,

has hidden assumptions aiding the question,

as in, what is the nature of belief (?),

can a god be objectified (?),

is questioning ever not unsaid rhetorical (?),

is the addressing of a 'you', 

a premise qualifier (?),

and lastly,

how would an answer 

actually be doing the work? . . .