OK. We have free will, and yet God knows everything, so how is that free will? I mean, he knows it's going to happen so no matter WHAT we do it will all be part of a plan. THAT IS BS TO ME PEOPLE! EXPLAIN THAT IF YOU CAN
If he knows who goes to hell and who doesn't, that's not very fair right?? So if there is a God he isn't just or fair or nice is he?
2006-09-17 07:49:31 · 28 answers · asked by Mr. T, formerly known as Shadow. 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
so it's predestination isn't it? OK you people are just contradicting yourselves here.
2006-09-17 07:53:50 · update #1
So now God isn't all knowing? You people just make up this sh it to avoid the question don't you?
2006-09-17 07:59:11 · update #2
And we have the fire-and-brimstone people! Oh yeah I KNEW you people would give your 2 cents!
2006-09-17 08:09:48 · update #3
Sparkle: so there is a God but there are no souls? And I thought I had heard everything...
2006-09-17 14:12:29 · update #4
I agree with you.
You are one SMART and FREE THINKING PERSON.
Isn`t it ironic that every time this is asked we fluster the believers ?
Let hear some quotes on this one people ~
2006-09-17 07:53:37 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋
I think its possible that both God and Free Will are myths. The reason for thinking God is a myth has been discussed in this forum many times. But to my knowledge, no one ever says that Free Will is a myth. I know we all free like we have free will, but there is no way to prove that we have free will. As I write this, I feel like I can stop at any moment, ponder what I am about to say, and make changes. But is that an illusion? If it were somehow possible to take a complete snapshot of me, and later "replay" my experience of writing this answer, isn't it possible that I would go through the exact same sequence of thoughts and write the exact same thing?
Of course, there is no way to take a snapshot of a person. And because of that, there is no controlled experiment that we can conduct that would conclusively demonstrate free will.
I believe I have free will. I an not entirely certain in that belief, but I believe that even if it is possible that free will is an illusion, that I should still act under the assumption that I do have free will. My actions have consequences, and I am responsible for making ethical choices, whether free will is real or an illusion.
2006-09-17 16:34:06 · answer #2 · answered by Jim L 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We use our free will for many things, but the only thing God wants us to use it for is to Accept or reject him. THis choice he gives us freely and does not interfere with.
Now, prayer does change things. So free will is given to ask for things to be different. The only time that God will not grant our prayers is if it directly goes against his will and way about something that needs to happen (even when we cannot see what that reason would be)
In the secular world, this is called the butterfly effect. We have no idea that one tiny little action on our part could end up having a huge reaction sometime down the line of time. God does know the end result, but he does let us reject his will sometimes, he will just use someone else and we lose the blessing that we could have had from it.
2006-09-17 14:57:47 · answer #3 · answered by cindy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your God, (yes whether you like it or not, He is your God also) is not limited by our feeble understanding. He spoke all things into existence and all things are held together by the integrity of His word.
Yes, God gave us all free will and yes He does know what we will all do with it. Our refusing to accept His omnipotence neither negates nor diminishes it. God is not dependant upon our approval. He is a Just God and is not subject to our distorted sense of "fair play", He is God and we are not.
If you are offended by the fact that God already knows (and you don't) whether or not you will accept His free gift of salvation, or are dismissive of your Creator because He (according to His word, the Bible) doesn't fit the profile you have created for Him, then I suggest that you give some very serious thought to the following.
If God knows and you don't, you should take some comfort in knowing that you don't. Why? Because you, (by your God given right to choose) still have an option to exercise your free will.
If that does not help then consider also that God is so awesome that He not only knows your future but He also knows your every possible future, think about it and recognise that your God is truly an awesome God.
Last and by no means least we can trust in the integrity of His word that He is love, that our hope is given substance by our faith and our faith is made perfect in Jesus.
Joh 3:16-17
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
2006-09-17 16:09:03 · answer #4 · answered by movedby 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
At a swim meet, I know that when the starting gun is fired, the swimmers will dive into the water. Obviously I am not controlling the swimmers just because I know that.
And just because God knows who's going to heaven and who's going to hell doesn't mean He's sending them there. People choose their own destiny through their own free will and through their lifestyles.
Hey, not only is it placed in man's heart to know right from wrong, but the rules are also written in the Bible so man has no excuse! Just like when a person commits a criminal act, he knows if he gets caught, he will be punished through some form of sentencing right? Down here on Earth, we are not only under the physical laws of nature, (which God implemented), but we are also living under spiritual laws moment by moment.
So, you know the laws... it's your choice! Whether you agree with them or not is irrelevant - they are what they are!
2006-09-17 15:02:48 · answer #5 · answered by love_2b_curious 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No; you're not getting it. Free will meaning that, despite God's knowing everything, we still have the ability to choose what we do in life. God knows everything because he knows what would happen if we made the right or wrong choices. If we walk in Jesus, God knows exactly what will happen, depending on what we choose to do. If we don't, God knows that we will go to Hell and he knows exactly how, since we would be in the Devil's hands. That can help reconcile God's omniscience with our free will.
Aside from that, Jesus shows us that we all have the ability to choose. He told us that there are two roads: the broad road that leads to destruction, and the narrow path the leads to life. He encouraged us to CHOOSE life. In no way does the Bible support the concept of fatalism. It is repeated over and over again in the Bible that humans choose Heaven or Hell.
2006-09-17 14:55:40 · answer #6 · answered by l;wksjf;aslkd 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe the idea is that he doesn't know everything every person is going to do. What he's supposed to know is the general plan based on the nature of Satan and some humans tendency to follow him. So, he knows that some people will choose to refuse him and some will follow, and that those who choose Satan will cause the end of the world as we know it. To the best of my knowledge, there is not pre-made list of who will or won't go to 'hell' or 'heaven'. If I recall correctly what it says in the Bible is that God will come again TO JUDGE, not that he's pre-judged. Free will is us being able to chose our own paths. As for God being nice. I don't think he's much interested in being nice. It's more that he's like a parent. He's set the laws. If you follow them, he'll be good to you. If you don't... punishment.
2006-09-17 15:02:16 · answer #7 · answered by ***&&*** 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think you are confusing the issue. You are confusing God's attribute of omniscience with our freewill. There is a difference between knowing something and doing something. Just because God knows everything does not mean we have to do what He knows. You are also confusing God's omniscience with fate. We are not fated. Just because God knows of Hell doesn't mean He has a plan for all or some of us to go there. Hell is what we choose.
We can go through life as good people and say to God, "Thy will be done." Or if we choose not to and choose Hell, then God will say to us, "Thy will be done."
Now following God's will is not oppressive. It is life-giving and life saving (salvation). So, to choose Hell is to choose that which is not life-giving or life saving. In the end we choose one way or the other.
May the Lord bless and keep you. May He let the light of His face shine upon you.
God's and your beast of burden
Fr. john
2006-09-17 15:00:42 · answer #8 · answered by som 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is a short little verse in the Book of Proverbs that may help answer your question.
Proverbs 16:9 "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps."
Man's free will allows us to choose our own path in life (way).
And...God loves us enough to direct our steps along that chosen path.
Should we stray too far, God has a way of getting us back on our path, and during the course of our life-journey, we are exposed to another choice: Jesus Christ.
Again, our free will allows us to choose Jesus as Savior, or reject Him. Research it, and you'll know what the results are from either choice.
God is just and fair because He never FORCES His will upon us.
But to make wise choices, we must research the consequences, or the blessings of our decisions.
It's like making a financial invetment. Hopefully, you do your homework to get the best return on your investment.
2006-09-17 15:08:47 · answer #9 · answered by Bob L 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
People have free will. God CAN know anything he wishes to know but chooses not to know all things in order for us to be able to decide for ourselves. Hell (as a firey place of torment where souls go) is an outright lie. The Bible definition of soul is the person you are or the life that you have. Obviously, then, neither of these can survive the death of a person. AND, the Bible says, when you die, your thoughts cease!! You could not experience torment if you were not consious of anything at all!!!
2006-09-17 16:43:25 · answer #10 · answered by Sparkle1 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, considering you usually have at least two choices in a situation, and you pick the one you see as the most right, then, yes, it's free will. Just because God knows what you are going to pick doesn't mean that you did
2006-09-17 14:53:21 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋