and you go to hell at the expense of using that free-will? thats like holding a gun to someone and telling them to do things. how is that a choice?
2007-04-01 00:45:32 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Don H: i agree, god is completely illogical.
2007-04-01 00:49:42 · update #1
like i said, how is it choice? did you read the metaphor?! that part about the gun!?
2007-04-01 00:51:57 · update #2
IDA: if we used 100% of our brains, we would have to manually pump our hearts. and manually realease and control chemical glands. are you sure about that?
2007-04-01 00:54:06 · update #3
palaver: and your comparing being grounded from your playstation to eternally suffering in hell? for things as minor as disagreeing with a belief or being gay? your way off.
2007-04-01 00:59:05 · update #4
misty: "Free will is not about freedom of choice."
thats what im saying.
2007-04-01 01:00:10 · update #5
Where's the gun?? The choices are laid out for you. When one is "forced" to do something choosing is NOT an option.What is wrong with laws like "....shalt not kill", "....commit adultery" Ultimately you are responsible for YOU. Unfortunately for you up to now you choose not to believe. Me, well I CHOOSE to believe, My God My Choice
2007-04-01 01:17:44 · answer #1 · answered by Eye of Innocence 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Without definitions of right and wrong many of us would be confused. It is the knowledge and understanding of good and bad which removes this confusion. Societal rules explain how to get along with others and God. It defines acceptable behaviour. Once this is understood, one has no excuse for breaking those laws. It is therefore, one's choice to accept or reject the rules of conduct. This is free will. Free will is a gift of the Creator. God doesn't want automatons running about doing its bidding. It wants one to freely make the choices which lead to a more fulfilling and abundant life.
And it isn't only Christianity which has these laws. Most religions I can think of have them, and they all boil down the same thing. That is, how to get along with one's fellow humans and their Creator.
2007-04-01 08:01:39 · answer #2 · answered by Slimsmom 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
BE, I disagree with your comment to Don H. God is not completely illogical. The theology is. Free will has to do with the ability to look to God for salvation, not all of the day-to-day decisions that we make. But I have to turn your analogy around a little bit in order to successfully answer your question, and that is to make the "victim" in your scenario totally oblivious to the gun and what it can do. The atheist couldn't care less about the gun, and will hurl insults at God daring Him to pull the trigger, he'll deny the presence of bullets, or just not recognize that the gun to the head exists. That recognition itself, of gun and bullet and the person holding it to one's head, must be GIVEN to the "victim," and only then can that person realize that not only did they deserve to die because of their membership in the "hate God" gang, but the gun has been SET ASIDE BECAUSE SOMEONE ALREADY TOOK THE BULLET FOR YOU.
2007-04-01 11:11:14 · answer #3 · answered by ccrider 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What part of freewill are you having problems understanding?
You want to see it as some sort of "holding a gun to someone" vs. being personally accountable for the choices that you make.
Your approach is no different than someone being in the dark and then complain that because they have to flip the light switch it isn't fair.
Or let's put it another way - would it be better for you never to know that there is a choice?
2007-04-01 08:00:08 · answer #4 · answered by Toe the line 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't understand your question. Because we have free will, it is NOT like someone holding a gun to our heads, forcing us to sin.
If I misunderstood you and your question was, that "if we are going to get punished for sinning, isn't that like putting a gun to our heads preventing us from sinning?", unfortunately, we all seem to rationalize our way into sinning even though afterwards we can kick ourselves for doing so.
By the way, sometimes we have very tough temptations, but we should always realize, that G-d feels we can overcome it, and G-d wants us to.
2007-04-01 07:58:22 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Free will is certainly a mystery. God is totally in control, but we are definitely accountable for our behavior and decisions.
Scientists used to say that we only use 10% of our brains (don't know if that is still the case). My speculation is that somehow in heaven, God "flicks the switch" and the other 90% is fully engaged. Then doctrines like the Trinity, free will, etc. will make sense.
2007-04-01 07:51:50 · answer #6 · answered by lda 4 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Your comments show the answer ........you have an opportunity to think and make correct decisions. Perhaps with your method of thought ,try this . Drive a car down the road correctly you arrive OK. Drive opposite traffic signs and instructions and die.
2007-04-01 07:58:03 · answer #7 · answered by Lowell R 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
People often misunderstand free will. Free will does not mean you get to have all the choices you want with no consequences. Free will is not about freedom of choice.
God created us. He could have created us to love him and obey him and we would not have known any different. He gave us the option to choose not to love him. That is your free will. You can choose not to love him. It ends there...if you choose to love him you will keep his commandments if you choose not to love him there are consequences.
If it doesn't seem "fair" to you it's because you are an imperfect being already fully in sin. God is perfect, perfect logic, perfect compassion, perfect love and perfect justice. He cannot be unfair. It is our view that is skewed by our sinful nature.
2007-04-01 07:55:53 · answer #8 · answered by Misty 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Your free to as you wish but that doesn't make all things good for you. Many things out there will hurt you but your free to do so. Free will in the spiritual realm means your free to do your life as you wish, to follow Satan ans his rewards or to follow Christ and his rewards. It all goes back to Adam God told him he was free to do as he liked but not to eat of the tree in the middle of the garden. Instead of doing what he knew to be right he chose to do what was wrong. This decision effects us still today because we are decedents of Adam.
2007-04-01 07:54:27 · answer #9 · answered by djm749 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The same way as mummies tell their free children not to go play tig with the traffic - 'cos it's bad for you, even if you don't see why at the time.
2007-04-01 07:54:47 · answer #10 · answered by palaver 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋