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Meditation 1142
Why would they think we hate their god?

by: John Tyrrell

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Occasionally, we encounter the idea from certain Christians that non-believers hate God. It's a puzzling assertion because why would we hate something we have no belief in? And even some of those who claim we hate their god, see it as an paradox to deal with.

For example, an editorial at Creation.com opens with:

Recently, I have had a lot of conversations with atheists. Many express a strong hatred of God. I have been at a loss to explain this. How can you hate someone you don’t believe in? Why the hostility? If God does not exist, shouldn’t atheists just relax and seek a good time before they become plant food?

While the author does not come out and flatly say it, he implies we non-believers actually still believe in God and have reasons, with varying degrees of validity, to be angry with God. Essentially, he is arguing that denial of the Christian god's existence is not a belief, but just a pose.

He goes on to write "It is strange that people hate God, who loves so much. "

Let's talk about that Christian god who loves so much.

Let's talk about the Christian god who burdened every human being (with the Roman Catholic exception of Mary) with original sin because two people took a bite of a fruit.

Let's talk about the Christian god who cruelly murdered every living person on Earth with the exception of one family.

Let's talk about the Christian god who gave directions to his chosen people to commit genocide over and over again.

Let's talk about the Christian god who cruelly murdered all the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah with the exception of one family.

Let's talk about the Christian god who participated in cruelly torturing the faithful Job and destroying his family and livelihood and just to win a bet.

Let's talk about the Christian god who arranged for the crucifixion of his own son.

Let's talk about the Christian god who has sentenced the overwhelming majority of humanity to eternal torment after death for simply not believing the tall tales about his son.

Let's talk about the Christian god who, according to many of those who preach the Christian gospel regularly sends plagues, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, droughts, floods, (along with any other type of natural disaster you can think of) so as to kill and maim the innocents as punishment for the supposed sins of others.

They are doing it with the current Ebola epidemic right now - identifying the deaths of hundreds of innocent individuals as God's judgement on the sins of others.

And that's the god that they say "loves so much!"

What's not to hate?

I think it is rather understandable that followers of such a god would expect those that are not followers to hate their god. They might even expect that non-believers hate their god because, at some level within themselves, they recognize that they are worshipping a hateful entity.

Fortunately that god does not exist. I don't hate that god. But I do despise the idea of a god like that.

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