then it's not possible for me to choose anything else.
explain to me again how that's free will? since i HAVE to choose what god knows i will.
2007-07-12 06:28:55 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
There you go. An omniscient god is incompatible with free will, especially if he has a plan like Psalm 139:16 states.
2007-07-12 06:33:27 · answer #1 · answered by Graciela, RIRS 6 · 4⤊ 3⤋
As far as I can tell, there is only one way that god knows what your choice will be: because god IS part and parcel of ALL that is.
In other words, god IS the two sandwiches between which you are choosing, and god is the choice, and god is you, and god is the thoughts you have, and god is the time you are taking to make the choice, and god is every single other concept or thing that has anything to do with the choice.
God cannot not know your choice. But if you can think, your thoughts are god, too, and your choices are god too. You don't "have to choose what god knows you will" as if that is something other than what you choose. Your choice IS god. So when you choose, god knows, and you have the freedom of choice.
Confused? How could it be otherwise? How else could god know everything? And obviously, you know that you DO make choices, so that part you already know.
2007-07-12 06:35:06 · answer #2 · answered by nojunk_9 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
You do like to fine point things don't you? lol. Who knows why God works the way He does? Since His knowledge of your choice and your actual choice are the same, then in your mind and way of thinking that is not free will. God exists on another Plane and His ways of thinking are so different from ours that it would be like comparing apples to oranges. I don't pretend to know the answer, I just know that God exists and I have the Faith and trust in Him. Nothing we know or can say on this earth can explain His reasons. It would be like a baby trying to understand the reasons of a great scientist. But thanks for the question and have a good day.
2007-07-12 06:39:00 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Of course, they beg to differ, claiming that YOU cant see the future, so then you do have a free choice to make a decision...
But, If Pslam 139 is correct, then all my days are written in his book. So, that means that whether or not I go to Heaven or Hell is preordained. So, how do I have free will to choose Heaven if I am predestined to go to Hell? This is the concept they dont grasp.
2007-07-12 06:50:49 · answer #4 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God is all-knowing, one of the attributes of a God and I'm assuming you are refering to the christian God.
God is not making you choose 'right' or 'left' he just already knows which one it's going to be.
That's why it's free will, because he lets you choose, but since he is all-knowing, he already knows which one you are going to pick.
Does it feel like you are choosing what you want? If you go down the road on the 'right' or the road on the 'left'? You have complete power to go down the left one or right one, right? That's free will.
2007-07-12 06:38:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
His knowing is an artifact of your choosing, not the other way around.
I know the ball that rolls off the table will fall to the ground. That does not mean the ball fall because I know it will.
If omniscience is hard for you to comprehend then watch the movie "The mothman Prophecies."
It is like the guy on that building over there. It is not so much he makes it happen, it is just he sees a little farther down the road than you do down here.
2007-07-12 06:36:40 · answer #6 · answered by Moose 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Yes, he knows. Yes, you have free will.
How does his knowledge limit your ability to choose? It does not. You are implying God's knowledge controls your ability to choose, which it does not. If God's foreknowledge controlled all of your actions, then certainly wouldn't God only allow you to do good? Wouldn't you be prevented from making poor choices? Then, of course, you truly would not have free will. You could not choose anything, it would be chosen for you.
You are free to choose whatever you want to do. What you cannot choose is the consequences of those actions.
2007-07-12 06:44:08 · answer #7 · answered by Someone who cares 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Do you really want to know more?? Talk to someone in person about this who'd like to explain what we believe. I'm thinking you'd rather try to stump the christians than really understand free will.
2007-07-12 06:41:41 · answer #8 · answered by sherry312 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
so god knows, before I was born, that I would choose to be an atheist and be condemned to hell, how is that a loving god because I was born to be tortured for all eternity? he is one scary dude!
2007-07-12 06:37:36 · answer #9 · answered by atheist jesus 4 · 2⤊ 3⤋
If I could see the future, I would know whether or not you're going to decide to get up and go to work tomorrow, assuming you have a job.
I'm not making you go, just knowing whether or not you did before you do it.
2007-07-12 06:31:54 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋