2007-07-03 05:04:07 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Actually, kazapim, OBMIJ got that from the Bible...
2007-07-03 05:10:16 · update #1
Hi Bettie! I think the question contradicts itself, don't you think? How can it be both free will and my way or the highway? I don't think you can have both.
So, in essence, my answer would be no.
Enjoy your day dear!
2007-07-03 05:07:12 · answer #1 · answered by Sr. Mary Holywater 6 · 2⤊ 4⤋
Good question!
When your mom asks you what you want for breakfast, she pretty much knows what you will eat. That doesn't mean that you have no free will. She wants you to eat food that's nurishing. She may not like that you ate just cornflakes, but, beings you have free will, you will suffer the consequences of the dietary choices you are making on a daily basis. Nurishing foods brings health and well being for tomorrow (maybe much later.) Boxes of cornflakes, can bring only heart ache and pain as your body is not being fed the nutrients it needs to be optimal. You have to pay the piper sooner or later.
You can't choose the effect, just the cause.
Some choose to neglect their marriages, so they will eventually pay for their moments of indiscretion. The choices we make today, teaches us what we should've done tomorrow. Delayed payment insues. 'good' or 'bad.' It is not meant as a punishment, but as a teaching tool. I learned by my mistakes that I made earlier, because I got the result of the action that I chose at that early time. We learn restraint, faithfulness, patience, kindness pays off in the long run. Not immediately.
You 'suffer' natural consequences, not some, 'hit the road' demand, which is a natural consequence to domestic violence. You will get, "Hit the road" for THAT type of behavior, not from eating doughnuts for breakfast. That way, you'll learn the laws of cause and effect. Next time you won't throw things to get your way, but you'll learn to use words properly. You'll grow by it. It will be a lovely, not a hateful thing, as you suggest.
Don't forget, mercy is always available for the asking, and for the giving. Like our mother giving us that vitamin pill so that we don't have to pay too harshly, as natural consequences can be a very heavy burden for us to bare sometimes.
Sorry if this is too long.
2007-07-03 08:01:37 · answer #2 · answered by Blank 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pretty much. It's "free will" pretty much like being held at gunpoint is "free will"... you have the choice to walk away if you want but if you do, you'll get shot in the back of the head.
Which raises a good point: Is devotion to God really nothing more than Stockholm Syndrome...?
2007-07-03 05:30:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Hey...free will means you don't have to accept, put up with or sustain the "my way or..." approach. Palatable isn't a component exhibited by bullies.
2007-07-03 05:09:41 · answer #4 · answered by constantreader 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There is no logical reason to claim that if God knows what choices we are going to make that it means we are not free. It still means that the free choices we will make are free -- they are just known ahead of time by God. If we choose something different, then that choice will have been eternally known by God. Furthermore, this knowledge by God does not alter our nature in that it does not change what we are, free to make choices. God's knowledge is necessarily complete and exhaustive because that is His nature to know all things. In fact, since He has eternally known what all our free choices will be, He has ordained history to come to the conclusion that He wishes including and incorporating our choices into His divine plan: “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Thy holy servant Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose predestined to occur," (Acts 4:27-28). Why because God always knows all things: "..God is greater than our heart, and knows all things," (1 John 3:20).
2007-07-03 05:07:23 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
"My way or the highway" is the fallacy of oversimplifiction and shows a lack of understanding of what the Bible teaches about God.
Here's a more accurate picture of what the Bible says: God created you to have a relationship with him. It is what you are designed for and the only place you will find true fullfillment.
But God doesn't want to compell you to follow--to make you a mindless robot. Instead he wants you to choose to follow willingly. Just as, I would assume, you wouldn't want a lover who was forced to love you against his will.
The problem is that when we choose to go our own way we inevitably sin. God is completely holy and cannot live in the presence of sin. Still, he wants us to live with him. So he sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin in our place. All we need to do is humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness. If we do, we can spend eternity with God.
But if we refuse to accept the sacrifice in our place, we have no way to pay for our sins--no way to bridge the gap between our sinfulness and God's holiness. If we say, "no" to God, we will live separated from him forever. Do you think he should force us to stay with him?
The result of that separation is that everything that is comes from God will be gone. Right now we experience many good and wonderful things that come from God, but when God's spirit and influence is completely removed, what will be left?That will certainly be hell, but it will still be of your own choosing.
2007-07-03 05:14:24 · answer #6 · answered by happygirl 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
free will leaves the decision up to you, so with respect to the its my way or the highway that is a choice also.
2007-07-03 05:09:26 · answer #7 · answered by G 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Quite the opposite. People who think that God is here to give us a bunch of rules to follow in order to restrict us and make our lives miserable dont' understand God's plan of salvation. The "rules", in fact, were given to us to set us free.
For example, God gave us the rule of "thou shall not kill." Do you have any desire to kill your mother? Assuming the answer is no, you are free from that "rule." It is not a burden to you. If you do then you are not free and have some messed up things going on inside your brain. Are alcoholics free? Are drug addicts free? No. In these examples it's easy to see how the rules were given to us to set us free. But in reality none of the rules God has for us were meant to be a burden. In some cases they seem to be because of our own fault. But you can be free if you're willing to have faith and make the necessary changes.
2007-07-03 05:17:21 · answer #8 · answered by Thom 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It is free will, on your part to go where God is or to choose not to go there. You are invited by the bride and the Spirit, to come to Heaven (Revelation 22:17). God will not force you to come there.
Jesus died for your sin so that, when you choose Him as your Lord and Savior, you can live with God eternally. If you do not want this, there is only one other place to spend eternally separated from God and that is Hell. You choose, because God has already chosen you to be with Him, (John 3:16). Please choose Jesus.
2007-07-03 05:11:19 · answer #9 · answered by 4HIM- Christians love 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
huh?
free will would mean you can make any choice you want about a thing
my way or the highway is an ultimatum
2007-07-03 05:07:44 · answer #10 · answered by timneilson 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋