The "Cultural Context" Excuse

[Lek]

(underlining mine -- I think you're arguing from a personal theology here.  It isn't clear to me that the God of Christianity has this right except by interpretation.)

Nowhere in the bible is there a rational defense of God having the right to do what he wants.  The closest you get is Job.  The clay / potter analogy is a lousy analogy.  Clay isn't an autonomous being so the analogy doesn't address relevant moral points.  It would be a closer analogy to say that a parent doesn't have to ask the son or daughter for permission; they can treat them however they like.  And this analogy points up the flaw in the argument that God "has the right" to do whatever he wants, because no parent has cart blanche to do what they want to their children regardless of age.   Where did he acquire this right?  How are you defining a 'right'?  These are valid questions which you're just sweeping under the rug with an analogy and some bare assertions.  How do you know God has this right?

Following is the clearest statement among many that declare this:

Psalm 115:3New International Version (NIV)

3 Our God is in heaven;
   he does whatever pleases him.

This verse refers to his right to do so:

Romans 9:21New International Version (NIV)

21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

God has existed infinitely.  There was no one else to give him his rights.  He is the creator of all things.

Revelation 22:13New International Version (NIV)

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

This is the God of christianity.  You may disagree with what the bible says, but if you are discussing the God of the bible, this is part of how he is defined. In this case, it is a valid point for me to say that God has the right the right to do what he wants.  It is clearly one of his attributes.  It is a facet of who God is.