If god gave people the right of freewill, then why is it that if you don't believe in him, or follow the bible then you will go to hell. If you are just using freewill the way he intended for it to be used, it doesn't make sense that you would get "punished" for not believing in him. Not really a question, but what is your opinion on this.
2006-07-17 07:32:55 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
That question is one of the five hundred seventy eight reasons why I don't believe in organized religion. The only truth you need is that all is one with God and once you realize that you can't judge others, because you'll only be judging yourself. Nor can you wish ill upon others who disagree with you, for you'll only be wishing ill upon yourself. Some religions may be able to bring you to this truth, but you don't need religion to find it... all you need is your own free will!
2006-07-17 07:39:33 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
The whole concept of free will (which religious people are so quick to use to blame people for their 'sins') completely contradicts the idea that god is omniscient (knows everything) and the creator of everything. If god created everything and knows exactly what is going to happen (even going so far as allowing 'prophecy') then free will is impossible. You can't have it both ways.
If god can not be wrong about what is going to happen to you, then you have no free will. You would only have free will if god had no idea what you were going to do with your life.
Religious apologists will try to worm their way around this paradox. They will say 'well god knows what is going to happen but he lets you choose.' WRONG. If he knows what is going to happen, then there is such a thing as 'fate' and you have no free will.
There can't be free will without taking power away from god. It doesn't disprove the existence of god, but it if there is free will then god doesn't know everything.
The other little propaganda piece they will use is: "You ask a kid if he wants a cookie or a carrot. You know the kid very well, so you know he is going to go for the cookie."
See, the problem with that little story is the kid COULD go for the carrot. You could make an educated guess that he will go with the cookie, but that doesn't mean he is going to.
Anyway, if you apply this little story to god then he should be absolutely right no matter what, at all times. (Since he created the kid, cookie, carrot and this particular moment in time, even the observers) He would always know if the kid was going for the cookie or the carrot. In order for the kid to have free will, he would have to be able to choose and it would be possible for GOD TO GET IT WRONG.
I haven't even looked at your other answers yet, but I'm positive you will get answers just like these.
2006-07-17 14:47:15 · answer #2 · answered by Lucifer T. Chick 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe freewill was given to man since Adam and never removed. Man (and woman) has always had freewill to make whatever choice they want. I'm sure that God takes no pleasure in anyone going to hell. Hell is simply an accomodation for those who want nothing to do with God. It is a place with a total absence of Him in it. God places no one there, the trip there is undertaken by choice.
Many people want the benefits of God without having to actually do anything. That theory doesn't work anywhere else, why would it in our spiritual life?
2006-07-17 14:50:14 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
God gave us free will so that we don't have to be mindless zombies all the time (what fun would that be; God didn't want mankind to be like that).
As for those who decline and/or don't accept his word, they are more often than not condemned to Hell. A lot of people HAVE heard of the Gospel of Jesus, but refuse to listen. That is the free will God has chosen. Finally, when their time comes, they have run into a dead end and have no way out.
2006-07-17 14:41:31 · answer #4 · answered by mthtchr05 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On Sundays when I feel religious I see the reasonings for free will and it makes sense that God will punish whosoever rejects him. Even if they doing it with the free will God grants them.
But today is Monday. Mondays to Fridays (Saturdays do not count - I go shopping), I'm not a blind believer. I'm a logical analytical heathen - and so I agree with you. It makes absolutely no sense, it actually feels like a scam.
This coming Sunday I'll devote a long time to asking God to forgive me for calling him a scam artist!
2006-07-17 14:40:21 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
we're free to choose and decide for ourselves. it's actually up to us if we wanna believe in Him or not. but once everything is over, we can't tell Him that we were not warned.
i encourage you to read the bible. that's not to convince you to believe in God, but just to try to see if you'll find the answers of your questions.
these may help:
A loving God would not send people to a horrible hell.
Our sin does merit hell (Romans 1:32; 2:2,5,6).
What is unfair and amazing is that Christ died for our sins and freely offers salvation to all (Romans 2:4; 3:22-24; 4:7,8; 5:8,9).
Hell was designed originally for Satan and his demons (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
Hell will also punish the sin of those who reject Christ (Matthew 13:41,50; Revelation 20:11-15; 21:8).
Heaven or hell is determined by whether a person believes (puts their trust) in Christ alone to save them (John 3:16, 36, etc.).
2006-07-17 15:47:34 · answer #6 · answered by ... 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If one believes the Bible as factual, then the reason for the ability to know right from wrong is Adam and Eve eating the apple from the forbidden tree of knowledge. Is it true? VERY UNLIKELY.
My point is BELIEF and TRUTH are two different things.
2006-07-17 14:50:08 · answer #7 · answered by dam_amasing 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I see every day evidences of free will, but I never got any evidence of God. I mean, I am ok to write the word from capital and let people believe in what they want... just never got a clear explanation of the idea, let alone an evidence.
2006-07-17 14:41:07 · answer #8 · answered by Atheist 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He gave us the will to trust in Him. Adam ate the fruit aginst Gods will in mans will. Theres a difrence God's will is perfect and educated. For humans will just think about what is going on in Isreal and Lebinan.
2006-07-17 14:38:02 · answer #9 · answered by Sam P 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are given the freedom to choose good or evil. Choosing good has its reward and choosing evil has its price. God is just, in rewarding or punishing. He wills that we believe in Him and do as He wills, out of love for him--not out of fear of punishment. Most don't, and will suffer the consequences.
2006-07-17 14:39:50 · answer #10 · answered by mrearly2 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋