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There's a reason the parental metaphor gets used in most religions, and it's not just creation-as-procreation. Children often don't understand why their parents do certain things, or that those things are in their best interest even when they don't seem to be. A child denied a cookie might wonder how mom/god can possibly be benevolent when she allows evil/cookie-loss in the world. But someday, eventually, they understand the point. Life for many believers is just another version of toddlerhood, doing their best in a confusing world that teaches hurtful lessons, optimistically hoping that someday they will be ready to understand the point.
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