Xavier and God

Last night the Mormon missionaries came to visit. They are really nice guys who really are not much older than Xavier so he likes when they come over. The missionaries often like the same things Xavier likes. Last night, one of the missionaries blindsided Xavier with the toughest question he will ever face. What did Xavier think about God and what did he believe? This was not unlike a completely horrible conversation that Xavier and I had after church on Sunday.
Xavier has very strong feelings about religion and has translated that into his belief in God. Xavier does not like church. He says he believes in the scientific order of things which fits his very analytical personality. Talking about God with Xavier is really hard because he gets so aggitated. The conversation was really interesting for me as an observer but I got the impression it was not a comfortable conversation for Xavier. (I didn't jump in because I believe life is hard and sometimes it's best to learn that when you are safe and can be comforted.)
I got to thinking about some of the reasons that believing in God is hard for Xavier and I think I am beginning to understand. I can't say for certain what Xavier is thinking but I can attempt.
1. God is boring. Think about this from Xavier's perspective. God equals church. Church means sitting in an uncomfortable chair for an hour (or so) while people talk in very monotonous tones. As an adult I have a hard time sitting through Sacrament without wanting to take a nap. On top of that, Xavier doesn't understand the concepts that they talk about because most of the talks are based on knowledge they assume everyone has. Then add to that the clothes. Sometimes Xavier likes his dress-up clothes but wearing the same or similar outfit every Sunday loses it's appeal.
2. God has too many rules. I didn't realize that Xavier didn't understand that all God really expects is for us to make the best decisions possible. I, personally, don't know what happens after we die and I believe that even if I never go to heaven I still want to create the best life possible here on Earth. I want to be happy and have blessings. For Xavier, heaven is a really hard concept. He's already struggling with the idea that in four years he might be going to college. He understands the mechanics of college because we live in a college town but he doesn't understand that his actions over the next four years may prevent him from attending. He doesn't seem to understand grades and the points that go with them. It's far too "fairy tale" for his mind. There's nothing tangible. Xavier's never been one that really understood rewards and consequences - they were just parts of life that didn't really have any merit (I don't think he can quite connect the dots). He understands science - if I drop a penny in a glass of water, it sinks. How do you teach a child who doesn't understand immaterial consquences the concept of heaven? I try to explain that it doesn't matter but he gets stuck on that.
3. God makes bad decisions. Xavier doesn't deal well with death and can't understand why God would allow the death of someone he loves. If God is so great, then why does he allow there to be so much pain. You can argue all you want but Xavier still won't understand.
There is a story that popped into my head that helps describe Xavier some. Rob, my mom, my aunt and I all got tickets to see a touring broadway show. My aunt told Xavier - "We're going to see The Producers." Xavier replied, "What do they produce?"