Why does G_d let god

look bad?

• For as the heavens are higher than the earth,   so are my ways higher than your ways   and my thoughts than your thoughts.– Isaiah 55.9 

G_d

god

us

Jesus

Holy Spirit

our stories

Imaginatio

n

Experienc

e

It’s G_d, not god, that we want to trust and love and worship

- even though G_d is mysterious and beyond our understanding

- and we still need to keep telling stories about god as we keep trying to make the best sense of our understanding of G_d (even though our stories of god won’t quite live up to who G_d really is)

• god tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac– no, god offers ram instead– no, god has never even thought such a thing– no, god hates sacrifices

• god wants to kill the Israelites– no, god is convinced by Moses not to

• god wants to wipe out Sodom regardless of innocents– oops, there are none (except Lot)

Jesus corrects godExodus 21.23-24 - If any harm follows, then you

shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth...

Jesus: ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also

Jesus and the Syrophoenician Woman

• …but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, ‘Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.’ But she answered him, ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’ Then he said to her, ‘For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.’ So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. - Mark 7. 25-30

TEST• You have a dream in which god tells

you that he is about to smite your neighbours for their greedy and self-centred ways.

• What do you do?