If God has already pre-planned our lifes, then how can we be held responsible for our actions?

Question

The Bible says, "You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!" [Psalm 139:16]

---God had already decided what you will do each and everyday of your life and He's already officially recorded it down!

This verse clearly indicates that God not only knew our future, but He also predestined it! Christians classical argument for a God that knows our future is, "God knows our future but He didn't make our choice". This statement cannot be true because it is cleary written, "(God)scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe". Now this clearly contradicts with the concept of free-will doesn't it not? How would you christians explain this with a LOGICAL response?

The kind of answers I don't want:
---The bible has a few errors(this would invalidate it)
---God knows our future but He didn't make our choice
(I already explained why this can't be)

*keep in mind, "He already recorded!"

And "PualCyp", God did not only schedule how many days we will live because he already recorded our lifes! Can't you read??!

To "Dolores", you are the one who should use some common sense ROFLOL

Ofcourse I wouldn't hold God responsible for your crime! Cause I don't believe in imaginary friends duh!

"Dolores", but if you're a Xtian that's exactly what you should do...that's why it doesnt make sense

Answer 1

If life is cause and effect, then you can't be held responsible!

Answer 2

The fact that someone knows you at a deep level, thus knowing how you will decide does not contradict with your free choice.

If you knew a child loves chocolate ice cream, and if you also know that there is an ice cream parlor down the road. You also know that the child has enough money to buy a chocolate cone, but not enough to buy a big cup. Is it hard for you to predict which ice cream will be selected?

Just because you know all of this, would you think you are forcing your will on the child if he selects a chocolate ice cream cone. You already know how much the cone costs. So you can exactly predict how much poorer the child will be after the fact. Do you see how there is no conflict in free will and knowledge of how things may get laid out.

I hope this answers your question.

This is an ancient Islamic question also in which the Shia and sunni differ. The Shia hold the view that the Lord knows how things will pan out in the long run. But, it does not affect your free will. He does have his own options to direct things in a manner things are to move. If I knew that this child also has a good heart, and if he did not buy his cone, he will share his money with a poor boy who is sitting next to the ice cream stall, I would temporarily close the ice cream parlor, giving enough time for the child to make friends with the poor boy and then when the parlor opens at the right time, they both get an icecream cone, as the little boy has enough money.

Again, although I am not controlling the free will of the boy, I have created conditions for him to have ice cream cone and do good at the same time. If I did not close the parlor at that time, probably the other little boy would still be waiting. But, in either case, I am not tampering with anyone's free will.

But no free will is absolute, except the Lord's. A man asked Imam Ali where does my free will end and the Lord's begins? Ali said pick up one of your leg and stand on only one leg. The man did that. Then Ali said, now pick up the other foot off the ground... the man replied I can not do that.

Ali said that is the difference between your free will and the Lord's. You can pick up either the left or the right foot off the ground, but once you are done, you can not pick up the other as you do not have absolute will, but only limited free will.

I hope this makes sense?

Answer 3

You said:
"You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!" [Psalm 139:16]

---God had already decided what you will do each and everyday of your life and He's already officially recorded it down!

He RECORDS, yes, but doesn't choose what these "recordings" will consist of. You don't want this answer, but I'm giving it anyway. He already knows in advance what we're going to do, and in no way plays us like robots. We responsible for our lives.

If I go and beat up a close family member of yours to a pulp, would you not hold me responsible for it, or would you exonerate me and actually hold God responsible for it? What if I say, "Oh but God made me do it, I had no say in the matter." Would that hold water with you? Would you hold me and kiss me and comfort me, saying, "Poor baby, it's all right, and it's not your fault. I promise." Would the "God made me do it" excuse hold water with the cops? Or would I have to go to jail for assault? Come on, use come common sense.

EDIT: Sorry comeback, you need to hone your skills more. Btw, I'm not a Xian, and still, it totally makes sense that we have free will. If we didn't, why would we feel any guilt when doing wrong? Why would there be guilt AT ALL, if God doesn't want us to take responsibility for our actions?

Your argument is ridiculous.... since God records, then we behave as robots. Baloney. This is bunk and you know it.

Why would judgement exist if we're robots? Why would guilt exist? Why would accountability exist? They exist because WE ARE RESPONSIBILE FOR OUR OWN ACTIONS.

Why do you even propose this idea in the first place? Have you done something wrong, and trying to find a loophole that lets you off the hook?

Answer 4

Exactly! Either God didn't plan out our lives at all, and we have free will and that's why some people end up in Hell...or he did and he makes us sin and therefor is a sadist--he makes us do wrong so we will go to Hell no matter what.

So either way, the Bible would be lying, it's not a mistake...just ignorance. I know I'll get a lot of thumbs-down, but there's no way around this as long as logic is being used .

~Agnostic

Answer 5

"Your eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in your book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them" (Psalms 139:16).

As an embryo we are like a book yet to be read. God sees that book and knows us better than we know ourselves. But what we will do outside the womb is entirely up to us.

Answer 6

No. He "recorded" how many days are allotted to you on this earth. What you do with every minute of each of those allotted days is entirely up to you. He spelled out for us how we should live those days if we wish to enjoy eternal life. But we are perfectly free to live our lives in the way He has shown us, or to completely reject that way of living and do our own thing. I may ask my boss to "schedule" two weeks vacation for me next June. When he "records" those days in his book, does that mean he has planned out every minute of those days for me? Of course not. He has simply allotted a specific number of days during which I may freely choose to do anything I wish to do.

Answer 7

There is no need for Christians to explain it. It is from Jewish writings which were included in the Christian Bible only for historical purposes.
It's all fiction, anyway.

Answer 8

You are totally right!! Oh ****, I have been a Christians for this
long and just realized it is just a big bag of horse ****.

Answer 9

Trust me. You won't get a logical response.

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