2006-11-04 20:35:20 · 9 answers · asked by DREAMER 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ability to exercise one's choice and bring that choice into effect independently of any involuntary causal link which made that person's choice a necessary outcome.
EDIT: SH's attempt to show a contradiction in human libertarian free will and classical theism fails. God's divine foreknowledge assures us that He knows what we would choose if presented with a set of options in certain circumstances. But we still have the ability to choose. In other words, God's infallible foreknowledge makes a particular outcome CERTAIN, but this does not make that outcome in any way NECESSARY.
The difference is a measure of epistemological CERTAINTY, and ontological NECESSITY. Put differently, God's perfect foreknowledge no more causes us to choose an option any more than an infallible barometer controls the weather.
2006-11-04 20:41:40 · answer #1 · answered by Daniel 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Leave it to man to complicate the basic premise of free will.
He gave man Free will which simply means the ability to choose.
Good and Evil are the parameters with which we live.
The angel Lucifer also had free will and chose to set himself against God --thus Lucifer became the essence of evil.
Our futures are not "fixed" and God is not evil because bad things happen.
The evil found in life is directed by the choices made and the consequences of those choices are often allowed by God while at the same time Gods love, mercy and long suffering has spared many from what would be the proper fruits of their choice.
God will not force his will on anyone, instead he has invited man into a relationship with him if we so choose.
Free will allows people to change their lives for better or worse--again this is a choice.
Faith,prayer and communication with God are all choices that can and will direct ones life.
The opposite is true of those who reject God and choose their own way--their lives will evolve according to their chosen value system.
Animals live in a pre-determined way according to their species as they have no free will. Not so for humans--we have freedom of choice but must live within the already established universal laws of an imperfect world.
We are but specks in the grand scheme and yet God so loves us that he sent his son to his death so that we may have eternal life which again is by our choice.
2006-11-05 07:13:45 · answer #2 · answered by grammadebbie50 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was always so confident about what free will is, as a concept, until I got into the physics of chaos. It's not like I have a new position on this ancient debate. It's just that I'm seeing something "alternative". Can't put my finger on it . . .certainly don't have all the language for it, yet. But, we have all been wrong. We have been thinking about OUR free will and GOD'S will. Actually, there's another will involved that seems to be more important than ours. And, it ain't a God, so to say. I'm excited about what I discovered. Am working on it to publish.
2006-11-05 05:23:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Enlightened thinking.... this is not an automatic process; it is a skill which we learn only if we take the time and make the effort. Enlightened thinking is a process which runs counter to much of the automatic functioning of the mind. For example, our minds usually accept the dogmas and myths of our culture. Most peoples' minds become programmed with the beliefs of their era and society. They don't think for themselves but let their parents, their friends, their favourite TV show, or what cultural beliefs implant in them. To be able to form sound opinions and make effective decisions, you must know how to think critically. Enlightened thinking begins with recognizing how we have allowed others to think for us, requiring unusual effort. Enlightened thinking involves the careful consideration of multiple points of view and keeping our minds open to alternative sources of information. Unless we work at becoming critical thinkers, there is a natural tendency is to limit our ideas to only those that are easily available, never really discovering or considering alternative sources of information. As you develop the skill to think critically you learn to suspend judgement and consider a variety of ideas or plans. Free will is about being pro-active rather than being reactive.
2006-11-05 04:44:29 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
When you think about it, free will can't exist according to the bible...
Firstly, the supposed god is all knowing and all powerful...
This has quite a few implications...
Because he is supposed to know everything, he must also know the future. If he created the universe, and everything in it, knowing the outcome of everything the whole time, then EVERYTHING bad that's ever happened, HE meant to happen. Also, because he knows the future, and because each of us were supposedly made by him, he would also have known every one of OUR futures before he made us too. If our futures are known, meaning that they can't turn out any other way, then how is it possible that we have FREE WILL??? Whatever we do, we are just doing exactly what the god made us to do...Also, since he would know all of our futures before we are even made, each time someone goes to, "hell," god MEANT for him to do that... That would make god evil...
There can be no such god as described in the bible... The very definition of that god contradicts itself...
2006-11-05 04:42:42 · answer #5 · answered by RED MIST! 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
" God made Man and everything else & he holds the Fate of every being " , If this was True then we are all just puppets of God who controls everything . Then , We would have no reason to pray . Therefore , The Church and Mosque or whatever created the concept of FREE WILL by which they say GOD has Allowed man to choose his actions wheather Right or wrong thus enabling him to be the maker of his own ultimate FATE
2006-11-05 04:53:06 · answer #6 · answered by Indotan 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Free Will is the will to chose, without anyone choosing for you. God gave us free will so we don't have to depend too much on Him.
2006-11-05 04:37:12 · answer #7 · answered by freakazoid17 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Living your life
2006-11-05 04:37:20 · answer #8 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the NATURAL capacity we all have to act within a few logical boundaries, but that religions will have you believe is a gift from god...
2006-11-05 04:37:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋