Even with free will, isn't the creator still responsible for the choices we make?

Question

It is said that God gave us free will, so he is not responsible for the choices we make. However, aren't our choices made by our mind based the way our mind is designed to think and on our experiences? Hence, our decisions are pre-determinded. Even though there are 2 or more options, our mind can only choose the one that best fits how we think and what we've experienced. Therefore, the creator is ultimately responsible because he designed our minds and our environment.

EXAMPLE: I am thirsty, and I can have 1 of 3 drinks:
Juice - which I love
Milk - which I hate
Iced Tea - which I've never had before

If I choose the juice, did I really make a choice, or am I just the type of person who would take what he knows he likes?

If I choose the Iced Tea, did I really make a choice, or am I just the type of person who likes to try new things?

Are there any circumstances under which I might choose the Milk?

In the end, do I really make this decision or was it pre-determined because of who I am and what I've experienced?

Of course, there are a million variables that go into the decision, but in the impossible event that every variable were always the same, wouldn't I make the same choice every time because that is who I am? (and thus, the responsibility of my creator?)

Answer 1

Blame casting never brings solutions. Taking responsibility for one's decisions and actions is the only thing that will advance you in your life and in your spirituality.

Answer 2

God created the universe. He USES situations, which can be contaminated by Satan's limited authority, to accomplish His will. He will judge us based on what we DID know and NOT what we did NOT know, true. Even in a deterministic universe where all events are predestined by the Creator, there is enough room for free will and the HUMAN is RESPONSIBLE for their choices. Choose which answer YOU will vote on. Even if the choice you make is predetermined, YOU still made that choice and it's on YOUR account. God warned Adam not to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden or they would die. So... guess you misread the account of Eden. Imagine the GPS system in your car assuming you have one. You input an address and destination into the computer. The computer calculates the best path to get there. But what if it says "turn left" and you continue driving because you ignored it? It will simply recalculate and find a NEW path to the intended destination. God's decrees and chosen people and those written in the book of Life were destined before time. People are responsible for the decisions THEY made in time.

Answer 3

With free will we have the ability to do things in one of two different ways, The right way or the wrong way. God does not know at the very moment we need to make a decision, what way we will choose. So we are responsible for the decisions that we make, it is natural for we humans to want to blame something or someone else for the mistakes that we make. Even Adam tried to place the blame on God when he said: "the woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate." At Genesis 3:12 When clearly Adam was the one who made the choice to eat of the fruit.

Answer 4

If God is omnipotent, before I was born, he knew exactly what I would do and think, he knew every decision I would make in my life, he knew every choice I would make, every bad thing and good thing I would do. If he allowed me to be born, with that foreknowledge, then God is responsible for everything that I think and do in my life.

Let's say I have a pit bull, and there's a rabbit in my back yard. If I let the pit bull loose in the back yard, I know he is going to kill the rabbit. That is his nature. If I do that, and he kills the rabbit, then I am responsible for the rabbit being killed.

The only way free will is truly possible is if God is not omnipotent.

Answer 5

Yes, God did create our minds and design how they processed situations, etc. BUT you forgot to take in consideration that when he created our minds, it was perfection in it's finest. When Eve and Adam fell into sin, the whole world and mankind after that was in sin, which destroys the perfection God has originally created. God is a gentleman, so he is going to let us make our own decisions, whether they are good or bad, and yes, some of them might be bad, because of the imperfection of our minds.

BUT also, in every decision we have to make, it's based on a situation we are in, whether it's good or bad. And God is the one who controls what happens to us, and what doesn't happen to us. But what you have to remember is that NOTHING evil comes from God, it comes from Satan. But before Satan can do ANYTHING to us, he has to go to God and ask his permission. Isn't that kind of pathetic? The devil, who thinks he is more powerful than God, has to ASK God's PERMISSION before he can do ANYTHING. God uses these experiences, trials, tribulations, whatever you want to call them, to draw us closer to Him and learn to hold on to absolutely nothing but Him. It also says in His Word, that he will put nothing on us that we can not handle. So although you might have made a bad decision, or are going through a really tough time, or both, you can know that with God's help, and God's help alone, you can get through it, and have wisdom to make GOOD choices the next time you face a decision.

But what's even better is that by going through these experiences, God is helping you learn, and maybe someday, someone you know will be going through the same thing, and you will know exactly what to tell them.

Good Luck and God Bless!

Answer 6

Absolutely NOT! We are responsible for our actions and choices. There is a plan for everyone, but that doesn't mean that when we make the wrong decisions, it is God's fault. We have choices, and it is up to us to make the right ones, and to follow the plan God has for us. When we get off that path, there are always other choices and decisions and circumstances that can lead us back on track.
Nice try, but you can't blame God for dumb decisions.

Answer 7

Every individual makes his/her own choices. We are all presented with temptations and tests. God does this to strengthen our walk with him. He wants us to be Christ like therefore choosing the best Christ like decision. Its your problem if you choose what YOU want instead of going to him in prayer and asking him what choice you should make. Don't blame the almighty because you made a couple of bad choices in your life.

Answer 8

well its simple if explained correctly ,i will try to exaplin it as best as i can.

im a Muslim and this is what Muslims learn about free will.

Fate has been Set all our actions have been written.

We do not have free will BUT! we do have free Choice ,and we are judged based on those choices .

meaning if you wanted to do something Good but then you realised that it is out of your capabilities or you couldn't Do the good thing you set out to do you are still given credit.

also if you where forced by circumstance to do something bad even though you are against it and didn't want to do it your not judged by what happened but what you wanted to happen.

I hope i explained it well

Answer 9

Yes! Good job. It really throws people of guard to think that maybe they are not completely in control. God does control (and has planned) our every move. I have heard it described like this: As you're driving down the road, you come to an intersection. You planned on going left, but then you decide at the last minute to go right. Even though you "decided" to go to the right, God knew and planned that too.

Answer 10

Libertarian free will is a concept designed specifically to try to get around this problem. To bad it's completely illogical. You are right, god must be responsible for all action, including human action.