If we were given free will then why are we punished for our actions, not really free will in my opinion. "Do what you want but if you do soemthing i dont want you to do i will punish you" doesnt make sense to me. At least angels knows exactly what to do and never have to worry abotu questioning if something is always good or bad because god tells them exactly what to do and they must do without question
2006-06-24 12:54:49 · 10 answers · asked by l2ae_ra3 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Let's rewrite your question like this:
If we are free to light a torch under our fingertips, why do we suffer pain?
In most circumstances, God does not have to explicitly punish us for disobedience, he just lets the consequences happen. It's only when the consequences are too distant and the person causing the trouble is someone who really wants to learn the right way to life that God steps in and punishes (I Corinthians 11:32, Hebrews 12:4-11).
BTW, your knowledge of angels is sorely lacking. Angels too have free will; that is how Lucifer came to rebel against God. And if they didn't have such free will, it would be unjust to judge them -- as it will be the responsibility of the saints to do (I Corinthians 6:3).
2006-06-24 13:15:29 · answer #1 · answered by BC 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are TOTALLY right about the free will and the association you have made with punishment. To say you have free will but if you don't do what I want IS NO free will!
Sins are simply human constructs designed by the early church leaders to control the masses through fear-based living. Sins and hell and the commandments were not given by God. God is all-loving and does not judge or punish us. We will all ultimately return to the spiritual, non-phyiscal dimension to be home with God.
2006-06-24 22:43:47 · answer #2 · answered by LindaLou 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free will, I am free to think what I wish, BUT I will be punished if I get out of line of the belief system
Choice
Heaven or Hell
Well I never been there and I don't know the rules of these place, they may not suite me. So I will free will my choice and ask God to give me a vacation at both of these places so I can choose
Free Will to choose what is available, other than that it's useless
2006-06-24 20:08:44 · answer #3 · answered by man of ape 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all its a bit annoying people talking about God as if they have authority on the subject (no human being does).
Secondly I think its despicable for people to say that human suffering is because of freely chosen sin. THEY are not suffering, THEY are healthy and happy, and so they deduce that THEY are the ones God is favouring, whom God has redeemed. I've even heard people say that AIDs sufferers are suffering because they sinned!!! Mentally ill people have demons, because they sinned!!! So because THEY'RE all hunky-dory, they are favoured by God. How disgustingly self-righteous!
And the reward and punishment thing - it seems blindlingly obvious that it was concocted to scare little children into doing the socially acceptable thing. If we look at the big picture: there are supposed to be 3 "dimensions" if you will - Heaven, Hell and Earth. Why on earth is Heaven exquisite bliss, Hell exquisite torture, if earth is just so plumb normal?
Earth can contain hellish moments and heavenly moments - but no need to believe eternity of either!
Its surprising what people can believe with only a little conditioning.
2006-06-29 11:52:44 · answer #4 · answered by Robby 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Angels disobeyed and are punished. Also we are not robots or puppets on a string. We were created in the Image of God and that included the ability to reason, think, rule over the earth and yes be accountable. This is a great position and with it comes great responsibility.
2006-06-24 20:01:32 · answer #5 · answered by beek 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't expect religion to make sense :-) It's just something made up by humans. If a deity such as that worshipped by Christians really existed then he would be omnipotent, and it would be a simple matter for him to make humans with free will who freely choose never to do bad things, in exactly the same way as Christians suppose their god chooses never to do bad things. Bad things disprove the existence of the particular kind of deity as depicted by Christianity.
2006-06-24 20:08:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The concept of free will isn't in the Bible. Jesus refers to his followers as slaves, servants, and sheep. Do any of these have free will? No, because a slave or servant does what his master wants him to do, not what HE wants to do; and a sheep is a domesticated animal whose sole purpose is to provide humans with wool or meat--and they have no choice in the matter.
God never gave the Israelites free will. Every aspect of their lives, even down to what type of clothes they were to wear (no mixed fibers) and what kind of animals they could eat (no pork, shellfish, etc.) was governed by laws given from God to Moses. Many of those laws, when broken, carried the penalty of death! If you obey someone out of fear that you will be killed, then you do not have free will. If you obey God because you are terrified that he will send you to hell, then you do not have free will.
2006-06-24 20:07:11 · answer #7 · answered by Antique Silver Buttons 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
we have free will but for every action theres a reaction you can choose your will to love god or love your self wich is the same as love the devil god wanted man to love him by his free will
so we could become his sons without free will he could have made us to love him but it would be like programing a robot to love you and that wouldn't be love.so lets say you use your will to kill wouldnt god be right to punish you.when you use your will to do god will he will bless you but if you use your will do whats good in your eyes you just curse your self isn't god fault is your will to do god will since why we were still sinners he die for us that through jesus death we may have life he pay the penalty for our sins wich is death ask jesus to forgive you and ask him whats his will for your life.
2006-06-24 20:18:05 · answer #8 · answered by Witness4Christ 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is limited free will. We are given choices, but we usually know the consequences either way and are destined to fate, genetics, etc.
2006-06-24 20:05:58 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who has punished you. GWB? Who punishes him for lying and cheating?
2006-06-24 19:57:53 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋