The entire passage, however, is discussing how we should treat each other. Take a look at the surrounding scripture.
Indeed. But you have a tendency to overlook the punishment of the wicked...
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
...and by so doing, you change the nature of God as communicated by the scriptures essentially creating your own false one.
The entire passage, however, is discussing how we should treat each other. Take a look at the surrounding scripture.
Indeed. But you have a tendency to overlook the punishment of the wicked...
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
...and by so doing, you change the nature of God as communicated by the scriptures essentially creating your own false one.
Exactly how did I overlook the punishment of the wicked? I did no such thing. You and I quoted the exact same set of scriptures.
There is a difference between overlooking and deciding where the focus should be.
You tend to focus on the negative qualities of scripture, as far as the "fire and brimstone" punishments of God. I tend to focus on the positive qualities of scripture, which is inclusive of the merciful God.
How am I creating a false God anymore than you are?
I was thinking that another manifestation of punitiveness comes when one uses gospel speculations like the Constitution hanging by a thread or personal preferences of leaders, like the IBM corporation dress attire and use them to beat members and others about the head for their unrighteousness of not buying into that particular speculation or subscribing to other's fashion preferences.