God... Truth or fiction?

That's precisely the point: God is the perfect parent. He doesn't coddle or baby-talk. He rewards good deeds and punishes bad ones, to put it bluntly. Earthly life is just preparation; true life begins when the soul leaves the body. Then, in purgatory, the soul goes through trials, and it's determined what good you've done, what bad you've done, and a decision is made about where you deserve to live – in Heaven or in Hell. Life is an exam, my friend. An exam where there's no "easy pass" or "retake."