“Most religious traditions portray God as exhibiting the very best of human traits toward the tribe or in-group (“those who believe or act like this…”), and the most horrific of human traits toward the out-group (those who fail to believe or act in the prescribed manner). For example, the U.S. Department of Defense defines terrorism as “the calculated use of violence or the threat of violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate others in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological.” In a post 9-11 world, we all understand this. Yet a literal reading of the Bible or Koran portrays God exactly in that light…
So here’s traditional religion’s God problem in a nutshell: Religious people of all faiths know that none of this is true. God is not tribal and petty. God does not have multiple personality disorder. And God is not a cosmic terrorist. Yet as anyone who has carefully read their Bible or Koran can testify, some passages of Holy Writ undeniably portray God this way. That is traditional religion’s God problem. That’s the elephant in the living room that no one other than atheists are willing to talk about. It is why millions are embarrassed by scripture (though they’d never admit it), and why millions of others are leaving organized religion altogether.”
— Michael Dowd, “Traditional Religion’s God Problem“
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