Whenever a question comes up asking why there is still rape, murder, war, famine and crime on a world created by a benevolent god you will invariably answer: "God gave humans free will".
So you say the perpetrators of these actions are exercising free will. Fair enough. But what about the victims? Are they exercising their free will as well? Think they went out to get murdered, raped, abused or killed?
Or was their death or abuse part of gods plan? And if so, how was the perpetrator exercising their free will again? Also, how is that good?
2007-02-24 13:05:43 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
wow, bingo on the first answer. Great wording also. But I am not discriminating, I am examining the logic behind a statement that 'cristions' often make.
2007-02-24 13:10:28 · update #1
David G: that is the longest nonanswer I have ever seen.
2007-02-24 13:17:15 · update #2
Diane: false dichotomy my foot. I am exposing a faulty and weaseling piece of nonlogic christians use with their 'free will' and 'gods plan' BS.
2007-02-24 13:27:04 · update #3
This seems to be a question more from a philosophical view than a theological one since free will only has to do with the ability to look to God for salvation. So philosophically, I would have to say that free will would definitely be involved with compliance to the perpetrators demands versus kicking and screaming, for instance.
As far as whether it would have been a part of God's plan, I don't know how to answer that, to be honest. Free will almost by definition would have to involve a foggy outcome. If we truly have free will, then how can God know what that outcome will be? I think you have a very good point, events like rape and murder can't be good and not good at the same time except perhaps in a larger picture that we don't know about.
2007-02-24 17:25:14 · answer #1 · answered by ccrider 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You're asking why God wouldn't keep his word. From the fall of Adam until now, death has played a part...just as promised. To intervene would be to lie. God keeps his word. We are made body, soul and spirit. The spirit is the most important because it's eternal. Death is not the end especially for a Christian. It is to a non-believer and that is why they ask these questions. Your focus is on the here and now. You think dying is horrible. Well, maybe a little, but it is only the beginning. Life is short no matter which way you look at it. You live to 50, 60 or 95? Big deal. We'll all taste death at some point. And it is also promised that you do not know when your time will come. To all those victims you list? They have had their chances, just like you. Enjoy your short stay.
2007-02-24 21:27:32 · answer #2 · answered by JohnFromNC 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
You're setting up a false dichotomy. Yes, they were exercising their free will. That does not mean they intentionally became the victims of whatever crime we're talking about. Unexpected things happen to people.
And yes, it was part of God's plan, in that He knew it would happen and allowed it to occur. If your next question is along the lines of "why" or "how could a supposedly loving God allow that", all I can do is point you back towards the comments that you say began this question. Free will includes the ability to choose evil. Not the most satisfying answer in the world, I'll grant you, but to comment further I'd have to write a LOT more, and even I wouldn't bother to read it afterwards.
2007-02-24 21:20:51 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 3⤋
Our lives here are a complex mix of an illusion of free will, ( the illusion of which is all we have seemingly tangibly to deal with)...and the reality of predestination. If we are all gonna get along, we need to detoxify from eternal damnation worship and grinding and gnashing of teeth over past uniquenesses. Creed discrimination is amongst the top uniqueness. Christians in general have a predisposition to hire other Christians for comfort and yet their fundamental belief in some hell fire for deserving souls is very fouled and hurts people who are not fundamental Christians. Forgive Affirmed Spirit is the Way. Read about it. In reality God, a collectivity of all creation and creator, one in the same, made good and evil.
2007-02-24 21:14:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Uh oh! You're being reported for "descrimination of Christions"! I hope you have your schoolboy outfit on!
This argument goes for opposition to homosexuality as well since most religious people believe it is a "choice". This country needs to redefine free will. I hope that someone can give you a good answer for why the victims of such vicious crimes were part of God's plan. Except you're not going to get that, my friend. You are going to yet again get the argument that God gave everyone free will and in these cases it is taken from the victims. The latter is true. The former is not.
Ooh, the hypocrisy of it all!
2007-02-24 21:10:53 · answer #5 · answered by Me, Thrice-Baked 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I agree. As a rape survivor, I didn't ask to be raped. That was his "free will".
ADDITION: OK, I got a thumbs down for saying that it wasn't my will that I be raped, but it was the rapists. I was only 8 yrs old, what kind of sin could I have committed that god would want me punished by rape?
2007-02-24 21:17:23 · answer #6 · answered by sweetgurl13069 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
And it's amazing that
1) When priests interfere with children they are "being tested by god", but when anyone outside the church does it they should be hung.
2) They use this "free will" argument, yet still claim homosexuals are going against gods will. Well sorry but if their god gives people free will I don't see what gays are doing wrong.
2007-02-24 21:09:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 2⤋
There are many factors involved in a community or civilization. Evil only grows where it is left to grow, ignored and denied, as it is today, as it was by characters like Hitler who abandoning truth and the bible saw no evil in putting people in gas chabers in a universe that was evolutionary, they were just on top of the chain. In other words much of our evil if not all is eating bitter fruit we have sown and others have sown. You can experience evil but still overcome. By evolutionary atheistic reasoning how do you prove there is something that is evil, or rape, isn't just situational in that case?
2007-02-24 21:11:18 · answer #8 · answered by Socinian F 3 · 1⤊ 4⤋
They'll blame that on the "sins" of the "victim." They must have used their free will to sin and therefore have brought the crime upon themselves...
2007-02-24 21:14:22 · answer #9 · answered by DontPanic 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
God only writes the genetic code
up to the point where water forms.
After that, species are on their own.
Everytime we show up, we show up
in a genetic situation that we are a
part of.
Put the best efforts you can into life.
Eventually, God's blessings will find
you.
2007-02-24 21:14:54 · answer #10 · answered by kyle.keyes 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋