Religious beliefs had their genesis in humanity's earliest attempts to find answers for those things they did not understand. Still today, religions claim to provide the answers for the ultimate questions of life: Is there a God? Is there an afterlife? Does life have a purpose? In this work, the author does not shy away from confronting the controversial issues in his examination of the religious beliefs professed and practiced by Western belief systems, in particular Christianity. The examination and assessment are based in what is termed the "rational perspective". It challenges the widespread practice of "blind belief" in the attempt to provide the most reasonable and likely responses to the questions of ultimate existence. The work begins with an examination and analysis of the history of the Christian belief system by providing what the available evidence and documentation indicates as the most probable true situation. Following the historical look an analysis of some of Christianity's practices of the present day is made. Progressing from that, the weighty question of God's existence, in light of how Christianity defines him and the attributes it assigns to their God, is examined. This was accomplished utilizing an examination of the arguments used by religions to attempt to prove the existence of their God along with a presentation of the arguments against such a beings existence. Included in this work is a frank discussion concerning the validity of the narratives which serve as the basis of the Christian faith as found in the Bible. A presentation into the most likely reasons and causes of humanity's belief in a God is presented, including a look at the future of religious belief. The overriding theme of this examination is "belief versus reason" in light of the level of modern day science and knowledge.