Talk about your BIG debates!!! I think you took this one on with thought and care, I didn't find it offensive at all.
I think your version offered a deeper picture of why Sam believes and Dean can't believe. I loved the twists you put on both... you gave it your full attention and were not sidetracked by worries about being "flayed by a hooker from God" (Sorry couldn't help it, that line is GOLD!!!!). The way Dean tells Father Reynolds that it's a good thing he doesn't believe, has such an edge to it and a really strong image with your description of the "cruelest form of good".
But in your portrayal of Sam , you excelled!!!! That Sam wants to believe not just to save himself, but to protect Dean, was beautiful and the fact that Sam still has questions about God (like a lot of us) but his faith in Dean is beyond question - you ended me with that!!!!!
One of my favorite lines was;
" Dean knew though that if he even stole a glance at Sammy, the tears he was hiding behind his green eyes would come streaming down his face, and he wasn’t about to show any more weakness and fragility than was already being witnessed by his baby brother."
I LOVED the way Sam's heart broke when he fully realizes how much pain his brother is in, and who doesn't dig a Winchester "I love you" moment!!!!
Great one shot!!!
Author's Response: wow...what an amazing review!!! and thank u so so very much. I'm really glad that you liked this one shot that much to give such an amazing review. I did really try to get in the brother's heads, i do it for all my stories but especially this one because of the topic at hand. These reasons were the only ones that really made sense to me as to why Dean wouldn't believe and why Sam would want to. After that episode ended I just felt like there was so much left unsaid.
Thank you sooo very much for taking your time to write such a long review. The fact that you even picked out favourite lines and the part of my story that really got to you, means a lot :D:D
And "flayed by a hooker from God" hahahah i couldn't stop laughing lol
Anyways thanks again, so very much:)