Just a thought: if there is a God, I would not wish to be favored by him. For most folks, this expression would mean an eternal advantage over our Earthly rivals. Indeed, quite often you’ll hear how anything is justified for those favored by God.
But to me, it would mean this: a higher standard. An expectation that one’s behavior will meet the higher standard.
So … just sayin’, here … if the USA were favored by God, and we failed to meet the higher standard … say, by actually engaging in torture (as admitted to by the CIA) … our fall from grace would be far worse than for some brutal regime for which expectations were rather low. In my view.
For those eternally caught up in the struggle of the moment, I can see how the favor of God might be attractive. Ah, the idea that, for reasons far from clear (we’ll steer clear of inherently unflattering psychological studies for the nonce), God will let us get away with anything, is insanely great.
But with favor comes standards, expectations – and punishment on failure.
I’m agnostic, so I don’t have to worry about this. Much.
But if I were any brand of theist, I’d be really concerned.
