(May 16, 2018 at 10:48 am)purplepurpose Wrote:(May 16, 2018 at 10:43 am)henryp Wrote: That's not the perspective religious people have, obviously. Think of a parent-child relationship, and how much of that also matches up with what you're saying. The power dynamic is the same, but the way the parent feels about the child is way different.
No parent would torture their children for their wish for independent life. Theists like to suggest that God's standard is so rough, that unless your with Him your very likely to get ultimate torture as a just punishment.
Really? A 6yo wants to stay home and watch cartoons all day. But we send them to school. Kid wants to play outside, but we make them clean their room. They want to eat ice cream, but we make them eat vegetables. If they refuse, they'll probably be punished. From their perspective, even good parents can seem like they are torturing them.
Also with the idea of God, you don't have to pick the worst theist's opinion. There are theists who believe in God who aren't sure what the afterlife will be like, or how the 'judging' system works.
It's fine to look at some fire and brimstone southern baptist preacher, and say "Oh, I can't believe in THAT God." But that one God doesn't represent all the versions. It's sort of like watching Meryl Streep in Mama Mia, and saying you could never like a movie she's in.
