Do most theists believe in pre-destination? If so do you think there is no free will?
2007-07-14 06:25:12 · 12 answers · asked by reelperspectiv 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Your assumption that predestination excludes freewill is false.
Most parents have had the experience of knowing what one of their children will say or do before the child himself or herself, and they are unsurprised when the child acts as expected. This is genuine knowledge on the part of the parent. Did the fact the parent was aware before-hand how the child would act imply the child lacked freewill?
Pedophiles re-offend at almost 100% This is real knowledge about their behavior. We know they are going back to prison. Does this fact imply that pedophiles have no freewill?
Now, then, suppose god were to know you "through and through" in some sense. Does that imply that you have no freewill?
So, whatever freewill is, and whatever predestination is (or foreknowledge, which amounts to the same thing) they are not necessarily mutually exclusive That leaves aside the fact of whether or not either one or both of them actually exist. There are, for example, non-religious socio-biologists and psychologists who emphatically deny the existence of freewill.
HTH
Charles
2007-07-14 06:42:13 · answer #1 · answered by Charles 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's a thorny question from a theological standpoint, because if God is omnipotent, he will know what decisions you will make, so that to a certain extent defines the terms as everything is predestined. That said, so long as he does not interfere without being asked to aid, God's will gets done, and man has the freedom to act.
2007-07-14 06:33:45 · answer #2 · answered by waytoosteve 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no doubt that pre-destination exists, as God's divine will is supreme.
That still does not cancel out the ability of every human being to make their own choices.
God is quite capable of taking all those choices into account, as he brings about the desired outcome.
This way, man enjoys free will, and God can be God.
2007-07-14 06:29:51 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Pre destination is when God chooses you, and you have no choice in your heart but to follow him. You will love him more then anything/anyone else in this world. You will know that obeying him is ALWAYS best in the long run, even if it upsets you in the short run. You will love God too much to worry about the things of this world more then the things of God. You will know that God is your father and you are his child. You will LOVE God.
www.JesusoftheBible.com
2007-07-14 06:35:10 · answer #4 · answered by themalator 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
One does not have to believe in a divinity to assert that whatever free will human beings have is by its nature contingent, finite and mitigated. The ascription of absolute freedom to the human will is one of the great conceits of modernity. It is rooted in the popularization of certain modern philosophers who took the qualities of the voluntarist conception of God and applied these qualities to humanity. This mistake engendered much of the misery of the modern age.
2007-07-14 06:34:17 · answer #5 · answered by Timaeus 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope. Not all of us do. Some believe in predestination by foreknowledge (i.e. God know what you're going to decide), while others (such as myself) don't ascribe to either of those views. I think that both predestination and foreknowledge limit our free will, as if God already knows what we are going to do, we don't have the option of doing anything else.
2007-07-14 06:32:11 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are in control of what we allow into our heart, whether it is the truth, and the love of God, or whether it is lies and falsehood which lead any and all away from God if they are held in the heart.
Romans 8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
2007-07-14 06:46:51 · answer #7 · answered by hisgloryisgreat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe, I can't answer on other people behalf. Do you really think there is free will? Who choose to get old and die? Do you choose to be sick, disable or mentally ill? If there is such thing as free will, the world won't look like this. Get real.
2007-07-14 08:45:22 · answer #8 · answered by z_jepoh 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Think of This:
If you could look ahead and see the results Instantly of every Action you did, would that be pre-destination?
If you could do it for your Friend, would YOU be causing him,her to Choose the Actions that they Choose?
I think that you would see them do an Act, the look Ahead and Warn them if that Action caused damage in the Future.
GOD can Look far ahead of that, GOD can see what you are going to Choose BEFOR you even Choose it.
And try to "warn" (help) us!
Is that predestination?
Ditto.
2007-07-14 06:34:54 · answer #9 · answered by maguyver727 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's not the destination, it's the journey.
2007-07-14 06:28:09 · answer #10 · answered by tichothewolf 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋