The ideal god I would like to believe in is one that leads by example. One that is not so intolerating that he threatens to throw people into hell just because they don't believe him.
"Love everyone else even if they don't love you. BUT, if you don't love ME... you are in DEEP trouble."
Even I have higher moral standards than that. When people don't believe in me, I don't typically try to make their life miserable.
IMHO truth doesn't need believing.
The earth is round (to the best of my knowledge) whether you believe it or not. If God is just like that, why can't he just do what he is doing to everyone, regardless of their belief? Why does he need people to believe him? Or does he? Or was it the church?
The church seems to be the only one benefited here. Like MK27 pointed out, they can only control believers. That's power.
