'
Under threat of eternal suffering? Out of
For a God that obliterates civilizations, murders infants, punishes the slightest deviation with brimstone and hellfire? On earth we have a term for that-protection racketeering.'
'It's your fault, not Mine. You were bad.'
I gazed around at the blood and guts smeared across the mountainous ridges of His fingerprint. 'We only questioned Your authority.'
'You disobeyed a direct command! You became one-in-yourselves. You became divine in your own right and left Me with nothing.
' Thunderclouds formed around His one visible eye. Lightning flashed in His gaze. A hot blue bolt of energy sizzled a few inches to my right.
'It was She,' He said. It was the first acknowledgement He had made-I wouldn't let it be the last. 'It was all the work of the Woman.
conspired with the Horned One to ruin My Paradise. I sent My Son to destroy Her works.'
'That reminds me,' I shouted, desperate to find some sort of leverage. 'When a God such as Jove or Jehovah impregnates a human, is it rape, incest, or bestiality?'
'Your mockery damns you!'
'Then take away our power to mock! Don't keep killing and maiming, expecting to coerce us into loving You in self-defense. We're too tough to knuckle under!'
'
doing. She tempts you back into sin, forcing Me to discipline you.'
'Forget it, pal. I take the rap myself. As long as I have free will, I reject You. Don't pretend You're giving us a choice when the wrong choice results in eternal torture. You're giving us rules-rules for slaves.'
He snarled. 'You must obey your God!'
'Why?' I asked. It was an ancient child's game, but it just might work.
'Because I created you.'
'Why?'
He stiffened up-millions of miles up. He towered over me until I shuddered from terror.
'Because I wanted to recreate My own image.'
'Why?'
'
' His voice rolled like the sea.
I wasn't going to get back into the whole free will contradiction again-He seemed rather impervious to logic. I gathered together all my resolve, half-expecting the result.
'Why?' I asked.
'
'
