You don't have it now and you're doing just fine. God could make a world with no evil and no free will, but make you think that you have free will. What would be wrong with that? We'd be happy and think we were free too.
2007-02-20 04:10:16 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Idina: I'd rather have her choose me of her free will. That doesn't mean we have free will. What I want has no bearing on the truth.
2007-02-20 05:42:01 · update #1
Laura H: Right. If God exists and we have no free will and people go to Hell, then he is cruel. It's a good thing he doesn't exist.
2007-02-20 05:43:31 · update #2
I'm married, I havn't had free will in 7 years, it's not so bad.
2007-02-20 04:14:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
If we did not have free-will that would make God cruel: That would mean that the people who are condemned to hell are condemned for something they could not help but do.
We are born sinful (Rom 3:10-12) and need the Holy Spirit to believe in Christ.
Because God loves us so much, Jesus died for all (1 Tim 2:6) God pours out the Holy Spirit on all people (Acts 2:17). However, many people resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51), thus, as the bible says, many are called but few are chosen. Those who do not repent and be baptized are doing so of their own accord. They were given the opportunity to know Christ but refused.
2007-02-20 13:32:10 · answer #2 · answered by Laura H 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you choose a girlfriend, would you rather have her choose to love you, or would you have her be a robot.
It gives humans the respect they deserve to choose what they want.
If there was no possibility of evil, there would be...nothing.
For there to be love, there has to be the possibility of indifference. The greatest things wouldn't exist if you could not choose them. If you couldn't choose not to forgive, what would your forgiveness mean? I've heard it said that there is no evil, just the absence of good. What is darkness? The absence of light.
God isn't such a dillhole that he would create his own little slaves that he could force to serve him, be with him, love him, and worship him. It wouldn't be worship or love.
If you are the literary type, I would strongly advise you to read the chapter of The Brothers Karamazov entitled "The Grand Inquisitor". It is an atheists argument about this same subject and it doesn't force you to take either side, just to think about both sides. It's very good and it covers it better than I can.
In your way of thinking, you assume that the right thing for people is to get whatever they want and to be showered with unending happiness. I disagree.
"As much money and life as a person could want? Humans do have a knack of choosing what is worst for them" -Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter :)
If you did that to a child, the child would be spoiled rotten, lacking in compassion, sense and love. You don't do that. You teach with experience. Think back on the most influential occurance in your life that made you who you are today. Was it a happy time, or was it a time when you were tested as a person?
That same book, The Brothers Karamazov (obviously one of my faves), includes an emotional chapter where a skeptical brother tells his younger sibling, who believes in God, that the existence of suffering children proves that the existence of God is an impossible thesis. He pretty much says, "Nothing in the next world, no matter how grand, how much it fulfills and how happy it makes you, can make up for all the suffering of the world. Your defense is that there is an unimaginable paradise where every tear is wiped away and everyone is comforted beyond their wildest dreams, with all the ideas for pleasure and love that God has saved for that time. I do not believe such a place is possible that can make up for the suffering in this world." To me that only raises the question- what if there is?
Honestly, the times I was closest to God, had all my priorities straight, and was the most compassionate, and listened to people more, were the times when I wasn't doing to well and all I really had to hang on to and talk to was God. In Christianity, the greatest joy is to know God and be close to him. Look at the attitude of Job. At the end, he wasn't complaining. He was glad because it made him a better person with a stronger faith and a greater value for what he had in life. God is the one who gave him life, health, and those belongings in the first place. If he needs to take it away in order to refine Job and to bring him closer to truth, love and wisdom, he is allowed to do that. He didn't understand at one point and asked God why. God replied, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth?" His point being, "Dude, I know what I'm doing. You may not understand now, but you will later."
Only God knows what you need to know. And he also knows how to make a world that is worth making. Not a nothing-world.
(oh, and in response to "SANSFEAR", the Bible indicates that God has left enough evidence so that those who want to find him will find him. He has also left enough so that those who really wouldn't choose him can be distracted or satisfied for a time with other things (pride, entertainment, sex, tv, materialism, success.) Just showing himself would be tantamount to saying "believe or go to hell". God doesn't use scare tactics and eliminate free will and just falling in love with him in that indescribable way that you can (and some Christians should take a lesson from that).
2007-02-20 12:19:37 · answer #3 · answered by Mrs. Eric Cartman 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Interesting thought, but I answered this a few weeks ago, so I guess in your case great minds think alike.
I have to disagree that we don't have free will. Think about someone you truly love, you want what is best for them. And you would not want that person forced to be with you. You would want them to choose to be with you, right?
Here is the biggest problem with having no evil in the world: there are people that just don't want to do good, can you imagine what it would be like for those people to have to be forced to live inside the rules? Kind of like being forced to be happy. God realized this, and that is why we have the choices we have.
2007-02-20 12:16:57 · answer #4 · answered by Searcher 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sure would mean alot less people would be bound for hell.
How about some concrete proof that he exists, we could still retain free will, even with the proven knowledge that God exists. I am sure there would be a few morons that would choose to go with Satan. But without concrete proof of his existence God sure is making this Free will thing tricky
2007-02-20 12:15:21 · answer #5 · answered by ɹɐǝɟsuɐs Blessed Cheese Maker 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
If human beings did not have Free Will, we would be under the control of others.
People who do not have control over their own lives, often make futile attempts to force their will upon others. How do we acquire control over our own lives? By having control over our minds {our thoughts). If we control our own minds, then mental stability, and happiness are the results. Many people, and their religions attempt to force their way of life, or religion upon people because they do not have control over their own minds, thus do not control lives, but they have relinquished their will, and all control over to a religion or over to a god. When in all actuality, it is not a religion, or another person, or a god who is responsible for our own personal Happiness, and peace of mind, "it is us." We, as individuals, are the only one's responsible for our own peace of mind, and happiness. But many put that responsibility into the hands of another, so as a result, they are never content, at peace, or truly happy in life. They are emotional Yo-Yo's. They always want more things: clothes, a bigger better house, a better relationship, and feel pressured/driven to have to convert others, for fear that they might disappoint he whom they have relinquished their control = "their free will" over to, if they do not try to convert others. As a result, they are never satisfied. They are never content, and happy with what they already have.
Thankfulness, and contentment are the first fruits, so to speak, toward acquiring peace of mind and happiness. Hope this helps some. Thanks for your Question, have a great week.
2007-02-20 12:52:38 · answer #6 · answered by Thomas 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because God knows our every move, every thought and every action before we commit it, people think we have no free will. God is Love and because He loves us gives us free will to choose. It is therefore up to us to make the right decision by God or suffer the consequences.
2007-02-20 12:29:18 · answer #7 · answered by JDJ34 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think if we lived in a world of free will, there would be peace on earth, no more hunger. I always wonder why the good Lord does not take away our free will and give us true happiness.
2007-02-20 12:15:26 · answer #8 · answered by sara w 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
~~~MB,,,, Without freewill we don't have as much opportunity to growth by making mistakes,,, or wise choices. What would be wrong about being deceived by a god,,,,Ignorance is NOT bliss.
2007-02-20 14:56:50 · answer #9 · answered by Sensei TeAloha 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you didn't have a free will you wouldn't take it so lightly. You are an idiot. I know go ahead even though I am right. Just exercising my free will.
2007-02-20 12:17:07 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Maybe its been tried before. Most people like to have a choice anyway.
2007-02-20 12:13:22 · answer #11 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋