According to Christianity, God gave us free will, but every time we use it, he doesn't like the results.
The way I see it, he had three sensible choices:
1 - Make people with free will, and accept the fact that we won't always do things he likes. Realize that it's his own fault, and not blame us.
2 - Make people without free will. Boring and predictable, but at least we'll never do anything he doesn't like.
3 - Since he's supposed to be all-powerful, make people who somehow have free will AND never do anything that he doesn't like. Hey, if he can do ANYTHING, why not?
Instead it seems to me that he made people with free will, who do things he doesn't like, and he blames US for being the way we are when HE made us this way.
My question is this: Why didn't God pick one of the 3 sensible options I outlined above?
2007-01-29 13:49:02 · 17 answers · asked by catrionn 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Mandy:
"God didn't want us to be robots, as you say, because he wanted the gifts of praise and love from us. He wanted us to be able to choose to love him the way that he loves us."
Angel:
"God gave ever one free will for us to learn on our own and to choose to love him and to believe him."
See, this is what I mean. He gave us "free will", but there's only one choice he wants us to make. If he's not willing to accept ANY choice we make, without bellyaching about it or letting us go to hell, how are we really "free to choose"?
That's sort of like being free to pay to taxes, or else free to not pay them and then go to prison for tax evasion.
2007-01-29 14:22:33 · update #1
free will is the only way to get unconditional love from us, sin was the risk, but true love is what god wants. if we didn't have free will we would be robots and forced to love God.
2007-01-29 13:54:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Ok first off. I belive that life here on earth is a journey. I'm sure most people belive the same thing. Only I belive that it's a journey back Home. Meaning heaven. God didn't want us to be robots, as you say, because he wanted the gifts of praise and love from us. He wanted us to be able to choose to love him the way that he loves us. Also remember this one "A forced gift, isn't really a gift at all"
2007-01-29 14:01:06 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Life is a load more fun this way, isn't it?
If everyone believed in god, religion would just be another fact of life. The way god made it, it's something beautiful.
the same thing goes for life. If everything was always okay, how boring would that be? If there wasn't evil, how could the concept of good exist?
If god picked 2 or 3, life would be dull.
Existence would be dull.
2007-01-29 13:58:56 · answer #3 · answered by Ambiguity 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are assuming that a) that free will consists of the ability to make day-to-day decisions, and b) that God gave us free will. I believe you to be in error on both counts.
Free will, in theological terms, consists of the ability to look to God for salvation, not make day-to-day decisions. Both Calvinism and Arminianism are in agreement on this issue; however, Calvinism states that we are completely dead in our sins before God, and Arminianism denies this, which gives man credit for an ability that I feel belongs to God alone.
Arminianism leads to questions along the lines of what you've asked. Calvinism, though, not only gives God the authority to choose who he will have in his kingdom, but it stops the word-twisting of foreknowledge and predestination in order to fit man's perceived capabilities.
To answer your proposals in a Calvinist light, #1, we do not have a nature that allows us to "do things God likes".
#2, No free will simply means no ability to accept God, and yes, it's very predictable, but at the same time accurate -- one destination, and God would be completely justified in not saving anyone due to Adam's sin condemning all of humanity.
#3, I believe in a God who is all-powerful, and we don't have free will, and we never do anything that he likes. Of course we are to be blamed, we have a sin nature.
And the answer to your final question, God didn't pick any of those three "sensible" options because he is sovereign, and we are sinful.
2007-01-30 07:37:16 · answer #4 · answered by ccrider 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He didn't pick one of your suggestions because he is much more understanding than you think. Sure, he could have made a robot. How much of a blessing could a robot be? not much more than an Angel I assume. Yet, can you imagine creating something that love you, worships you and tries to do good in your eyes? Sensible you ask, Perhaps you should be thankful that you exist and have what you have and know what you know because of him. If I have the ability to create something I imagine that creating something that could think for itself would be the ultimate experience. It's if funny how the scientist of today keep trying to create the "perfect solution" to just about everything there is? from computer technology to drugs to laws....
2007-01-29 13:57:52 · answer #5 · answered by stephan s 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I even have confidence we are imperfect beings. i think of i'm seeing a splash irrationality on your thinking in the present day. you think of which you're able to be showing your bias on your use of the be conscious "mythological", and hence have given up all pretense of honest-mindedness? I, by way of transforming into a Spirit-led Christian, are transforming into a prepared participant of eternity. I willfully seek for to confirm God's be conscious happen. that's what a Christian is meant to be: somebody who needs to confirm God's be conscious fulfilled relatively of doing what the the remainder of the international does and combat against it.
2016-12-13 04:03:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
God gave ever one free will for us to learn on our own and to choose to love him and to believe him.
2007-01-29 14:02:23 · answer #7 · answered by Angel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God gave us free will to see if we would be responsible with our choices. If we make the choices we are supposed to in this life even when it is hard, we will be rewarded by God giving us opportunities and responsibility in the future.
2007-01-29 13:56:08 · answer #8 · answered by nobody_important_2day 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
he doesn't want U to have your own will. Romans3 11-18 says this. that's why he sent his son for U, cuss U don't live his will for your life, seek ye first the kingdom in your life, and all his righteousness. U go your own way..learn the ways of God. seek till U understand God.
I seek Gods face every day, to learn his ways. I'm hoping Jesus will make me like him. and die like him. a good servant.
2007-01-29 14:06:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
God doesn't *blame* us. He gave us free will. He asks us to do our best, and when we fall short of the mark, to ask for forgiveness. There's no blame involved there.
2007-01-29 14:03:15 · answer #10 · answered by happyhomeschooler 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋