The Book of Job

Someone asked what led me to adopt a negative view of the Christian God. The answer is the Book of Job.

(It’s been about 40 years since I read this in junior high.)

Job is a good guy. God lets the devil convince him to “test” Job. So he kills off his wives and children and servants and animals in horrible ways. Job remains faithful. So God tortures Job in horrible ways. Job’s friends try to help him. At some point Job and God have a conversation and work everything out, because of course God is awesome. Job gets back new wives, new children, new servants and animals. Happily ever after.

Except if you were one of the wives, children, servants, or animals. Sucks to be you.

I understand this is the Old Testament God. But the story convinced me I didn’t want anything to do with a God like this.