Published in the same format, The God Desire is chatty, jokey and, beneath, deeply felt. The blurb says it is “more vulnerable – and more understanding of the power and value of religion – than most atheist polemics”, which presumably means the work of Richard Dawkins and his ilk. The love gods sometimes carried symbols that made it possible to tell them apart, but they were just as often shown as almost interchangeable winged male deities. Many images labeled the gods to make the scene more clear. The notion of seeking God as a comfort against the coldness of nothingness is a uniquely western concept, where Christians have been spoiled to complacency. In much of the world Christians are persecuted and tortured for their faith. The UK Parliament published a paper in 2022 stating that Christians are the most persecuted people group in the world with over 360 million suffering high levels (life threatening) cruelty. For them Christianity is far from the superficial preoccupied cry for comfort of the army of ageing middle England flower arrangers who have misunderstood Christianity to being good enough to pass through the pearly gates. In the ancient Greco-Roman world, the tale of Eros and his love interest, Psyche (ancient Greek for the soul), is one of the oldest love stories. The story was written first by the Roman writer Apuleius. His picaresque Roman-style novel, titled The Golden Ass, was written in the 2nd century. Eros is the ancient Greek god of love, desire, and fertility. Eros is also one of the very first gods to appear at the beginning of time. However, In Greek mythology, there are several variations of the winged love god Eros. Despite their differences or how they came into being, the constant theme in each version of the god is that he is the god of love, desire, and fertility.

And yes, Baddiel may be “happy to admit to my own babyishness… desperately in need of comfort, both psychological and physical”, but he immediately goes on to say that he is someone “with enough self-awareness to perceive these as urges, rather than as ideas”. If it were my cosplay convention, I’d strike his name from the guest list. Pothos controlled whether a man or woman was attracted to another person. While Eros inspired love, Pothos inspired a longing that could be more intense, but also more temporary.

Most ancient sources said that Pothos, like the other gods of love, was a son of Aphrodite. Some, however, gave other explanations. In Greek mythology, Pothos was the god of desire and longing. One of the daimones, he was entirely defined by this purpose.

For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) … Christianity is simply not about anything Baddiel rightly criticises. Christianity is the essence of reality mediated through a historical person – Jesus. That when questioned what is good or bad, simply said “follow me.” A truth that lead to cruxifixction. Christianity is not about being good or bad, or about feeling better or worse, it is truth that overrides and nullifies all these uniquely human desires to trust in what is. It’s an interesting book, offering a candid insight into a man wrestling with life’s big questions and, whether you agree with his conclusions or not, it’s an enjoyable read. Driven by desire Baddiel’s well reasoned argument is not against the God of the Bible, but a culturally misrepresented god. A god that has been designed to provide buffers from cold dark reality, a god of the gaps that can potentially explain the unexplainable, a god of comfort that promises jam tomorrow. In later mythologies, Eros is described as being the child of Aphrodite. When Eros appears in mythology as Aphrodite’s son, he is seen as her minion, meddling in the love lives of others at her request. He is no longer seen as the wise primordial force responsible for the union of the Earth and Sky, instead, he is seen as a mischievous child.The unimaginable is part of our history. We have abandoned God, but he has paid the highest price to bring us home — not because he had to, but because he desired us.

After completing the many trials set by the goddess of love, with the help of her lost love Eros, Psyche was granted immortality. Psyche drank the nectar of the gods, ambrosia, and was able to live with Eros as an immortal on Mount Olympus. And his observation that God seems “hard wired” into us lines up exactly with what the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:11: “he has also set eternity in the human heart”.

Broudie, Baddiel and Skinner reunite for the World Cup in 2022. Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

Moreover, the power of God was on the people in Judah to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and his officials according to the word of the LORD. Faith in football … Ian Broudie, Frank Skinner and David Baddiel launch their recording of the Three Lions anthem for the 1998 World Cup. Photograph: PA Images/AlamyThe couple’s happiness is shattered by the arrival of Psyche’s jealous sisters. Psyche missed her sisters terribly and begged her husband to let them visit her. Eros allowed the visit, and at first, the family reunion was a happy occasion. Soon, however, the sisters became jealous of Psyche’s life in the heavenly palace of Eros.