Is it true that God ruined some guy's life over a bet with Satan?

Yes, this is what the book of Job is about.

It is true that there is a story in the bible about Job, and the story is as you say it happened. I will not go so far as to say that this story really did happen or really did not happen. That is getting into the realm of uncertainty. I do not think this really happened, as I do not think there is a God. However, I think the writers meant this as an allegory, a tale to teach a lesson. I suppose the lesson would be that bad things happen to good people, but you ought to have faith in God anyway.

I do not believe in this lesson, because that seems like a very cruel God to me, and even if he exists, I do not want to pray to or worship such a cruel God. This is the same God who asked Abraham to kill his son only to test his faith. He stopped Abraham, but that is a cruel thing to ask a person to do.

To answer this question: "why go to such lengths as wrecking a devoted follower's life just to prove a point?"

Maybe, if God exists, then God does not care about individual lives. There are so many people in the world, and they often pray/ask for different/opposing things, and perhaps God just doesn't care.

Or maybe God does care, but is inexperienced with running an entire world and is young and makes a lot of mistakes. If we were meant to be made in God's image and we are imperfect, then perhaps God is imperfect too.

Maybe the writers of the story are trying to teach people that God makes mistakes and we ought to learn from those mistakes and be better people... That we should not give in to those who taunt us, because we might end up hurting those who have been good to us.

Yup!

Check out the Book of Job in the Old Testament.

Some people call it "inspirational". Personally, I think it shows that YHWH was a real b@stard.

@Jenna and Buddy R.

Can you two even read? The fact that it was a wager between God and Satan is clear in the text. In Job 1:8-12, after Satan points out that Job is only faithful because he has everything, God gives Satan permission to do what he will to Job as long as he doesn't touch the man's life. If that isn't a bet I don't know what is.

As for being better off afterwards, his children were all killed in the initial assault on him. I don't know about you but if some deity decided to kill of all my kids on a bet, I'd be a little pissed off with them.

It's the story of JOB:

Satan challenges Job's integrity, proposing to God that Job serves him simply because God protects him. God removes Job's protection, allowing Satan to take his wealth, his children, and his physical health in order to tempt Job to curse God. Despite his difficult circumstances, he does not curse God, but rather curses the day of his birth. And although he protests his plight and pleads for an explanation, he stops short of accusing God of injustice. Most of the book consists of conversations between Job and his three friends concerning Job's condition and its possible reasons, after which God responds to Job and his friends. God opens his speech with the famous words, "Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me." After God's reply, Job is overwhelmed and says, "I am unworthy - how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth." Then Job is restored to an even better condition than his former wealthy state, and lives for another 140 years.

Yes, in the book of Job it says God decided to destroy some guys life so he could win a bet with Satan that he would still love God even if his life was destroyed. It's kind of messed up God would ruin someone's whole life and kill his innocent children just to win a bet with the devil.

The Book of Job

Its the Book of Job. God told Satan to tempt Job to sin and curse God because Job was perfect. So Satan tempted him and nearly killed him, but Job endured till the end. It was probably worth it in the end for him too.

Yes, it's an atheist lie. Satan said that Job was only worshiping God because he had no misfortune from God. That much is true. But it was Satan who was dong that to Job. But Job was healed after not much time. He was faithful to God through all the things that Satan threw at him to make him leave God. To reward Job, God gave him back more than Job would've had in three lifetimes. God didn't ruin his life, Satan did.

Relax. The Book of Job is allegorical, not historical.

The book of bob yes its a true event that really happened exactly as in the book. I guess bob just wasn't good of enough.