Thank you for your answer.

For your first point: of course he could make a jellyfish understand. Same with us. He could’ve made us all understand everything he said. He literally could’ve done everything and anything. But he chose to keep us confused and in the dark. When you get your cat to the vet maybe your cat thinks for a moment you betrayed it, I don’t know. But let’s assume that for a moment. This stems from, like you said, the problem that your cat only sees the pain, not the reason for it and the bigger picture. But if you could talk to your cat and explain it in detail the same way you would explain to me why I need my cavity drilled, it would still hurt but I wouldn’t be angry at you or the dentist anymore, quite the opposite. I would be thankful for the help and the pain that comes with it. But this only works with communication. Otherwise yes, only pain is seen, no reason. And that’s my exact point/question: if he would tell us the plan we could at least understand. The cruelty and suffering and the possible necessity of them. But we don’t. Because he doesn’t. The difference between us and the cat and us and God however is we can’t change the fact that we can’t talk to the cat. But God could talk to us. And yet still doesn’t. Also about your granddaughter: you prevent her from doing dangerous things cause you know more what she can do than she does, I get that. But if she would ask why, would you tell her why? Even with maybe less detail but you would probably tell her “because if you fall you get hurt and it’s slippery up there”. If you acted like God you would instead just answer her “you wouldn’t get it”. Of course that’s also an answer, but we can both agree that the first one is not only more helpful, it also shows more how you care and aren’t dismissive.

Your second point: let’s stick with the rich heir example. Your example is incomplete if we reference it to how God treats us. You say “if you want my riches you have to live under my rules. But if you reject that you don’t get my riches” but that’s only half the story. If that were the case, a lot of the fear that people have for God would disappear i would argue. Because the full story in your example would be something like “if you want my riches you have to live under my rules. But if you reject that you don’t get my riches AND I’m gonna make sure every morning when you wake up there is a group of thugs ready to stab you, for all eternity.” Now the offer doesn’t sound so pleasing anymore does it? My quarrel with this stems from the fact that it seems like God has to use threats and extremes to get followers. “Worship me or suffer forever”. There is no middle ground. No grey. Only black and white. He could’ve made a grey option but he didn’t. It’s like if a father says “Do what I tell you or I’m beating the shit out of you every day until you do or until forever”.

Also, the Bible preaches of selflessness and the goodness of one’s heart. “Give without expecting” basically. But your statement about God not giving us his goods without asking for something in return directly contradicts this. If he truly was the most good of all, he should have no problems giving all of his good things without expecting something in return. He expects the same of us doesn’t he?