What are the arguments FOR and AGAINST the existence of FREE WILL?

Question

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Believers and Non-Believers alike are invited to reply.

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Answer 1

Me not being able to chose what socialization I experience goes AGAINST freewill. I am not who I am because of choice but because of what the world has forced on me. FERAL BABIES!

(Of course, freewill is a very poorly defined word. To me, freewill is not the ability to choose but independence from genes, environment, and socialization of which I argue there is none. True love? Give me a break. I wish I could choose to fall out of love with people.)

Answer 2

Argument for Freewill is the existence of True Love.

True Love is not forced, but chosen between a man and a women. Each person surrenders self for the other, and allows God to act within their surrender, to create life.

Agape Love was perfectly taught by Jesus the Christ when He died in flesh for each of us. In successful marriage this is exactly the type of love that is given freely to each couple.

Answer 3

For: Heisenberg Uncertainty principal

Against: Quantum Mechanics.

The idea (or illusion) that you have a choice when you are presented with multiple options in no way dictates the existence of free will, as believing you can fly means that you are able to.

Answer 4

Eve chose to eat of the fruit- Freewill
Cain chose to slay Abel- Freewill
Moses chose to disobey God by striking the rock- Freewill
David Chose to lie with the wife of Uriah- Freewill
Job chose not to charge God foolishly- Freewill

John 3:18 "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

You have a choice.

Answer 5

There is no valid argument. Only belief and disbelief. One compements integrety and can be confirmed through natural law and the gifts of the spirit. The other is left to rationalization at best and disconnection of conscience at worst.

Answer 6

The fact that you are freely posting this in this forum and that people can freely respond shows that there is NO ARGUMENT against the existence of free will. It is like asking if there is any evidence against the existence of gravity while we are all grounded on earth!

Answer 7

FREE WILL

Question. -- Is man a free agent in all his actions, or is he compelled and constrained?

Answer. -- This question is one of the most important and abstruse of divine problems. If God wills, another day, at the beginning of dinner, we will undertake the explanation of this subject in detail; now we will explain it briefly, in a few words, as follows. Some things are subject to the free will of man, such as justice, equity, tyranny and injustice, in other words, good and evil actions; it is evident and clear that these actions are, for the most part, left to the will of man. But there are certain things to which man is forced and compelled, such as sleep, death, sickness, decline of power, injuries and misfortunes; these are not subject to the will of man, and he is not responsible for them, for he is compelled to endure them. But in the choice of good and bad actions he is free, and he commits them according to his own will.

For example, if he wishes, he can pass his time in praising God, or he can be occupied with other thoughts. He can be an enkindled light through the fire of the love of God, and a philanthropist loving the world, or he can be a hater of mankind, and engrossed with material things. He can be just or cruel. These actions and these deeds are subject to the control of the will of man himself; consequently, he is responsible for them.

Now another question arises. Man is absolutely helpless and dependent, since might and power belong especially  249  to God. Both exaltation and humiliation depend upon the good pleasure and the will of the Most High.

It is said in the New Testament that God is like a potter who makes "one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour."[1] Now the dishonored vessel has no right to find fault with the potter saying, "Why did you not make me a precious cup, which is passed from hand to hand?" The meaning of this verse is that the states of beings are different. That which is in the lowest state of existence, like the mineral, has no right to complain, saying, "O God, why have You not given me the vegetable perfections?" In the same way, the plant has no right to complain that it has been deprived of the perfections of the animal world. Also it is not befitting for the animal to complain of the want of the human perfections. No, all these things are perfect in their own degree, and they must strive after the perfections of their own degree. The inferior beings, as we have said, have neither the right to, nor the fitness for, the states of the superior perfections. No, their progress must be in their own state.
[1 Rom. 9:21.]

Also the inaction or the movement of man depend upon the assistance of God. If he is not aided, he is not able to do either good or evil. But when the help of existence comes from the Generous Lord, he is able to do both good and evil; but if the help is cut off, he remains absolutely helpless. This is why in the Holy Books they speak of the help and assistance of God. So this condition is like that of a ship which is moved by the power of the wind or steam; if this power ceases, the ship cannot move at all. Nevertheless, the rudder of the ship turns it to either side, and the power of the steam moves it in the desired direction. If it is directed to the east, it goes to the east; or if it is directed to the west, it goes to the west. This motion does not come from the ship; no, it comes from the wind or the steam.  250 

In the same way, in all the action or inaction of man, he receives power from the help of God; but the choice of good or evil belongs to the man himself. So if a king should appoint someone to be the governor of a city, and should grant him the power of authority, and should show him the paths of justice and injustice according to the laws -- if then this governor should commit injustice, although he should act by the authority and power of the king, the latter would be absolved from injustice. But if he should act with justice, he would do it also through the authority of the king, who would be pleased and satisfied.

That is to say, though the choice of good and evil belongs to man, under all circumstances he is dependent upon the sustaining help of life, which comes from the Omnipotent. The Kingdom of God is very great, and all are captives in the grasp of His Power. The servant cannot do anything by his own will; God is powerful, omnipotent, and the Helper of all beings.

This question has become clearly explained. Salutations!  251 

(Abdu'l-Baha, Some Answered Questions, p. 247)

Answer 8

...I know you're serious. But this is easy (for a believer, at least)

Free will exsists, because if it didn't, God wouldn't have sent Jesus, Adam and Eve would'ave never sinned, and essentially, we'd be perfected robots.

God wants us to have fun, have new expieriences, etc, but he wants it in the context of his plan for us.

Like a loving father lets his daughter go out to parties but not date that particular boy...

The more God gains our trust; the more he uses us for his glory.

It starts in the small things.

Woah.. off topic. See my first couple sentences. :)

Answer 9

Your barely ahead of me(in points).
If i decide to answer more questions I can pass you.
If I don't you may stay ahead of me.
Which choice will I make.
You can choose to follow your choices (which includes rejecting Jesus if you haven't accepted HIm).
You decide (today is the day of salvation).

Answer 10

God is eternal having neither beginning of days or end of life, a Spirit fire or light called life. The Word begins with thought from conscious awareness I am, acquiring wisdom to reason thought to self with the Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God. This wisdom of thought with words is not any substance or matter but Spirit, the Holy Spirit. God is One, by Himself or alone with His Words the Holy Spirit. This timeless existence of reasoning wanted company and God’s thoughts turn to creating company or sons. Sons to behold, abide with, and communion with. God discovered love, not of the thought, but of the sons He envisioned. God felt this love, the magnificence of it and wanted His sons to love Him. God realized He could not create true love or forced it upon a being, but true love would only manifest in sons of freewill. The wisdom of God also knew it would be necessary to govern sons of freewill by laws that are fair and righteous, to hold them accountable. God was willing to risk rejection and rebellion against the law. Sons of freewill could choose not to love Him but must obey the law. The sons would need a place to abide, explore, and grow. God created the heavens and the earth, His kingdom.