Why would He “create a setting” which differs from reality?
May as well believe that everything you see is an illusion, God stimulating your brainstem to make you think “reality” exists when what you perceive doesn’t. May as well believe everything was created 20 minutes ago to look like all has been around longer than it has. May as well reject reality outright for lack of any way to know reality.
There’s a term for such a philosophy; perhaps someone can remind me.
Whatever the label, I reject the notion outright as it makes God nothing more than a creator of fiction.
“Why would He “create a setting” which differs from reality?”
What matters is not the back story, but how those INSIDE the story behave and think. God would not force man to believe, so He gives us an out - and some choose to take it.
“Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired.”
If someone wants to reject God, God will let them go...