If I believe in this god, then I am saved, while if I don't, I'm banished. Is that free will? It doesn't seem like I've been given a choice at all. Isn't it an awful lot like pointing a gun to someone's head, and telling them they can either obey me or not? It seems sadistic and controlling to me. Maybe I'm wrong. Please explain.
2007-06-26 08:06:08 · 30 answers · asked by Fire God 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Free will means you have a choice. You have a choice of being saved or not being saved. That said, Christian beliefs on this vary from person to person, denomination to denomination. It is true, for example, that many denominations based on Calvinist traditions believe that you DON'T have free will. You are predestined to eternal life or not. Most denominations, however, believe you ARE in control of your own destination. You can choose to be saved or not. You can choose to do good or not. Your choices dictate what happens, but they are always YOUR choices. My point is that I think from some points of view you probably make a good point, but try not to oversimplify it. Religion, Christianity included, is primarily about having access to God for support and being the best person you can be. You focus on that, and you can't go wrong.
2007-06-26 08:19:50 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. Taco 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Ok. Here's the deal. You say it's like a pointed gun, right? Let's use another example. A drug dealer offers you a substance that is suppose to give you an experience of utopia. However, you know darn well that if you take the drug, you could become an addict. In fact, your chances are pretty high you would. You have a choice.
You become pregnant. A baby has a heartbeat days after conception. There is an argument, it's not life or it is life. You get to make the choice.
Consequences are a part of life. If it's 40 below zero outside and you choose to go outside for a hike with nothing more than a sweater, you would freeze to death. You choose either to stay inside or dress appropriately.
Mountain climbing, you choose to do it or risk your life and not do it. Life is full of choices. You either choose a God who loves you or ignore Him and hope He goes away. Better yet, you know your heart is being tugged because you are so interested in the choice of acceptance that there is a God or not.
If God choose bad for me, I would not want Him. He only has good for me, for He is life. In him is life. He cares for his children and loves them unconditionally. He loved us so much that He sent His only son to die on the cross so our sins could be forgiven. He has gone to prepare a place for us, and will serve us a glorious supper one day before our enemies. He promises there will be no more death, tears or sickness. Maybe one day you will see God is good. I sure hope you make the right choice.
Peace.
2007-06-26 08:17:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
I'm with you there. I answered a question on here and a previous answerer had written 9.. yes 9 paragraphs of an answer which the questioner obviously didn't bother to read.. and neither did I as he rambled on about being "saved.." Riiiiight.. So I gave my opinion on the matter, got voted by the questioner as Best Answer and got 10points. But also managed to get 8 thumbs down!! Apparently I copied Jesus Boy's answer!! I ended up reading it yet there isn't really any correlation and I got nasty messages from readers about my copying. Then this Hypocrite Jesus Lover leaves the following comment, "But hey thanks for wasting my time and being unfair and rejecting Christ. Shows how mature and logical you are. Should have known better than to answer." Haha!! See?? I went to a Christian school and while I was there was when I lost my "faith." I think it's a cult with a friendly cover because what you say is so true..
2007-06-26 08:15:41 · answer #3 · answered by Noodle 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
If you don't believe in God, it doesn't really mean anything to you, does it? Banishment from someone/something you never loved doesn't matter.
God has given people the same choice. To believe and follow or not. It's all in how a person CHOOSES to believe.
2007-06-26 08:10:09 · answer #4 · answered by Chick-a-Dee 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Even if you do have a gun to your head or somene elses' there's still free will there. - no?
There's still a choice being made there, isn't there?
Speaking as a Catholic, Catholics believe - there is nothing we've done to "deserve" being saved, none of it we've done - it's all done by J.C. You have the free will to be a follower and to live in the "way" Jesus instructed or to deny living that way- but if you live one way or another it does not give you an automatic ticket to either place, God will determine that alone.
p.s. Isn't it obvious we have free will by looking at others who choose this or choose that?
2007-06-26 08:13:32 · answer #5 · answered by Amy Bee Pea 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I'm not really for sure either but unlike other people I believe the term hell is separation from god like you was before you was born and god has given us a choice to be with him and his friend im guessing cause you wouldn't want to make your friends be your friends would you.. they wouldn't really be your friend and also you go on alot of faith, his proof is how everything works togather on earth.. just sit down and think about how our body works.
2007-06-26 08:09:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have free will to decide the path you take.
Belief is not how you become saved, taking Jesus as your Lord and Savior is.
Tell me this, when your parents told you not to play in the road was it like they were holding a gun to your head? Think about it.....
It's best to learn something about what you speak of rather than make snap judgments based on something that pops into your head.
Do some Bible study and then come back.
2007-06-26 08:15:27 · answer #7 · answered by m_c_m_a_n 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
God gave us free will.... and God does not change the rules. What is a sin today was a sin 4000 years ago and it will be a sin til the end of the world.
We are all sinners, none of us are perfect.
He sent Jesus to die for our sin's... to save us from his own wrath.
Jesus stands between us and God. We lay our sins on Jesus.
You can either accept God & Jesus, and be saved, or you dont, and you go to hell. It is not "obeying"... it is just accepting his existance. If you DENY Jesus, then Jesus will deny YOU, and you will have to take the full wrath of God.
So, no, it is not sadistic. He is not controlling you or anyone.
You still have free will to do whatever you want. And for ALL of those choices, there will be consequences, good or bad. but if you choose Jesus, you will be protected from those consenquences when you are standing before God.
2007-06-26 08:17:34 · answer #8 · answered by Mike 6 · 3⤊ 2⤋
when talking about religion, it is important to me to explain that when i tell my beliefs, it is MY beliefs. i am not pushing them on anyone, and i'm not saying they are right, because, hey we don't really know, and wont' till the day we die.
now, that being said...
Christianity talks about free will, as in we can chose to love god, or we can chose to erase him from our lives. we can chose to love our friends and family, or go on a killing rampage. When the bible talks about hell, it is talking about 'absence from god'... meaning he is not in your life anymore, and won't be again. That is if you chose not to love god.
The second you die, you instantly know the truth, and your concience is cleared and you chose what you believe in. If at the second you die you chose to love god and believe in god and spend all of eternity in his presence, then you can. and you are saved. if at the second you die you chose not to believe and you don't agree that what is good is good, then you can go elsewhere. just meaning, away from god. I personally belive in Purgatory, I'm not real sure what religion that comes from, it's a family belif. Purgatory means that you pay for your sins while on this earth, and when you die you have a 'clean slate' so to say. you get a chance to start over. you get a chance to say yes, i was wrong for doing that and i'm truly sorry. I can't see God throwing anyone away. No matter what they did. That relationship is between that peson and God ONLY.
i guess the only thing i can say to make you feel any better is, follow what your heart tells you to... Stay true to what you believe in, and love what you love. My boyfriend is 'christian', but he leans more to nature than to spoken words, or prayer. His relationship with God is between him and God and as long as the two of them are on the same page, then who are we to judge them. ;)
Hope that helped a bit... have a good day!!!
2007-06-26 08:22:57 · answer #9 · answered by Silver Thunderbird 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I am a Christian and it most defenetly is not like putting a gun to your head. God has given you a choice. All you have to do is:
A. Admit you have sin
B. Believe in Jesus
C. Claim him as your savior
He's not the robber out there, he's your friend. He's given you the choice of doing ABC and living with him forever in heaven (because we all sin) or the SINing path...which means you do evil and DON'T believe. The choice is up to you, but the best answer is ABC.
2007-06-26 08:10:11 · answer #10 · answered by -----> over here 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋