Odd Ideas About God

As an agnostic, I find two common ideas about God to be rather strange.

The first is the widespread concept of "fearing God" and being a "Godfearing Christian".

God is commonly known as "God the Father", partially because we are supposed to relate to him like we do to a father. I don't know about the rest of you, but while I respected my father, I never feared him. Instead, I loved and trusted him implicitly. Those who have abusive fathers (and mothers) might well fear them, but I don't see this in any way as an ideal situation.

Nor would I have any interest in worship motivated by fear -- an abusive father God is not one worthy of worship. I really cannot see how Christians reconcile the two ideas of "God is love" with "Fear God".

If God is indeed love, then we have nothing to fear from him. And if we need to fear him, then the love is highly conditional. They can't have it both ways.

The other odd idea about God is the saying, "God Bless America".

I would think that a God who created the universe would not be so impressed with the distinctions by which humans have classified different kinds of people. Such things such as national divisions, religious differences, race, sex, and so on would be trivial things to God.

For religious people who believe that God created everything that exists, wouldn't it be more proper to say, "God Bless the entire Earth" or "God Bless Everyone"?

But what do I know? I'm a Godless heathen and infidel, after all.