The Moral Monster: Why Calvinism Fails the Test of Love

Have you ever felt a shiver run down your spine, a dissonance between what you’re told about God and the love you feel in your heart? Samuel the Lamanite, standing atop the walls, knew that feeling—the weight of a truth that demanded to be spoken, regardless of the cost. Ammon at the Waters of Sebus faced a similar moment, recognizing the insidious nature of a deceptive influence. We, too, are called to recognize false doctrines, to discern between the Builders and the Destroyers, and to cling to the Stone cut without hands – a truth revealed through prophets and apostles.

Recently, Jacob Hansen and Blake Osler explored a dangerous theological territory in their podcast, tackling the question: Is the God of Calvinism a moral monster? It’s a question worth wrestling with, particularly as so many hearts seek solace and understanding in a world increasingly hostile to truth. Listen to the full episode:

The crux of their argument isn’t about denying God’s sovereignty, but about the inherent contradiction in a system that claims God is the source of all goodness while simultaneously orchestrating a universe where suffering and damnation are predetermined and unavoidable. If God *creates* love, as some Calvinistic arguments suggest, then it isn’t truly love at all—it’s a manufactured emotion, a puppet show of affection. And if God demands our love, but dictates its very existence, what room is there for genuine agency, for covenant, for the joy of freely choosing to follow Him?

As Blake Osler points out, true love cannot be coerced. It arises from relationality, from mutual respect and choice. To force love is to diminish it, to render it hollow. This echoes the principle of divine sustenance – the idea that God sustains us in every moment, recreating us anew. But this doesn’t mean He dictates our every thought and action. It means He empowers us to choose, to grow, to become more like Him. The Lord isn't setting the stage and then judging the actors; He's inviting us to join Him on a grand creative endeavor.

Think of the five smooth stones David gathered to face Goliath. They weren’t tools of brute force, but instruments of righteous action, of faith-filled choices made in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. We, too, are called to gather our stones – to arm ourselves with truth and courage – and to stand against the forces that would diminish God and His children.

This isn’t about condemning those who hold different beliefs. It’s about recognizing the subtle poison of doctrines that distort the character of God and undermine the very foundation of our faith. It’s about embracing the responsibility to discern, to question, and to seek truth with an open heart. It’s about being Samuel the Lamanite, Ammon at the Waters of Sebus, willing to climb the walls and declare what we know to be true.

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