If god is omniscient then he already knows what is going to happen meaning that it has already been decide meaning you can't choose meaning you don't have free will meaning theists can't say "oh god gave us free will and we messed up the world".
2006-11-12 06:43:04 · 13 answers · asked by Say no to jesus 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It's not possible. If free will exists, then god is not all-powerful. If god is not all-powerful then it follows that neither is it all-knowing.
2006-11-12 07:17:35 · answer #1 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Just because God knows what's everything that is going to happen doesn't mean that He is personally going to make all of those things happen; there is a big difference between God knowing all things (which He does) and God doing everything (which He doesn't).
Just like there is no real conflict between creationism and evolution, there is no conflict between God's omniscience and human free will.
If we weren't allowed to mess up the world with our free will, then we also wouldn't be able to choose the right path and be granted with eternal life, so yes, messing up the world is a side effect of free will, but it is an inevitable and sometimes even necessary side effect, showing people the consequences of their actions and putting their faith in God to the test.
2006-11-12 14:57:26 · answer #2 · answered by STILL standing 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, God doesn't know what "is going to happen", because that phrase indicates the future, and to God there is no future, past, or present. God simply sees the fullness of time, eternally, from His viewpoint outside of time. Therefore He does know what decisions of free will each person "will make" (from our linear perspective), because He has already seen, and is seeing, and will always see each person actually make those free will decisions. At this very moment (from our linear perspective - God doesn't have "moments") God is seeing the Creation of the earth, the sin of Adam and Eve, Jesus hanging upon the Cross, the birth and death of my great great great grandparents, my own birth and death, and the births and deaths of my great great great grandchildren. So, it isn't a matter of God knowing our actions "before the fact", for with God there is no such thing as "before" or "after". Those are time-related concepts. God has already seen, is seeing, and will always see every event that occurs in time, simultaneously (though "simultaneously is also an irrelavant term with God, since it means "at the same time", and God has no time). That's how He knows our free will decisions. His seeing our decisions however does not limit the freedom of those decisions in any way, any more than my seeing you make a decision limits your freedom in making it.
2006-11-12 15:23:19 · answer #3 · answered by PaulCyp 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are correct. The only problem is one would have to be omniscient to say for sure that the world is messed up. I'm no theist, but what qualifies as "messed up" to me may well be clearly perfect to a being that can see all ends. So, even though your point shows an important problem in theology, the actual flaw may be in our assumption that the world is imperfect.
2006-11-12 14:56:02 · answer #4 · answered by neil s 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe the word you you were searching for is omnipotenet,and yes this is a very good question,we use to debate this one at home a lot.If a person is predestined then your right but it doesnt work that way.for every decision there are two paths(black or white)(right or wrong)you get to choose the path and where you end up is your choice,but even though you choose,you are still an instrument used by God in his plan good or evil.The God of my understanding will use you in whatever role you pick
2006-11-12 15:22:45 · answer #5 · answered by stygianwolfe 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are thinking of God as a physical entity within the universe. However, we have to realize that God is transcendent, and exists outside of space and time. This brings up the whole question of, if God exists outside of space and time and knows the past, present, and future, what role can he play in our lives? It would seem that for this God to be a personal God and answer prayers, manipulate nature, etc. He would have to have two essences, one which exists outside of space and time and is omniscient, and one which exists within space and time and has limited knowledge. Obviously, this quagmire between transcendence and immanence is a central theological question and is very difficult to reconcile. However, I see no problem with free will from the perspective of a transcendent God, it is when you apply immanence to God's characteristics that it comes up.
2006-11-12 15:01:06 · answer #6 · answered by opher777 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suppose the answer would be that although he would know the outcomes to any given cause he wouldn't interfere with human free choice, hence you would have omniscience of God without it interfering with free will.
2006-11-12 14:50:46 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its true that He knows everything but knowing something does'nt mean that He wills it to be like that.... God has given us free will to choose ..... He has given us knowledge through Prophets about whats right and whats wrong....
Yes He always knew what will happen....before the creation of universe .....
Right now u have the decision in your hand u want His way or ur way.....what ever you choose that you shall get ...:)
prayers can change destinies and thats for sure.....its the best way to talk to Him although He knows what we are goin through but its the love OF God that compels us to speak to him...
2006-11-12 14:59:33 · answer #8 · answered by mujituri 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe omnicient means knowing all the trillions of choices and their interactions and the outcome of those interactions. Well, wether or not you believe theists have free will or not, they definitely are well on their way to messing up the world.
2006-11-12 14:48:07 · answer #9 · answered by Good Times, Happy Times... 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I guess we just have to trust in God, we just have to have Faith that upon being born again we will try to do right. Many do claim to be born again, and still do wrong and use it as an excuse "oh God will forgive me" I do not think God excuses intentional wrong doings. And I myself really do try to do right in Jesus' name.We do have free will but I believe I have God's Holy Spirit with me and he guides me in my every day life.
2006-11-12 14:49:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was raised Christian and am now a Witch and my mother and I have had soooo many discussions about this...I could not agree with you more...God knowing our every move, every decision we will face and the outcomes of those decisions, kind of defeats the purpose of free will huh?
2006-11-12 15:25:15 · answer #11 · answered by trouble in paradise 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋