If there was a god ... and obviously as an atheist I don't believe for a second that there is one ... he/she/it wouldn't be so crass as to use the old 'it's a test' excuse for all the darker things in people's lives.

Sadly for those who believe in theism (not everyone before I'm pounced on for being so atheist with my leanings ) ... the perceived tests from god, suffering, deaths, murder etc ... is something one of their fellow religious men conjured up way back when and something the other religious zealots picked up and ran with to give it more credence. It's all about control with a liberal sprinkling of guilt, fear, indoctrination, recrimination etc etc.