The Problem of Good

[orangebox21]

Then as a skeptic I would simply ask: why does something need to be held together?  If the ultimate purpose of a hammer is holding something together, why not use glue?  Why is a hammer necessary?

I'm not all-powerful, so I'm going to pick the right tool for the job. I lack the ability so simply will things to be together. These God -> human analogies always fall short because humans have limitations that God supposedly does not. If he doesn't have those limitations, then the analogy is bad. If he does, then you're getting into "why call him God?" territory.

I'll use glue when it makes sense, and a hammer when it does, but my analogy still holds; neither tool exists for a self-referencing reason. They each do a job.

I agree that analogies fall short.  My intention wasn't to criticize your analogy but rather to illustrate that there is always another "Why" question to be asked.

Yes, of course a hammer and glue are not self-referencing, they don't have a self.  Nor do they [independently] "do a job" they are used to do the job for which their creator made them.  They were created for a purpose.  Wait, this is getting eerily familiar.....

I sense that our conversation may be growing to a close.  I hope that isn't the case [maybe you had little time to respond], but either way I have thoroughly enjoyed our conversation.