I OTOH fail to take your (or your friend's) point at all, CS. The religion, including its deity

‎יהוה

somewhat (ie by about 3000 years!) predated the misfortunes its adherents suffered [of being "an entire race who was historically shat on by the rest of the world"] after its diaspora at the time of the Romans; so how that deity should be take as having originated as some sort of symbol of, or prophylactic against, such sufferings & persecutions, I do not quite see.

~M~