Jim,
I'm interested and don't see this as demeaning my beliefs. In fact, these are issues I grapple with myself and it is important to question them and not brush them under the carpet. Christianity is full of embarrassments for the onlooker with contemporary sensibilities.
Just a small point - you say:
...not one that is bent on destruction simply for personal attention.
This statement doesn't accurately represent any biblical picture of God and I would have a real problem with a superior being who's destruction is in effect just saying 'Hey - look at me.' There are other reasons why God destroys and its those that need questioning, not straw men.
I think it is a useful exercise to define how you would expect a god to communicate - and what. Also how you would expect it to act towards it's creation. This is a good basis for discussion, but understandably may take more time than you have to give to something like this.
Regards,
Blacknad.
