Theologian Michael Reeves notes that many people in our culture who have rejected God may be reacting against a certain sort of God—what he calls "a loveless dictator in the sky." Reeves writes:
In my own experience, when I ask atheist or agnostic students to describe the God they don't believe in, I am usually treated to what sounds like a good description of Satan: a self-obsessed, merciless bully. And if God is not an ever-loving Father, eternally pouring out his Spirit of life and blessing on his Son, then their descriptions are probably pretty accurate. If God is not Father, Son, and Spirit, then he must be an eternally solitary being who has managed to get through eternity without love.
Possible Preaching Angles: (1) Trinity; God as Trinity—Reeves uses this quote in an article to explain the beauty of our Triune God. Here's the paragraph before the quote above: "In the Western world today many people think that 'spirituality' is fine but belief in a personal God is often met with hostility. But is it possible that many people are reacting against a certain sort of God: the concept of a loveless dictator-in-the-sky? Could such popular antitheism be the rumblings of a deep hunger for a better God?" (2) God, goodness of—This quote also emphasizes the goodness of God, especially to skeptical people who have distorted images of God's character.