Second, and most importantly to me, is that this discounts the truly gratuitous suffering that takes place. There is nothing instructive, transformative, or redemptive for the victim in the short life of a child stolen from her parents to become a sex slave for the nominally Christian LRA. If your God can’t keep this from happening, then that only reinforces my point that we’re on our own. There’s no point wasting our time worshiping such a God. It’s better to ignore Him and focus on what we can do for ourselves.

For those who actually believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, my question still remains: which is holier and more worthy of protection, the innocence of a child or the Ark of the Covenant?

Amen! I said something similar, but far less eloquent, when a Christian friend told me that ultimately, no matter how unfair or uncompassionate god may seem (we were arguing about the condemnation of so many to hell), we had to worship him if for no other reason but his omnipotence.