Question: “So those who practice Buddhism, worship Buddha, a statue of a man who once lived, correct? I was never sure. And also, do you all believe that Buddha is the one true God? Or do you believe in God at all? I apologize for all the questions, just curious.”
Buddha was not and is not a god. He was a human being just like the rest of us who realized the path to escape suffering. Buddhists do not worship buddha. We bow to his statue, image or name out of respect and humility, and a way of thanks for the teachings he gave and passed down to us.
Buddhists believe in different things. Generally, the concept of a god or deity is not important in Buddhism, because we don’t rely on external forces or circumstances for our liberation or future. Only we can control how and what our lives become, by our own determination, efforts and actions.
Smile and be well!