Why does free will come at a price?

Question

You know what I mean. Accept god everything is good. Don't accept god well you know... hell.

Answer 1

A dichotomy that I do not worry about.

Answer 2

Have you thought about the fact that we just might not have the free will that most everyone here so far has claimed? What if you do not have the ability to look to God for salvation? If that's true, then what do you really deserve but a starting point of eternal punishment? If everyone deserves hell, then it is up to God to "rescue" his own, and choose them from before the foundations of the world, to enter into a relationship with himself, completely undeserved, and yet wonderful news to the ones who believe.

So yes, free will does come at a price -- that of puffing up with pride at the ability to control God by your own executive decision. There is no such thing as acceptance, the glory does not go to us -- it goes to God who ordained and decreed who would be saved.

Answer 3

Free will comes at a price as we are responsible for our choices and actions that result from them. People make some wise choices and some bad ones and learn through them

I honestly don't see where God/Goddess/The Divine/The Source... has anything to do with the concept of free will.

Blessings,
Yoga Rani

Answer 4

If it didn't have a down side, what's the choice?

Sounds about like the town described in the recent ads for Wal-greens..."in Perfect, there is no hell. People have the freedom to believe whatever they want and there are no negative consequences for any of them."

Sillwy Wabbit, rule-free wishes are for kids. Like they say on the commercial, "we don't live anywhere near Perfect...that's life...!"

Answer 5

When God created humans, among the many marvelous gifts he gave them was free will. The Bible tells us that God created man in his ‘image and likeness,’ and one of the qualities God has is freedom of choice. Thus, when he created humans, he gave them that same wonderful quality—the gift of free will.

That is why we prefer freedom rather than enslavement by oppressive rulers. It is why resentment builds up against harsh and stifling rule so that people often revolt to gain freedom.

The desire for freedom is no accident. The Bible gives the underlying reason. It states: “Where the spirit of God is, there is freedom.” So wanting freedom is part of our nature because God created us that way. It is something that he wants us to have because he himself is the God of freedom.

God also gave us the mental abilities, such as the powers of perception, reason, and judgment, that work in harmony with free will. These enable us to think, weigh matters, make decisions, and distinguish right from wrong. We were not created to be like mindless robots that have no will of their own; nor were we created to act primarily out of instinct, as were the animals.

Along with free will, our first parents were given everything anyone could reasonably want: They had been put in a parklike paradise; they had material abundance; they had perfect minds and bodies that would not get old or sick and die; they would have children who would also have a happy future; and the expanding population would have the satisfying work of turning the entire earth into a paradise.

Regarding what God had set in motion, the Bible says: “God saw everything he had made and, look! it was very good.” The Bible also says of the Creator: “Perfect is his activity.” Yes, he gave the human family a perfect start. It could not have been better.

However, was the marvelous gift of free will to be without limits? Well, would you care to drive an automobile in heavy traffic if there were no traffic regulations, where you were free to drive in any lane, in any direction, at any speed? Of course, the results of such unlimited freedom in traffic would be catastrophic.

It is the same in human relations. Unlimited freedom for some would mean no freedom for others. Unrestricted freedom can result in anarchy, which damages everybody’s freedom. There must be limits. Therefore, God’s gift of freedom does not mean that he purposed for humans to behave in any manner without considering the welfare of others.

God’s Word says on this point: “Behave like free men, and never use your freedom as an excuse for wickedness.” So God wants our free will to be regulated for the common good. He did not purpose for humans to have total freedom, but relative freedom, subject to the rule of law.

Answer 6

It really doesn't. We've been led to believe it does. We ultimately pay the price when we don't exercise our free will. To use our free will is to show we can think and do for ourselves and that we don't need religion to tell us how our lives are supposed to be. So, be of good cheer. Your life is yours and you are free to express that in your way. Haven't you heard the Christian leaders say that a free thinker is a dangerous thing? I like being dangerous.

Answer 7

If one understands "free will" as the ability of the individual to make choices in and regarding that one's life, then the "cost" of this "free will" is the responsibilities and the consequences of those choices, which is karma.

The concepts of good and bad, heaven and hell and, even the concept of a god or a demon are part of the subjective viewing and/or understanding of the individual and not necessarily reality.

Once one frees one's self from such subjective views or "judgements", calms the interior dialouge that continuously chatters in the untrained mind and, with mindfulness and conscious awarenss simply lets all things be what all things are, seeing thier true nature as well as the true nature of one's self these concepts and dualities cease to exist, as does the notions of separateness and "other".

One will also lose the notion of "fear" at such a time. The notion or concept that "god rewards with heaven" and "god punishes with hell" would seem to be more a reflection of fear and concern, although not a positive concern that leads to beneficial changes of behaviors and understandings, regarding one's actions and re-actions to past and current events or in relation to those ones whom one encounters as well as one's subjective views.

Each "pays a price", which is karma and must be lived out so as to enable the individual to learn and progress whether that be in this life or in another life, for the choices each one makes.
Make more benficial choices for one's self and for all of existance, lose one's subjective view and , thereby,see what is as it is, calm one's mind and the "price" will not be frightening. It will be a "pleasure".

Please to notice, this one stressed that the individual must act and not a "god". One "saves" one's self just as one "condemns" one's self, to use incorrect Judeo-Christian and Islamic terminologies, by one's freely chosen "choices".

May it all be well with you.

Answer 8

Free Will >>>>> My friend we all have free will...and we have to just go with our gut feeling, and know whatever we choose to do....we have to live with the consequences..true??
I guess it boils down to Karma....I truly believe all in life happens for a reason....

Answer 9

That price was paid on Calvary's Cross!Incidentally,the freedom we had here in our erstwhile great nation some time ago came about by paying dearly with human lives.One cannot exercise "free will" in a communist regime.Adults,or most --know of this fundamental principle.Now you do too.

Answer 10

It comes down to realizing that you need God. If you believe that you don't need God then you go to hell. We need God for everything including our next breath. How could we not accept Him and go to heaven?

Answer 11

Everything comes at a price.

Except alcoholism.