But this theory of a merciful, and loving Heavenly Father is vital
to the Christian religion.

Destroy the idea of the Heavenly Father, who is Love, and Christianity
is a heap of ruins. For there is no longer a benevolent God to build
our hopes upon; and Jesus Christ, whose glory is a newer revelation
of God, has not revealed Him truly, as He is, but only as Man fain
would believe Him to be.

And I claim that this Heavenly Father is a myth: that in face of a
knowledge of life and the world we cannot reasonably believe in Him.

There is no Heavenly Father watching tenderly over us, His children.
He is the baseless shadow of a wistful human dream.




PRAYER AND PRAISE


As to prayer and praise.

Christians believe that God is just, that He is all-wise and
all-knowing.

If God is just, will He not do justice without being entreated
of men?

If God is all wise, and knows all that happens, will He not know