Is it really a choice if the gun is held to your head? Why is free will punished?

Question

Okay, so this is probably a really mean and crappy question, but I decided to ask it anyways. If someone held a gun to your head and said choose me or you die- what would you choose? My point is- some people say that humans have free will and its their choice to turn away from God- but that's where the analogy comes into place. How can you really love and/or respect someone who says, "Hey, choose me or you are gonna die/go to hell, etc.?" That hardly seems nice to me. What type of God offers you a choice like that- "Worship me or suffer the consequences!" That doesn't seem like free will at all! It sounds more like blackmail or a threat. It just seems to me like free will is something to be punished, so why give it to humans in the first place? How do you feel about this? How do you see this whole concept of "free will" and the punishment for exercising such free will?

I did think about this question before posting, and I don't think it's pointless. I am not Christian, so I can't claim to completely understand Christianity... if anything, my questions show how non-Christians think, how they see the religion, and how/why they don't always understand some Christians ideas/opinions/ways of belief.

Answer 1

Dear Xenomorph - Girl: You have asked very legitimate questions about your Relationship with your Creator/Father. Christianity has little to do with making answers to those questions - clear. This is really about HOW your Relationship with the Creator/Father WORKS!

There was a Separation. It was not in the Garden of Eden. It occurred in Eternity - at home with the Creator. It happened inside the spirit-minds that God created in His own Likeness. He is Spirit-Mind.

Physical life is the Separation. Earth is sanctioned by the Father as a school for learning. That is what you are desiring to do right now. To learn something about Him. Our Return to Him was appointed by Him already. You don't have to worry about that.
You are safe here because you are an Eternal being - as He is. Physical "death" is just being "out of sight." He created the Holy Spirit to be your Comforter and Guide while on earth. He brought forth Jesus to be your Teacher and to reflect Himself - to you - that you may remember Him. We no longer feel we KNOW our Father.

YOUR FATHER'S NATURE: He has no judgement in His spirit-mind. Judgement is of the human ego-mind. There is no Hell. Hell is not a location nor a destination. It is simply a Hellish MIND! Your Creator is always focused upon the spirit within you that is like Himself. Your Free Will is an Absolute. That is why we get to have the physical experience. We wanted it! The Kingdom is in Eternity, not on earth. Remember Jesus said, I am in this World - but not of it! Neither are you or me.

Hell is a human concept. There is no punishment for His Children no matter what they do on Earth. Man punishes each other. God does not harm His Children. You are a part of Him. You are not God, but you are OF Him. Traditional religions speak of Hell a good deal. They speak of punishment. They speak of an angry God, a jealous God, etc.

When you are outside of right thinking and choosing harm for your Self or anyone else, the Holy Spirit will present a "life lesson" to you. No punishment intended. Learning - your learning - is what the lesson is for. As you learn, your behavior becomes "higher." There will be a return to the Creator - therefore, we need to reach a level of behavior and thinking that makes it possible for us to be fully aware of His light and love. A mind that thinks lower than the Father; that does not feel love equal to His; that does not understand it's relationship with Him - is a Mind that is not equal in its Nature to Him - and can not withstand His Presence. Lessons depend upon the personality that needs the lesson. If one does not learn easily. If one is stubborn about his/her patterns of harmful behavior, the lesson follows in that same exact strength. If you learn easily - the lesson is more gentle. If it is difficult to make you see and understand - the lesson has more POW to it! It depends on us, individually, as learners. Free Will is never a problem to Jesus or the Holy Spirit (The Creator does not keep His "eye" upon your human behaviors. He Created the Holy Spirit and Jesus to do that!). What matters to them, is how many hurts are you dishing out to your brothers? Lessons are to bring you upward onto a higher level or mode of behavior. There is no punishment. It can feel like punishment if you are bent on continuing to hurt your Self and others. The lessons become stronger. But Free Will is sanctioned as long as you are learning. You can't do anything else on earth! But learn.

Do not allow others to threaten you with a Hell that is outside of your Self. You may try all kinds of things - but then learn.

I hope this is of some help to you. If non-denominational teachings would be more free from the concepts of hell-fire and damnation or the Creator killing you (even through wars!), I would suggest the possibility of the book shown below. This is only a thought. . .

Answer 2

If you, by free will choose to live your life apart from God on earth, why would you expect... or even want to spend eternity with Him? Look at heaven as a gift to the believer... for it surely is not a place that is earned. Hell on the other hand is explained as total separation from God. Do you like what men have made of earth in their rebellion and separation from God. Wars, disease, pestilence, evil of all kinds... well then you will love total separation fom God, a place with no redeeming qualities. No light, no warmth no kindness.... total separation from all of Gods gifts for eternity. Think about it...

Answer 3

well no one can force u to anythin. if im in such a state ill shoot myself up rather than give up 4 wat i hav been beleivin all my life.

i would rather die than comittin to someother religion nor will i impose my religion on some1.

i beleiv that when a man does not respect his decisions, then all he does is aimlessly wander in middle of no where.

and no god or no religion says, 'worship me or ill shoot'. its coz of few twisted minded perverts that the rest of the world suffers.

people r misunderstandin the verses of quran, that is 4 sure. when Allah says obey or b ready for the consequences, He also states that repent and I will forgive u.

for eg. when ur school pricipal says that u need 2 hav attendence or u will face detainment or u will b thrown out of school. wat do u do? when u can fear and respect a mortal and man made rules. dont u think this is god and he deserves respect?

Answer 4

If one accepts God because of the fact the optimal authority extant, the two innovations are completely basically because of the fact it forces one to decide on the two way. in spite of which way one chooses, the duty for that decision continues to be theirs. No "gun to the pinnacle" mandatory; only acceptance of the outcomes the two now and then on your decision. It somewhat does not get to any extent further hassle-free than that. era.

Answer 5

Hell was created for the Devil and his Angels, not for Man. However if we turn our back on God, he will judge us according to what we do in this life. We are given all the knowledge to be saved from this torment, what we decide to do with this knowledge is "freewill"

Answer 6

you are right, this is a stupid question. God created us to worship Him. our life is a gift from God. we made the mistake when we sinned! God doesnt send people to hell, sin does. when we sin, we lose the opportunity to go into Heaven, and the only way to regain our ticket into Heaven is to except Jesus as our Lord and Savior. you need to really think about your questions before you ask them.

Answer 7

then be a muslim or get your head cut off...