I'm not out to disrespect anyone or anyone's faith, I just have a hard time grasping accepting the "free" will aspect of the following:
If you worship me and do what I say, you will go to paradise after you die and everything will be better than you could possibly imagine.
If you don't worship me, you will die and burn in hell for eternity.
Your choice.
How can this be considered free will? Could this dogma be more a construction of man attributed to God?
2007-09-13 21:04:29 · 9 answers · asked by carnelionne 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Butterflygirl - you are inadvertently supporting my argument -
If I ask someone:
"Would you like the blue x or the green y?" He or she can choose freely what they prefer.
If I ask someone:
"Would you like the blue x - and I'll give you $ 300,000) or the green y (and I will cut off all your toes and burn your house down)?" I'd say that someone's will is not so free anymore.
I guess I'm wondering whether it can be considered free will when violent threats are involved?
2007-09-13 21:24:33 · update #1
That is not free will at all.
Free will would be without consequences.
What you are talking about is like having a GUN pointed at you , imagine someone asking "give me your wallet or die", do you see a choice there?
If you chose to give a wallet you spared your life, if you did not you will get shot, THAT IS NOT FREE CHOICE ,THAT IS COERCION.
By the way, how can eternal torture be a just punishment for finite sins? How is that loving? I would never torture my child, and if God is loving and just he would never do such a horrible thing.
2007-09-13 21:43:43 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
First let me congratulate u, for u phrased that question perfectly.Loved it...
This can't be freewill..i did rather call it blackmailing.But i doubt whether u can restrict it to christianity alone.Most of the religion i know,says the same. ..either u follow what the religion says or get ready to go to hell. But their intentions are definitely good.
Ex. When u tell ur child, "sit down & learn ur lessons now, or no games today"... or "stop playing near the fire, else i'm going to break ur bones".. the child obeys u bcoz he is afraid.It isn't freewill, but obeying is going to save him from lot of troubles.
That is what all religions do. When the child is clever enough to understand it, then no more threats are needed. Similiarly, when u understand the true intentions of religion, then u don't need it anymore....& u will learn to respect al religions equally.
Yes, i belive this is construction of (wise) man & not attributed to GOD.
2007-09-14 02:40:10 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hilariously the Christian answers just restate the conundrum, as if by restating it, it goes away.
Dogmatic thought!
Goes like this:
Q: (free thought): "How can I have free will if I have only two choices in my life?"
A: (dogmatic): "YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES WORSHIP HIM OR BURN!! "
Ho hum.
The answer is, NO, I can not consider the Christian concept of free will to be even remotely 'free', or even sane.
The Reverend C is spot on. Since when has a protection racket been about 'free will'?
2007-09-13 21:17:25 · answer #3 · answered by Bajingo 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It could be.
You do have the choice to believe that these are truly the words of God or that they are "a construction of man attributed to God". Many people choose to believe that they are the latter. But if they are the words of God...
I hate Pascal's Wager, by the way; I think it's a cop-out for people who feel they need an excuse to believe in God. But you basically quoted it, so it seemed applicable in context of the conversation.
And faith is about belief, too; you can't choose to believe something--you either believe it or you don't.
2007-09-13 21:09:50 · answer #4 · answered by SDW 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
If you lived in the Middle Ages, you owed allegiance to the king of your land. In return, the king agreed to protect you in the event of war. Can this be considered free will? "Shall the clay say to the potter, "Why have you made me thus?" Until you grasp the distinction between the Creator and the creature, you will not grasp that your apparent "free will" leaves you a slave to sin. There are only two choices: slavery to sin or slavery to God.
2007-09-13 21:28:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
Not at all. This explains it nicely:
Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.
What will it be for YOU missy?
Door number 1 leading to life and blessing?
OR.....
Door number 2 leading to death and cursing?
It's YOUR CHOICE so choose carefully and wisely!
2007-09-13 21:13:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Free will is absurd. Do as I say and no one gets hurt
2007-09-13 21:24:14 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
It's free will to me
Accept or reject
You do have a choice
2007-09-13 21:24:34 · answer #8 · answered by kenny p 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
you can live in hell on earth by rejecting the goodness and blessings that goes with being with God and serving satan, in all his evil and wicked 'blessings'. nothing good comes of it. a sinful life is not a happy one, for Long that is.
2007-09-13 21:10:28 · answer #9 · answered by Nicole 4 · 1⤊ 3⤋