Does God have the ability to interfere with the free will of humans?

Question

If he does, why does he choose to not intervene during tragedies? He intervened all the time in the Bible. If God can't interfere with free will, he is not omnipotent.

Mr Realist, bad things happen to good people, though. It seems random the way tragedy strikes people.

Answer 1

God can intervene but chooses not to. He is kind of trapped by his own invention.
If he steps in and he changes your future then all those you come in contact with throughout your whole existance will be changed. Think of that for a moment. To change your life is to change the lives of millions of others.
Why would he change all existance so that you dont have a bad day.
Our lives are mapped out for us at the first day of conception and we have to do the best we can.
I believe that God has created this world and everything in it and now he is sitting back watching how thing unravel UNWILLING NOT UNABLE to change anything because to change one small detail changes all of reality.

Answer 2

He intervenes daily. But you raised two different issues. Firstly you mentioned tragedies. After the Tsunami people from all over the world went to aid the victims. God intervenes through people. Secondly the world is subject to the effects of the Fall and nature is part of this. I think you would probably be outraged if I proposed a God to you who will make you do things against your will - you would accuse him of being a dictator and a control freak / puppet master. However God offers all men the gospel of salvation. He doesn't force people into Heaven. And omnipotent He most certainly is. His not interfering is consistent with his character which is love. His actions against Pharoah followed warnings. His actions in the Old Testament which I take it is what you mean by the times of the Bible were more direct, but then Christ coming to earth as a man is direct intervention. If you choose to ignore Him that is your choice. If you want Him to interfere as you put it - ask Him. He will.

Answer 3

Scientific thinking suggests very strongly that we do not have free will that comes from some unaffected part of our brains. Because we are natural beings, our perception of free will is very real, but if we knew all the particular elements that went into the brain's decision making process, we could accurately predict human choice.

Granted, this is a hypothesis, but the alternative is the suggestion that free will exists somehow unaffected by genetics, environmental factors, and experience--in other words, that free will occurs in the supernatural realm. Neurological research is early in this study, but there is evidence that the brain actually makes a decision BEFORE the person is aware and believes they are choosing. This would lead to the conclusion that the decision process happens at a preconscious level, where we are unable to engage in it in a conscious fashion.

I know this is not quite an answer to your question, but if you're going to argue against a supernatural God, it is only rational to examine the belief in free will with the same scrutiny.

^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^ ^v^

Answer 4

Well, God created us and put us on this planet and told us what we should or shouldnt do and gave us brains to think with. Now, if we are stupid enough to screw up our own lives by letting evil people take control of everything, why do we expect God to intervene ? Much of the tragedies and calamities we have on this planet can be prevented by us -the human beings- if we really want to prevent them . God however does intervene, if not sooner then later. Another thing you need to remember is that there's another life and those who did evil are going to be held resposible and punished. So, there's really no escaping.

Answer 5

If god intervened, that would - by definition - be a violation of the whole 'free will' concept. However, in the case of tragedy or crisis, one often unconsciously engages their 'survival mechanism' . That feeling of desperation allows for the body and mind to tap into some of the amazing abilities it has buried deep within. Unfortunately, these innate abilities are so stifled in modern living, that when they are accessed in a time of extreme need, we often attribute it to "devine intervention". Good luck.

Answer 6

Of course God has the ability to do so; but not the inclination.

Tragedies happen in our system of things, in a world that has rebelled and chosen self-rule, independence from God.

Have you ever read, God is not partial, what you sow you shall reap! We have sown independence and reap the fruits of it.

Even Christians must wait for God's kingdom to have the ills of society fixed, as Revelation 21:3,4 promised then tears, death and all former evils will no longer be -- Then not now.

God is a God of order not disorder. This world must first be destroyed in Armageddon before the new world order is entered. Also, Satan must be put into the abyss.

See these pages:
http://bythebible.page.tl/Evil__Why-f-.htm
http://bythebible.page.tl/God%5C-h-s-Payback.htm
http://bythebible.page.tl/God-h-s-Kingdom.htm

Answer 7

God certainly has the ABILITY to do anything.., He is omnipotent and omniscient..., but He has told us what He will do and not do and He lives by His subscribed standards of the law of LOVE. Now we don't always see it that way, but it is still His way. No one is in the 'dark' about God and His ways and methods; some maybe ignorant of those ways and purposes.
Also, If you want to see how God acts, feels, deals with mankind..., LOOK AT THE MAN JESUS!!
God deals with mankind by our prayers and our heart's toward Him through our faith and trust. He has a part in all human affairs and WE have a part in appropriating.
In a general sense, God has a timetable for Earth-life and His plans will prevail, but I choose if I will be a part of the positive purposes, plans and blessings of God or not. He doesn't choose FOR me.., but woo's me and sends me every opportunity to 'hear' Him.
HE LOVES US and wants us to love HIm back.., but never coerces or forces anyone to do anything!!
CHOOSE life and blessings or death and curses.

Answer 8

Of course, God can. The point is that He does not.

Can the one that creates something effect a change in what was created? Of course. Such is true of mankind and most definitely true of God.



"I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters."

Frank Lloyd Wright (1868-1959)

Answer 9

God is sovereign. He can do whatever he pleases. The so-called free will of man is predisposed toward evil since the fall of Adam and Eve in the garden. When the Holy Spirit gives new life, believers turn from sin to follow Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who gives faith and new birth.

Answer 10

This is Satan's system, can't you tell?
Since the birth of Christianity, after Christ was crucified for our sakes, we are to perservere and be Christ-like because he imitated his Father in heaven and showed us a better Way.
God's Day is coming with a vengeance upon all those who do not know Him and do not listen to His Word, the Holy Bible, our instruction manual for the real life to come.
Scoffers beware.
Remember Satan's challenge in the book of Job.