Why Trust God?

Someone recently referred me to the book of Job and told me: I do not know God's plan, but I trust him. Let me comment. In the first place, it's obvious to any thinking person that Job is Hebraic poetry which was never meant to portray historical conversations between God, Job and Satan (remember, it was poetry! Do YOU know anyone who speaks extemporaneously in Hebraic parallelistic poetic rhymes?).

In this story Job was put to a test. His whole family suffered with him. And why? So that an all knowing God (and/or one who determines all events) could win a contest with an "accuser" (lit. heavenly prosecutor who was overzealous in doing his job as a fully credentialed member of the heavenly court). The fact is, "satan" shouldn't have been given the time of day.

Job was experimented on by a God who knew the end result to win a bet, a contest. Why? There's no indication that God really loved Job or his family. To test this, just ask yourself if you would allow "satan" to do what he did here to a loved one of YOURS, especially if you knew the outcome. There's no reason to do so. Life throws so many real tests at us we don't have to fabricate them. God shouldn't have allowed it, if he loved Job and his family.

Job was never asked beforehand whether or not he wished to participate, and neither was his family, most all of whom died. We punish people who experiment on others without prior consent, even if those we experiment on are prisoners. Josef Mengele is widely hailed as a monster for doing just that to Holocaust victims. But God gets a free ride here. Why? Because he's bigger than us....that's why. Not because he's better than us. He's a monster....a bully....a king who will do with his subjects as he sees fit. This kingship model comes directly from ancient views of kings who did whatever they wanted to with their subjects. But kings were feared in the ancient world...they were not usually loved. All they were concerned with was peace in their kingdoms. They were not generally concerned if their subjects loved them, since subjects could be put down. Kings were only afraid, or fearful, if there was potential for an uprising or an assassination, hence the Bible depicts God as fearful too.

And this kingship model was written by ancients to describe the God that Christians worship. Christians have been tricked into loving such a king because they believe this God-king, can do anything he wants to do, call it good, and then demand that his subjects worship him. But I say no. This God is merely bigger than us, if he exists, and that's all. He's the biggest boy on the block. He can push us around, cause us to suffer, and punish us all he wants to. But I will not be tricked into loving and/or worshipping this bully. If he exists, the best I can do is to fear him. But love him? I cannot do that.