God’s Cruelest Trick: A Salvation Impossible to Achieve

Here’s an expanded version of the blog post, adding three paragraphs to further explore the themes of divine cruelty and the unattainability of salvation:

God’s Cruelest Trick: A Salvation Impossible to Achieve

The Bible, a book revered by many, presents a picture of a loving and merciful God. But a closer look reveals a disturbing truth: God, the supposed author of salvation, seems to have deliberately created a system where achieving it is nearly impossible.

Take, for example, Matthew 19:24: “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” This verse, far from being a gentle guidance, reads more like a cruel taunt

Think about it: God, the creator of the universe, blesses some with wealth while condemning them to near-certain damnation. This isn’t divine providence; it’s a cruel lottery where the prize is eternal suffering. The “eye of the needle” isn’t a metaphor for overcoming a challenge; it’s a deliberately insurmountable obstacle placed in the path of those God has deemed unworthy. The promise of heaven is dangled before humanity, a tantalizing carrot just out of reach. This constant yearning for an unattainable goal is a form of psychological torture.

Furthermore, the Bible is riddled with inconsistencies and contradictions that further undermine the idea of a benevolent and just God. The Old Testament, with its brutal depictions of violence, genocide, and arbitrary punishments, paints a picture of a capricious and vengeful deity. If God truly desired humanity to find salvation, wouldn’t he offer clear and consistent guidance? Wouldn’t he provide a roadmap, a set of rules that are actually possible to follow? Instead, we are presented with a confusing maze of rules, doctrines, and interpretations, leaving most believers hopelessly lost.

This isn’t to say that all religious people are unhappy or that faith offers no solace. However, the idea of a loving God who deliberately sets up a system where most of his creations are destined for eternal damnation is deeply disturbing. It raises serious questions about the nature of God, the meaning of salvation, and the very foundations of religious belief.