God has abandoned me

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starr9

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The past three years have been a slow descent of ever increasing pain for me and my family. Every possible thing that could go wrong has gone wrong. We are a very faithful Catholic family and prayer (particularly to St. Anthony) has been a staple of our lives. I certainly understand that things could be worse and that many people do go through worse circumstances. But just because someone is in greater pain, does not make mine hurt any less.
Yesterday, I was informed that a company that was considering hiring me has decided to pass on me. This makes a year out of work and my last real employment option is now officially gone. I, and members of my family, devoted so much prayer to this job. The past three years have been one crushing defeat after another. Now, in my early 40’s, I’m single, have no friends and no job. Despite the adversity, I had been immensely optimistic and positive, but I am now truly at the end of my rope. I can’t face the prospect of a life devoid of any happiness whatsoever. This job was the last string that I was clinging to.
I took the crucifix off my wall and threw it in a drawer along with my rosary. After a completely sleepless night, I’m walking around in a daze feeling as though I’ve been kicked in the gut. God has completely abandoned me and prayer feels like a useless charade. I loved being Catholic, but now I just feel foolish speaking to the walls when no one is listening.
I’m not looking for pity or consolation. I just needed to get this off my chest.
 
I really don’t have much wisdom to offer, but after reading your post I just wanted to say that you are not alone feeling this way I am very much with you this feeling.

Just keep going and try to look after yourself, maybe speak to another member of your congregation you are close with? just and idea.
 
You may not be looking for pity,but you have mine. You may not be looking for consolation, but I will try.

You know God loves you. Maybe simply in some dry corner of your head and not really in your heart at the moment, but He loves you so much, always and forever.

When all these adversities are thrown at us, I like to imagine God, with a boastful grin, nudging His angels and saying to them, “Look, look what my child can handle! Look at all these trials I have allowed him, because he can handle it!” It’s just an amusing little image, but a positive attitude goes a long way. I have never been in suffering so great as yours, so I cannot say that I can relate. But I know that God never abandons His children and is ready and willing to support them through all hardship.

Trust in the Lord. I will pray for you.

EC
 
Friend,

Who abandoned whom? You claim God has abandoned you, but through your actions it seems like the opposite.

“If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” – 2 Timothy 2:13

Please, meditate on the above passage.

EDIT: After reading my post over, I realize I sound like I’m judging. That is not my intent, at all. I apologize if I sounded harsh. I suppose what I simply meant to say was that God never abandons His children; we (and I’m just as guilty too) abandon Him.
 
Dear Friend,

Put your crucifix back up and pray your rosary.

You are not alone, you are not abandoned. You are loved.

I think we have all been there. I will pray for you and your situation.
There are so many of us with financial and spiritual woes.
But, God has not left us. He never leaves us.

I hope and pray that a better job is what God has in store for you.

God bless you.
 
God hasn’t abandoned you. Work isn’t the only joy. We are in a time of phenomenal economic depression!.. don’t blame yourself for that in a time like this, or God for that matter!

If there were no pain, we wouldn’t appreciate pleasure, I don’t think.

We all have free will, including the people reading through job applications, seeing interviewees, etc., so unless you expect God to swing things in your favour, presumably against others who may well be in similar positions, I wouldn’t blame Him. Look to Caesar for what is Caesars, God offers richer treasures…

you have family who love you, which is more than many… are you in fear of repossession, for instance? Have debt, or specific needs? If God always provided when we asked, life would be too easy to care. Sounds flippant, but it’s not - it’s just reality. And on the brighter side, you may not have a job, but that also means you have no salaried responsibilities… no shame in that, where salaries are few, and there are a million possibilites in this life offering opportunities beyond that 👍
 
The past three years have been a slow descent of ever increasing pain for me and my family. Every possible thing that could go wrong has gone wrong. We are a very faithful Catholic family and prayer (particularly to St. Anthony) has been a staple of our lives. I certainly understand that things could be worse and that many people do go through worse circumstances. But just because someone is in greater pain, does not make mine hurt any less.
Yesterday, I was informed that a company that was considering hiring me has decided to pass on me. This makes a year out of work and my last real employment option is now officially gone. I, and members of my family, devoted so much prayer to this job. The past three years have been one crushing defeat after another. Now, in my early 40’s, I’m single, have no friends and no job. Despite the adversity, I had been immensely optimistic and positive, but I am now truly at the end of my rope. I can’t face the prospect of a life devoid of any happiness whatsoever. This job was the last string that I was clinging to.
I took the crucifix off my wall and threw it in a drawer along with my rosary. After a completely sleepless night, I’m walking around in a daze feeling as though I’ve been kicked in the gut. God has completely abandoned me and prayer feels like a useless charade. I loved being Catholic, but now I just feel foolish speaking to the walls when no one is listening.
I’m not looking for pity or consolation. I just needed to get this off my chest.
That’s why we have stories like that of Job. Granted it’s fictitious, but it illustrates a point.

God knows you and He does hear you. So does the devil.

We all go through some very dry gullies. I lost a job about 15 years ago which I didn’t deserve to lose, and God’s never done anything about replacing it with something as secure or well paid. I did contribute to the circumstances, but my mistakes were rather minor (in my opinion anyway).

Your faith is being tested. Some of the Eastern Christians spent 30 years in jail for their faith. And there was nothing glamorous about it. Copts in Egypt have just had their friends and relatives murdered, for nothing more than believing in Christ.

I don’t like God much either sometimes. He seems to be very unfair - one person is given a lot of money, high office and a position of influence. Another starves to death in a country at civil war.

But I’m under no illusion as to whether He’s there or not. I’ve had too many experiences to revert to that position.

And so is the devil.

My practical advise - if the crucifix and rosary beads annoy you so much, leave them in the drawer for the time being, until you cool down. Then get them out again.

Sooner or later a job will come. It may not be the one you want, but it will be a starting point.

The final comment is that God wants your faith in Him, not your job, career, finances, family, or anything else.

Keep going.
 
I’m so sorry for the pain you’re in. It is real and certainly understandable. My heart goes out to you.

The thing that struck me in reading this is that you seem to be blaming God for the things that have gone ‘wrong.’ That doesn’t seem right, does it? God doesn’t cause bad things to happen to us, but sometimes He lets us go through things we don’t understand in order to build our character or faith. One of my favorite passages is from Proverbs 3:5 - “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” God’s ways are not our ways. I would encourage you to turn to Him in this time of need, for He is the one source of strength you can depend on in this time of trial. Don’t turn your back on Him, but rather unite your suffering to the suffering Jesus experienced on the cross. Gain something valuable from this experience - it won’t be forever. Journal your thoughts and feelings and read your bible. You may be surprised at how He is working in your life even though you don’t see or feel His presence. Make note of the things that are going well (there are always some of those, too), now and up to now and thank Him for those blessings. He’s the same God who’s always blessed you - He hasn’t changed.

Lastly, it may help if you make good use of this time you have available to offer yourself up as a volunteer - there is so much need now and your help would be welcomed at many places. It’s a great way to make friends and it may lead to new connections that could result in a job opportunity. Even unpaid work can help build a resume and add respected references. Either way, you’ll wind up feeling better about yourself and you’ll have made a difference in the lives of others. Maybe that’s why God has given you this time - to help you find yourself or a new calling.

May God continue to bless you and keep you in His care. You’re in my prayers.
 
Your pain and suffering; your sense of abandonment; your anxiety and hopelessness; your lost soul sickness; your fear ; your doubt on prayer; - - - what is left? What have you not given, not suffered , not experienced that you can now do so, and offer it up to GOD???

At the end, looking up to Heaven, Jesus cried out, “MY GOD, MY GOD, why have YOU forsaken ME??”

JESUS had nothing left to give, nothing left to offer the FATHER, HE had spent HIS entire SELF for you - us. All of HIS tears were gone, as HE was dry. All of HIS blood would very soon be spilled with a lance, and then HE would be empty. But HE did not waste HIS sacrifice, as HE offered HIMSELF to GOD. . . . . and that is what you have left to give - yourself to GOD.

No one can answer your pain and suffering as to why? Only GOD knows. But HE has choosen you to be emptied, as HE emptied HIS SON JESUS. Therefore, follow in JESUS example and offer yourself to GOD, just tell HIM that now that HE has emptied you, you are ready, willing and able to be filled with whatever it is, whatever the mission is, whatever the next pain may be,whatever the next suffering - the next poverty, whatever GOD wishes to fill you with, you are ready, and you offer it to GOD.

You have to let go of the expectations of this earth, this job market, this economy, this media and surrender yourself voluntarily to GOD. Give yourself away to HIM. Tell HIM you will serve HIM and offer yourself in HIS service whether that be in suffering, or in plenty. And if HE should bless you with plenty, never forget this time or those who can use your help.

Read the 27th Pslam - make it your pslam - memorize it.
Read the book of Job - slowly and repeat the phrases of suffering that Job experiences.
And Bless GOD, as Job Blessed GOD.
And persevere as Job persevered, he did not quit.
Research the Dakota’s for work. That is one area where they still have jobs. Research Omaha, NE. as that city has always been strong.

I and my guardian angel will remember you in our prayers.
 
I appreciate the responses. I’ve always been pragmatic in my faith. I’ve never expected God to act as some sort of cosmic wishing well that grants wishes, nor have I ever felt God was to blame for my problems. I was always able to accept trials in the past as He seemed to always leave me at least some room for optimism. My current feeling of abandonment stems from the fact my last shred of hope has been swept away and the trials keep compounding. More prayer just feels silly and completely pointless at this stage. The most distressing thing for me is that if I do emerge from this, I will feel that it was in spite of, not because God or my prayers.
 
Starr9 your a soldier. Don’t give up in the heat of battle. Who do you really want to be a soldier for?

We have two choices really. Be a soldier for God or be a soldier for Satan. Thats your only choice.

Cick the link. I pray and hope this helps

youtube.com/watch?v=wW0Mikwhmr8&feature=related

PS are you familiar with the footprints in the sand story
 
I appreciate the responses. I’ve always been pragmatic in my faith. I’ve never expected God to act as some sort of cosmic wishing well that grants wishes, nor have I ever felt God was to blame for my problems. I was always able to accept trials in the past as He seemed to always leave me at least some room for optimism. My current feeling of abandonment stems from the fact my last shred of hope has been swept away and the trials keep compounding. More prayer just feels silly and completely pointless at this stage. The most distressing thing for me is that if I do emerge from this, I will feel that it was in spite of, not because God or my prayers.
Jesus has allowed you an immense privilege - you are right now accompanying Him in Gethsemane and on Calvary. There too He was completely spent, completely emptied, no shred of hope left, even His completely reasonable prayer that some other way be found to achieve God’s aims than His suffering was denied Him. Even the consolation of feeling the presence of the Father was denied Him. That’s where you are.

I pray that the angels will console you and minister to you as they did Him - not by lessening His sufferings but by giving Him the strength to endure them for the sake of doing the Father’s will.

And I pray you will not run away as the apostles did, that you will not let Him down by not being able to stay awake with Him for even an hour. Be strong as Mary and John were strong.

You know for a fact that ‘all doors are closed’? Neither you nor I can possibly know what might be waiting around the corner for you.

Perhaps you’re not meant to be employed by others because instead God means you to take up some task of your own - your own business, perhaps? People do find employment, and success, in the strangest places! Don’t give up hope, it’s far too early for that.
 
It’s easy to give up when you’ve reached what you think is all you can take. I was there a few weeks ago, not as bad a situation as you are in. Then I remembered. Our Lord could not say NO to His mother while they were on earth. How could He say NO when they are in heaven? I began to pray the Memorare over and over and over. Bottom line – my prayer was answered. No one was more surprised than I. But why should I have been surprised? I always told my CCD classes to pray to Mary because the Lord would have a hard time saying no to her. Give it a try:

Remember, O most compassionate Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your assistance, or sought your intercession, was left unaided, Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto you, O Virgin of Viirgins, our Mother; to you we come; before you we kneel sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your clemency hear and answer them. Amen.

Don’t give up on God. If He doesn’t answer your prayer the way you want, He must have something better in mind for you. Keep saying, “Jesis, I trust in You.” You’re in my prayers. God bless.
 
Hi to all! I’m new here so bear with me for a moment…thank you.

I know exactly what you are going through. I, too have many trials and tribulations.
I agree with LilyM. She is exactly right. You and I both have been given a great blessing ( though it’s hard to believe, but true) and you are in a time of spiritual desolation. If you know or follow St. Ignatian’s he greatly speaks of spiritual desolation and spiritual consolation but the emphasis is but mostly on spiritual desolation. This is when prayer is dry and feel like God has abandoned you, your hear is heavy and your soul feels dark. Everyone goes through this. I know it’s very hard it understand, but there are reasons. During this time you never change your spiritual proposals. No matter how hard it is. Please stay with your daily spiritual proposals and also during this time make a suitable jester. Maybe stay a bit longer at church. Give someone a big hello, just do a small jester.
It’s ok you don’t understand. Please stay with your spiritual proposals and do not change them during this time. If you stay this path God will show you . Please wait he will make it clear. Remember you are not alone in your suffering. I feel so very blessed and have joy in my heart (not all the time) It has changed me beyond anything I could imagine. I have no job either. This month is 2 years. 2 years ago my dad passed, I got laid off, became very sick and my husband of 16 years walked out on me. Everything and anything has happened to me. I just pick myself up and wash away the dust and move onto whatever. I know have no family at all. I have a brother and since I’m on my own for the first time and this past Thanksgiving he never bothered to call me and ask what I was doing for Thanksgiving. We spent the last 39 years together on that day. I was so heartbroken and cried all night. He had no excuse and just a few weeks ago my son who is 25 turned on me…why? I have no idea. He has always been a good kid. I moved a few months ago so I let him live in my home for less then half the rent. He was thrilled and so was I. He was engaged and yeah, the girlfriend ended staying with me. Out of the blue he just turned on me. I was shocked to say the least. I have never ever done anything to this child to warrant such hatred. The car I had been driving was mine but when i bought the car we were in such financial hardship that I had to put the car in his name will my dad co-signed. He took the car away from me.So here I live on an island with no job, no car, no real money, no family. Friends? Can’t meet them when you don’t have a job but I started to date someone from here who has been unbelievable to me. He makes sure I have enough food and always comes with bags of food. I thank God for him. My thought on this incredible sadness and suffering is the fact that I have grown closer to God, felt his presence many times and have walked on holy ground. My purpose to live here is because i thought I could go deeper in prayer get closer to God feel his presence, get to know him. I can honestly say this has happened and maybe that’s why I felt drawn here and can’t seem to let go of this beautiful place. Other than God bestowing his graces and blessings on me…hell has unleashed it’s fury on me. I’ve never seen anything like it. I now believe that I am closer to God the enemy is biting and putting obstacles in my life. Sine evil can’t attack me. It can attack the ones I love. that’s the next best thing for evil. Unfortunately they are weak, so that makes evil very easy to attack.
As baptized Christians Jesus has given us authority over evil. We can tell evil spirits to leave. We have that right.
I always believe there is a sliver linning in a dark cloud. You may not see it now but you will. Stay strong. Stay with God. He is there. Look into St. Ignatian’s rules I think it will really help you. It sure has helped me.
Ill be thinking about you and please keep us posted on the goings in your life whether good or bad
Remember you are loved and your suffering is a blessing. Your grace will come in leaps in bounds. Let God do your worrying for you.
 
Dear starr9,

I’m sorry that you are suffering :hug1: I just wanted to share with you the way that I try to look at painful situations.

Consider Christ’s Passion. Think of how He was all alone, deserted by His dearest friends, who He loved more than His life. The people who He created were nailing Him to a cross and insulting Him. He came to give them eternal life and show them mercy, and they were ridiculing Him. He could see, in the Garden, all the people in the future who would choose hell despite His painful Passion. But He went through it for love for us, for you.

When we suffer, we can offer this to Jesus… we can share in His own suffering. He gives this to His closest friends. Have you ever read about the Saints, and how much they suffered? Ask God to either remove this trial from you or to give you strength to bear it and then surrender to His will… TRUST in His goodness and that He is allowing this for your good. Having a job, security, etc, is not the greatest thing. It is good, but if through this trial you obtain a spiritual good, that will be greater because the spiritual treasure will last forever. Look up… try to think in terms of heaven, not in terms of earth. Go and spend some time with Jesus in Adoration, and just tell Him everything… ask Him to help you see it how you want to see it. Your prayer will please Him more than your prayers in better times… He does not like to see us suffer, but He is pleased when we love Him despite our suffering. How horrible would it be if in addition to losing this job opportunity, to lose your gift of faith, which was a gift from God. Try to just rely on Him through this time. I know this must be very painful for you because you were counting on God and now you probably feel let down? Try to trust in His goodness… we know that He loves us because He died for us. THis is the greatest proof of His love. The second proof is the Eucharist.

I will pray for God to provide you with a job. But try to let this time bring you closer to Him, not further away. I wanted to share a couple of quotes with you, quotes from Jesus… right now, they might not make any sense, perhaps you would even disagree with them. But try to trust Him and in time it will make more sense.

God bless you
 
Jesus to St Gemma Galgani:

"Jesus once said to me: “Do you know, daughter, for what reason I send crosses to souls dear to me? I desire to possess their souls, entirely, and for this I surround them with crosses, and I enclose them in sufferings and tribulation, that they may not escape from my hands; and for this I scatter thorns, that souls may fasten their affections upon no one, but find all content in Me alone. My daughter, if you do not feel the cross it cannot be called a cross. Be sure that under the cross you will not be lost. The demon has no strength against those souls who for My love groan under the cross. 0 My daughter, how many would have abandoned Me if they had not been crucified. The cross is a gift too precious, and from it come many virtues.”

I prayed then to Jesus that He would not concede to me any grace except that of loving Him very much, and Jesus said: “Oh soul dear to me, if you truly love Me, behold My chalice; you can drink it to the last drop. On this chalice I have placed My lips, and I want you to drink it.” I told Jesus to do with me as He would. And then He said to me: “I have sent this cross to you, you do not appreciate it; rather it is contrary to your desire, but the more it is contrary, the more it is like Mine. Would it not seem to you a dreadful thing to see a father in the midst of sorrow and the children enjoying themselves? When I shall be your Spouse of blood, I will come to you, but crucified; show your love to me as I have shown it toward you, and do you know how? By suffering, pains, and crosses without number. You ought, therefore, to consider yourself honored, if I lead you on paths hard and painful; if I permit that you be tormented by the demon, that the world despise you, that persons most dear to you afflict you, and with daily martyrdom, I permit your soul to be purified and tested. And you, daughter, think only of practicing great virtue; run in the path of the Divine Will, humbled, assured, that if I hold you to the cross, I love you.”
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"My child, can’t you understand that the trials I send you are all made to measure, exactly fitted to your power to bear, favors that draw you nearer to your Beloved. Thank Me for a little trial as though it were a flower placed with new tenderness on your heart by your Fiance. Doesn’t He find you more beautiful when you suffer with gentle patience united with His patience? Doesn’t your soul take on, as it were, a new expression full of love for Him? Be flexible and docile in My hand. Always humble yourself as though you had deserved to suffer. I am all innocence, yet I suffered everything imaginable. Wouldn’t you like to suffer everything too, so that we might be more one than ever? Do you think we’re close enough now? Wouldn’t you love to come closer? Has your love said its last word? Lose yourself and gain by coming into Me. There are many kinds of houses; the home where one lives in intimacy with the Bridegroom is the dearest of all, isn’t it? And if you have understood this, why not make it your permanent residence? What could ever touch you there? You are in the arms of the incomparable One to whom you have entrusted everything - your honor, your belongings, your heart. He will use everything for your sanctification. This is one great end: to love God and to please Him. What else matters, My poor little girl!

God…when you see Him, how you will want to have served Him, to have loved Him, to have glorified Him without counting the cost, and with all your heart! Don’t be afraid of trials. They only help you to go higher. They make you love Me more. And there I am, waiting for you at the bend in the road. ‘How will she overcome this difficulty? Will she ask Me to help her? Will she give Me her whole confidence at last in a childlike outburst of tenderness?’ Oh, the serenity of the one who has yielded everything to Me."

Jesus to Gabrielle Bossis. “He and I”
Imprimatur: Msgr. Jean-Marie Fortier, Archbishop
Sherbrooke, November 14, 1969.
 
"My daughter, know that if I allow you to feel and have a more profound knowledge of My sufferings, that is a grace from Me. But when your mind is dimmed and your sufferings are great, it is then that you take an active part in My Passion, and I am conforming you more fully to Myself. It is your task to submit yourself to My will at such time, more than at others… "
Jesus to St. Faustina

"The everlasting God has
in His wisdom foreseen
from eternity the cross
that He now presents to you
as a gift from His inmost heart.

This cross He now sends you
He has considered with His all-knowing eyes,
understood with His divine mind,
tested with His wise justice,
warmed with loving arms
and weighed with His own hands
to see that it be not one inch too large
and not one ounce too heavy for you.

He has blessed it with His holy Name,
anointed it with His consolation,
taken one last glance at you
and your courage,
and then sent it to you from heaven,

a special greeting from God to you,
an alms of the all-merciful love of God."

(St Francis de Sales)
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Starr9,

I want to say that my prayers are with you, but you are in a dangerous place. I will tell you now, this statement is going to be blunt, its going to be straight to the point and I hope that you will read on.

You are in a dangerous place my friend, you are walking on the fine line between death and life, spiritually cause you are saying that “God has abandoned me” and I have pity and remorse for you, but not for what you go through but that it seems that in your greatest test of faith you have indeed ended up failing, by allowing Satan to make you think that God has abandoned you.

WE ARE NEVER FORSAKEN! Christ was forsaken, he was forsaken on that Cross and bore that most horrible weight for our sins. God is with you my friend, he stands next to you and is waiting for you to come to him. We are at war and personally I don’t think the church does a good job at stressing this point. We are fighting Satan for our salvation everyday cause everyday Satan tries to make us believe that God has abandoned us. You are his child, I’m only 21 years old and know nothing about having children of my own, but friend I tell you this, I would never abandon my child. For my love as a human being is to great to allow that. If that is the love of a man, just think of what the love of God is. It is a thousand fold, and my weak love is in no comparison to the great God in heaven.

Take out your cross, put it on your wall, pray your rosary and get back in prayer. By allowing Satan to make you think that you are abandoned, you are allowing him to build a stronghold against you, to fight you and your belief. You are in your weakest now, so go to God that your weakness should make you strong through Christ. You need to focus, you need to listen, truly. We grow in silence, turn off the T.V, turn off every little distraction this includes watches, and the phone.

Seek your priest out and get guidance. You are in an area in which Satan can have free reign to pound you constantly, because you have allowed him to make you believe that God is not with you.

I once stood in your same shoes, for 9 years, I was in a tormenting anger and hate of everything cause I believed that God had abandoned me. Satan destroyed my family and because of that, in my blind faith at the age of 9 years old, I thought it was God’s fault. I was angry and I was in hate. I did things that I regret now but they are behind me due to my salvation through Christ when I was 18.

Friend, seek the face of God continually, this has been placed on you not because God thinks you can’t handle it, but because he knows you can. Be strong, fight the good fight of faith and know that now until the end of time God will never forsaken you, nor abandon you, for you ARE a child of God, adopted through the blood of Christ.

God Bless, my prayers are with you.
 
I hate to bump an old thread, but here’s my experience.
  1. God doesn’t do job placement. He could not care less whether you are underemployed, unemployed, living in a homless shelter, or living in a cardboard box under a bridge.
  2. God will give you more than you can handle. This is the cause of suicide.
  3. I like the rosary, but I’ve noticed nothing but bad things come of it.
  4. You can pray to every saint or choir of angel. You won’t get any help their either.
  5. God plays favorites. We never knew why he liked Able more than Cain, he just did. If you’re not one of his favorites, you are screwed.
  6. God can be a hypocrite. He tests us all of the time and yet, when we ask him to do something positive to let him know he is still their, his rejoinder is always, “Don’t put me to the test.”
  7. We seem to have two choices: 1) a malevolent God bent on killing us slowly with economic woes (you know, food/shelter/employment/money all the things we’re not supposed to care about because, c’mon, it’s not like you need those to survive) and 2) a devil that is 100x as bad. We have no choice but to stick with God, but he’s not automatically a nice/caring/loving diety. Not based on his actions anyway.
  8. If you look at how he treats Israel in the Hebrew bible, it’s clear that God follows an, “I hit you because I love you” model. If you step out of line once, God will beat you like a housewife who burnt dinner.
 
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