I'll explain my view as if I believe in God. I'm told God gave me free will to accept His son as my saviour, or go to Hell. How is something free if I must fear the consequences of the wrong choice? I'll use an example: I hold a gun to your head and say, "You have free will to give me you wallet or not, but if you defy me, you'll suffer the consequence of death." Does it really feel like you can say no? Here is the God scenario: "You have free will to believe in me and accept me as your saviour, but if you don't, you will go to Hell." Again, does it really feel like you have a choice to say no? The way I see it, we don't. Free means to give or recieve something without expectation of return. That means the free will concept is self defeating. How can free will be "free" when God expects us to accept his son as our saviour, or suffer the consequence of Hell? Christians, what is your view on free will to choose Heaven or Hell?
Note: I'm sure someone willl be offended, so sorry if I do
2006-08-04 18:01:39 · 20 answers · asked by whosyodaddy3030 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think that's a very good question and it does have a valid point. However, after a lot of thought, this is my conclusion:
freewill relies in the choice itself. God is one side and Satan is in the other. You have the choice or freewill, for that matter, to choose between one or the other. Here is the important issue: God is not the one that sends you to Hell because you didn't choose Him. You sent yourself because that was your choice, and there's nothing God can do about it.God does not expect you choose Him; He "hopes" you do it. In the same way, Satan hopes that you choose him as well.
I think we get a bit confused because it seems really obvious to choose good over evil.
I have another therory about the issue of "accepting Jesus as your saviour" , but I don't want to bore you.
I'm not Christian by the way, I don't have th b*lls, yet.
2006-08-04 18:33:07 · answer #1 · answered by Rico A 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Nothing is free - everything has a price.
"How is something free if I must fear the consequences of the wrong choice?" - You can fear the right choice too, because it will require more work, harder work, longer hours, less pay, etc.
"I'll use an example: I hold a gun to your head and say, "You have free will to give me you wallet or not, but if you defy me, you'll suffer the consequence of death." Does it really feel like you can say no?" - Being human of course I could so NO, it would be short but up till you kill me, it's my choice.
"Here is the God scenario: "You have free will to believe in me and accept me as your saviour, but if you don't, you will go to Hell." Again, does it really feel like you have a choice to say no?" - Again you do have a choice, here you decide reward or punishment, as human that's what choices were given. BUT GOD has a reason for each of us to be here, and are tested to see if we have learned anything.
"How can free will be "free" when God expects us to accept his son as our saviour, or suffer the consequence of Hell? - GOD does not know what we will choose - we were given free will BY GOD for this reason! GOD does not want puppets, or robots. He wants thinking, caring people - that know right from wrong - and CHOOSE RIGHT.
2006-08-04 18:26:50 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, you could just as easily look at this the other way: God gave you a choice, go to Heaven or reject him. In which case, its more like someone saying that you can choose whatever you want, but if you choose do the right thing you'll be rewarded. I guess that doesn't sound a lot better, cuz its still bribing you. but, secondly, God sent Jesus to provide us an escape from going to Hell. If people didn't sin, they wouldn't have to go to Hell. Since no one can possibly go through life with out ever lying - even a white lie - or without commiting some other sin, God offers us forgivness and salvation. All you have to do is accept it.
2006-08-04 18:11:59 · answer #3 · answered by sparrowhawk13147 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I understand your point. "However, if I said I am giving you free tickets to a concert for Saturday night, but if you choose not to go, you will 'suffer the consequences' of missing out on the concert," would the tickets still be free? Would you consider that I took away your free will to choose whether or not to go?
Everything you do has consequences. Why pick this particular point as a matter of complaint? If you hike too long or with improper footgear, you 'suffer the consequences' of getting blisters. If you eat too much you 'suffer the consequences' of getting indigestion. But you always have the choices.
The idea of a Judgment is to help you to decide to choose the best way. It doesn't take away your right to choose, or your right to bear the natural consequences of your choice.
At least God gives you advance warning, and many opportunities to change your mind.
2006-08-04 18:15:32 · answer #4 · answered by Einsteinetta 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God gave you the gift of free will. God does not condemn anyone to hell. God gave you the free will to choose your path in life. Only you can decide if you are going to hell or not.God does not choose for you and does not force anyone to believe in or follow Him. We must come willingly on our own to God and He is there for us. Is there not consequences in every choice one makes in their life? With your free will you decide right from wrong, heaven from hell. God leaves it all up to you. If one was forced then one could not show true devotion or love to God.
2006-08-04 18:11:36 · answer #5 · answered by tebone0315 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Free will is the ability to consciously act without restriction. It may be irrelevant that you have free will, because you'll do the same thing with or without it (determinism) but as long as you consciously think that's free will. You can't change your fate/destiny, because the decisions you make are determined by earlier events (including your earlier decisions), but it's still your mind (though shaped as it is from outside phenomena) that is acting.
On the other hand, that means that humanity's choices are essentially dictated by god, and that it's all his fault anyway (If he is, in fact, omniscient and omnipotent).
2006-08-04 18:06:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We believe that the sinner has no excuse in Allah's Divine Decree because he commits his sin by his freewill, without knowing that Allah has decreed it on him. That is, because no one knows Allah's decree before it takes place: "No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow." (31: 34) How can it be possible, then, to present an excuse that is not known to the person who is advancing it when he commits his offense? Allah invalidated this type of argument in His saying: "The idolaters will say 'Had Allah willed, we would not have been idolaters, neither our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything.' So did the people before them disbelieve until they tasted our might. Say: 'Have you any [true] knowledge that you can produce for Us? You follow nothing but assumption, and you are but lying." (6:148) We say to the sinner who is using Divine Decree as an excuse: 'Why did not you perform deeds of obedience assuming that Allah has decreed them upon you since there is no difference between them and sins in being unknown before they happened from you? That is why when Prophet Muhammad told his companions that everyone's position in Paradise or Hell has been assigned, they said: "Should not we rely on this and stop working?" He said: "No, work and every one will be directed to what he is created for." (Bukhari & Muslim)
We may say to the sinner who is trying to find excuse in Divine Decree: "Suppose, you want to travel to Makkah. There are two roads that may take you there. You are told by a truthful person that one of these roads is dangerous and difficult, the other is easy and safe. You will take the second one. You will not take the first road and say it is decreed upon me. If you did, people would consider you crazy.
We may also say to him: "If you are offered two jobs, one of them is higher in salary. You will certainly take the one with the higher salary. Why then do you choose what is lower in the Hereafter and use Divine Decree as an excuse?"
We may further say to him: "We see you when you are inflicted with a disease, you knock every physician's door looking for treatment and bearing whatever pain that may result from surgical operations and the bitterness of medicine. Why do you not do the same when your heart is spiritually sick with sins?"
2006-08-04 20:51:03 · answer #7 · answered by BeHappy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hell is not a place but a time. A time when those who do not choose Jesus are destroyed. But 99% of those to be destroyed will have died. Don't live your life in fear. God does not want you out of fear but love.
2006-08-04 18:07:02 · answer #8 · answered by SEOplanNOW.com 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure what you're getting at. When God says free will it is up to us whether we want to worship and follow him or not. By the mercy of God we even exist and that alone deserves our praise and worship to Him.
Not sure if you noticed but most people choose to reject God and not believe what the Bible says.
2006-08-04 18:07:56 · answer #9 · answered by Green 886 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your logic is off... if what you say were true and why are there so many that "choose" to reject him? there are Atheists around so what you are saying is not possible... apparently there is a choice... some have chosen to follow and others have choose to reject.
A choice is a choice regardless of the consequences of that choice.
2006-08-04 18:07:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋