A post of teal's (Faith--Oh that again) reminded me of an incident this past Thursday at Walmart. I saw a man wearing an American flag T-shirt, and asked him what he thought about America's invasion of Libya.
He let me know right off he was a Methodist preacher and all the wars in the Middle East were pre-ordained in the Bible, and all the wars have to happen for the end times prophecies to be fulfilled. (Of course he was a die hard supporter of GW Bush.)

The hard questions about why God makes his followers, his creations, suffer, and turn a deaf ear to lamentations was all about proving you will love Him no matter what. Anyway the conversation got around to me saying that a God who mistreats and punishes his people but insists "You must love me no matter what I put you through, no matter what suffering you have, you must love me unconditionally," sounds like the language abusers use.

The abuser will tell his wife/children or anyone under his thumb, "I'm treating you so harshly to test your love for me, I'm doing this for your sake, I'm going to stomp on you and you must remain loyal and humble and meek to prove you love me."

Nope, I want a kind and friendly and helpful God, not a punishing warlike God, so opt me out. It seems like any sane and logical person would question their belief in an abusive cruel God. Just my opinion, of course.

susil