Indeed. Now, if someone of those who seem to think God is full of passions could explain how can one change his mood and be one in whom "there is no variableness, neither the shadow of a change." I think we may have an "observer problem" here.
Which is exactly what the Orthodox (and, I surmise, also Catholic) doctrine advocates: God is experienced as either love or hate depending on our spiritual disposition, and not His "moodiness."
Assigning any human qualities (moods, hands, ears, needs, etc.) to God are always allegorical anthropomorphisms. Unrotunately, as you said, we have some simplsitic literalist interpretations that border on pagan deism.
“Assigning any human qualities (moods, hands, ears, needs, etc.) to God are always allegorical anthropomorphisms. Unrotunately, as you said, we have some simplsitic literalist interpretations that border on pagan deism.”
Speaking of “simplsitic literalist interpretations that border on pagan deism”, why do you suppose God said he was “pleased” and Peter affirms that that’s what He literally and simplistically said if He didn’t want us to take Him at His word? Of course, it may be just a scribe’s accretion or commentary to what actually happened, even in the Gospels, but then, Peter witnessed it.
Matt. 17:5, “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”
2 Pet. 1:16-18, “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.”
Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth" -- James 1:17-18"...the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
And God loves His children immutably, perfectly, personally and forever, having begat them from before the foundation of the world...
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." -- Ephesians 1:4-6 "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
This love sometimes takes the form of encouragement and plenitude, but it can also take the form of chastisement and refining, all in order to teach and guide His children as He leads them home.
"For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them." -- Isaiah 61:8
Likewise, God's wrath is immutable regarding the chaff. He does not love the condemned.
For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain. Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies." -- Psalm 139:19-22"Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
To some it is given to know the truth and to some this understanding is withheld, according to the immutable will of God.
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand." -- Matthew 13:11-13"He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Christ further illustrates the two divisions of men with the parable of the wheat and the tares...
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world." -- Matthew 13:36-40"Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
All men are sinners. Some men are acquitted of their sins by Christ on the cross, and some men remain condemned by them, all according to the "mystery of His will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself" (Ephesians 1:9)