Why should I worship a God who acts thus? Why couldn't He have run a simulation or played a game of chess against Satan, instead of tormenting and killing people?
What I believe has no effect on reality, but I sure hope that there's no afterlife ruled by an arbitrary and capricious God.
To be Christ-like, should I torment and kill my children even if "they don't deserve it"?
To be Christ-like, you would die for them, even if they mock you and tell others, when they were ignorant and unknowing about even the basics of how the universe is ordered, they wouldn’t want to spend eternity with you.
Why should I worship a God who acts thus? Why couldn't He have run a simulation or played a game of chess against Satan, instead of tormenting and killing people?
Job also thought that He knew (perhaps) better than God about some things, and God "gave him a talking to" -- as you'll see in the last chapters -- from Job Chapter 38 to Chapter 42.
God gave Job a "real good talking-to"... LOL
You can see what Job said here...
Job Chapter 38
3 Then Job answered the Lord and said:
4 "Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand
over my mouth.
5 Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but
I will proceed no further."
And on down...
Job Chapter 42 1 Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2 "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. 3 You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, 'I will question you, and you shall answer Me.' 5 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. 6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes."
And then, at the end...
12 Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. 13 He also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first Jemimah, the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-Happuch. 15 In all the land were found no women so beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. 16 After this Job lived one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations. 17 So Job died, old and full of days.
Be sure to read Chapters 38 through 42... :-) God's ways and knowledge and power and wisdom are so far beyond anyone's mere comprehension, that all they can do, is what Job did, which was to "repent in dust and ashes"... when God spoke to him.