Jeff Holland stumbles through the BBC interview, trying at one point (28:03-30:30) to defend Mitt Romney against the interviewer's question about Romney having made a promise on penalty of death (his throat being slit) not to tell what goes on in the Mormon temples.

Holland asks, rhetorically,


Holland's rhetorically asked question implies that the only kind of god Holland can fathom is one that would require a pledge or 'some kind of loyalty'. That is a god that bargains with his creations, barters his blessings in exchange for pledges of loyalty from his creations.

What kind of a god would not do that? Well, Mr Holland, maybe a loving god would not necessarily require that. On the other hand, one that bargains his blessings for sycophantic loyalty from his own creations. What kind of a god is that, Mr Holland? Perhaps a megalomaniac god?

One of the greatest ideas I've learned about God in the past two years is that she doesn't have the time, desire, or means to make deals with all of us.

Recently, I found you can talk to authors of books by reading them. Blixa taught me this. Likewise, I can talk to God before I discuss with my parents the ground rules of our home: my wife and I preside and decide when prayers should be offered. We, as parents of our little ones, are in charge of raising them and are the only ones who should chastise them in matters of religious practices, should we choose to do so.

God will talk to me and help me find the right words to say. She will not barter with me. She expects nothing. She finds happiness in ours.

+1

Dictating to God hmm? When are you guys gonna climb out of the sandbox and leave YOUR megalomania behind?

Pot, meet kettle.