Are we not enamored by the beauty of the universe? Have we neglected the love of nature in our lives without acknowledgment of any divine being? Were majesty truly boundless, were we not daily encompassed by horrors, we may release our rational minds more freely, preferring faith in the supernatural. We no longer cling to fables of perfect gods and wicked angels, dragons and magical turtles, or perpetual reincarnations in our quest to understand our surroundings. In fact, we find the stories to be neither convincing nor cunningly crafted. The perfect god of love and justice creates evil while declaring all of creation to be good. What grief must go through the heart of such a just being as it concludes that evil is necessary. There is no justice in creating an evil one, only to throw it away in a pit of fire for all eternity for the simple crime of carrying out the commands of the merciful god. Where is justice in such torture?

Natural Beauty
Perfection may only be known as it is closely examined and found to be flawless. Gross flaws in nature are obscured by the darkness of ignorance. Amazing patterns and order may indicate a prime mover, but do not necessitate it. Physical abnormalities, disease, starving, and killing in nature are more indicative of randomness than a universe adhering to the just, divine lawgiver. Have we no personal opinions on the matter? Any rational being with immeasurable intelligence and resources at its disposal would manage to accomplish the objective of allowing free will without subjecting all creation to the constant barrage of uncertainty.

Divine Wisdom
And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. (Ephesians 4:32-5:2)

This passage attempts to frame Christ's offering as a wonderful gift, and would succeed in convincing many were it not for obvious questions it encourages. God's is equated with kindness and being tenderhearted for sending Christ. What must I do to be forgiven? Is forgiveness unconditional, independent of my reaction to the offering thereof, or is it based upon my decision to live a life committed to the one who never forgave me to my face? A god with such self-proclaimed reasoning capacity would never demand that we freely forgive another as we have been forgiven, knowing that we are commanded to forgive "seventy times seven times", or as often as necessary. This god, however, refused to forgive his initial creation for being tricked. May I refuse to forgive someone after tricking them, requiring them to grovel at my feet for the duration of their life while making it absolutely clear that they are unforgiven? Shall I tell them through obscure parables that one day their children may not have to daily beg for forgiveness? And what of the actual act of forgiveness? May I conceal their forgiveness in some fantastic text, or would gentlemanliness compel me to confront each person that I forgive in an attempt to ease their troubled minds? Following the forgiving god's example, I am compelled to forgive no one to their face, neither am I required to forgive in their lifetime. I may also demand that they perform some act to demonstrate that they are not only coming to me for what I have to offer, but due to their personal choice to worship me, that they may not "draw near to me with their lips [while] their hearts are far from me."

What's the Problem?
Wickedness, disease, natural disasters -- are we to believe that all of this is the result of mankind's mistake many, many generations ago? What use is Christ's forgiveness if there is no tangible change in the world? It is not my responsibility to reverse the damage done by god's creation. There are such inconsistencies in the story, forgiveness and unforgiveness, mercy and obvious hatred, that one can only laugh at the absurdity of the story. It is by fear that we draw near to the supernatural, not through careful examination of the propositions and the subsequent confirmation thereof. I am unconvinced that a so-called god of love has sent a son to save us from his own irresponsible schemes, holding a grudge for our gullibility. While commanding us to live at a higher standard than himself by requiring that we forgive one another, this god refuses to take responsibility for any wrongdoing in the creation of evil. That sounds a bit fictional and foolish to me. Why would I ever conclude that a god of such ignorance would be real?