a freewill used only to fear god is not really a freewill..is it?
2007-09-21 00:37:50 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
As defined by Christian theology, "free will" the ability to make a moral decision, but then to be held accountable for the consequences of the decision - good or bad. "Free will" does not excuse you from the results of your actions.
Since you can choose to rob a bank, does that mean you should not be arrested for doing it? Since you can choose to do an act of heroism that saves lives, does that mean you should not be rewarded for doing it?
The reason that a person is rewarded or punished for the moral decision they make is because they have the "free will" to make those decisions. If they did not have the ability to make them, then they would not be responsible for them.
Free will automatically has to include an accountability for your actions.
2007-09-21 00:50:21 · answer #1 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Christian doctrine of "free will" is that God gave man the ability and intelligence to make moral decision, but then man is held accountable for those decisions and their consequences. Just because you CAN do something, does not mean you are allowed to do, or should do it. You CAN walk into a 7-11 and shot the night clerk. But that does not mean you should or that you allowed. If you do it, you will face the consequences (rightly so) for that act. To discourage you for shooting people, they make laws against doing that and enforce punishments against someone who does it. God is not differently. He has laws against doing certain things and penalties for those who do. All of that is part of "morality". Each person makes his own moral decisions and then receives the consequences (good or bad) for them. If the only attribute God had was love, then they would be unable to punish people. But the same Bible says he is a God of loves, also says he is a God of justice and a God of judgment. How can he let evil go unpunished? Does he truly love anyone if he allows rapist to go unpunished or there is consequence for harming innocents? Nothing in the idea of "free will" as defined in Christian theology means that you can do anything you want with no consequences. Rather it teaches the opposite.
2016-05-19 23:39:16 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To the god-botherers, answer these question:
Is your God Ominscient? (All-knowing, not bounded by time, space etc.)
Did he create man? Therefore, before he did, man did not exist?
Is he still omniscient at this point? (yes? Good)
Does God therefore know everything that the man he has created has/is/will do? (think carefully - remember the omniscience.....)
OK then - were does Freewill come in? (God looks away for a minute.....?)
Your God's a bit weird.... at least I stick to Action man/ GI joe for recreation.... (and yes, they do usually do get burnt too....)
Aspergerneil(see mail below) - lets try this again. Does the God of the Christians know what will happen tomorrow? answer A: Yes, he is omniscient, he knows all things that have, are and will be. Ergo - as he created everybody and thing, and knows all things in time - you may make a decision, but he knows exactly which decision you will make. If you can surprise him then it must be answer B (see below)
Answer B: No. God does not know what will happen tomorrow. - And I'll let you work that one out on your own.
2007-09-21 00:58:25 · answer #3 · answered by dust 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Hebrew word "yirah" in the Bible refers to the mixture of fear and respect when we realise just how much greater God is than us in both power and authority.
If breaking the rules is never punished, the rules are effectively meaningless.
dust
Omniscience (knowledge of everything) does not equal control.
Example. A mother knows her child likes biscuits, and there are freshly-baked biscuits cooling on a rack, she tells the child not to take the biscuits, because she know the child needs reminding of the rules. The mother does the washing up, the child takes a biscuit, the mother sees the biscuit being taken.
Question: At what point did the mother make the child choose to take a biscuit?
Answer: At no point.
2007-09-21 03:20:17 · answer #4 · answered by Nebulous 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't think of it as mindless punishment. Adam and Eve lived with the CONSEQUENCES of their disobedience.
We were not created as the epitome of all that exists. We were created under G-d and therefore subject to His Will, which is the Law (Torah).
2007-09-21 00:49:26 · answer #5 · answered by Tseruyah 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In theory, I have "free will" to go out and kill someone or rob a bank, but I will still be punished for it.
Answer; free will has it's limitations and we are still bound by the rules of society, or god if you believe in him.
2007-09-21 00:53:29 · answer #6 · answered by Marvin the pedantic martian 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The punishment did not fit the crime - it was excessive - just for taking and eating one Apple.
The expulsion from the Garden of Eden should be appealed.
2007-09-21 00:52:48 · answer #7 · answered by fatsausage 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's like saying I teach my children to not play in the traffic, then they deliberately disobey me and so now why must they be punished by being hit by cars?
2007-09-21 00:45:31 · answer #8 · answered by Matthew T 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
well one must also look at the whole adam and eve story.... and i stress story becuse its impossible! ... they could not have populated the planted... they only had sons and even if they did have daughters...which they didn't ... thats serious incest and their decendants would suffer from genetic mutations!.... as 4 the whole free will ...he's a hypocrite...we're free as long as we are good christians and obey!... ps im not an atheist!
2007-09-21 02:44:52 · answer #9 · answered by izzie 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I can't see how someone can believe in a concept like a omniscient God and free will at the same time. They're contradictory.
2007-09-21 00:42:54 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋