and then sent to he77 for using it-or have genocide done to us for using it-is it truly free will?--is there a difference between that and someone holding a gun to your head and saying you are free to go but i will shoot you if you do?--i take free will as being free from any threat to do as i please-any thoughts or comments this morning-----thanks in advance for any answers--enjoy the day
2007-10-02 01:16:52 · 8 answers · asked by lazaruslong138 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
If we are 'allowed' free will, how free is it?
If it is 'allowed' or 'given' to us, it can be denied to, or taken from us, just as easily.
Free will and an omnipotent God, are mutually exclusive.
2007-10-02 01:37:55 · answer #1 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
So much of anthropology and philosophy teaches we are confined within the box of this universe with nothing outside of the box, thus the equation of reality. We are all stardust with no absolute, no clear definition of evil. Thus, no free will.
The scripture speaks of the origin of man and different modes of man through history. It teaches free will choice and evil.
The world has no direction as Plato and Aristotle point to different directions of the compass.
Have you ever considered that you have been brainwashed to only thinking in the box?
2007-10-02 08:35:46 · answer #2 · answered by Randy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I will argue that free will does not exist, and has never existed....if you have free will, i challenge you to stand up from your chair, and be 50 ft tall....no?
Free will implies that you can do anything at any time, (much the way a god could) and you cannot.
I will concede that you have choices, but even these choices are caused (or detirmined) by previous events. (your life before the choice, specifically)
Finally there are things we have no choice on, what goes on within our own heads. For instance, do you have free will in preferring chocolate ice cream to vanilla, or pistachio? No, you prefer what you prefer, you can't change that just by wanting to...
2007-10-02 08:27:22 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don’t believe that we are born with some innate sin on our souls that God needs to correct by offering a loophole (through blood sacrifice) out of the consequences of committing those sins. God created us exactly as he intended us to be created. We have both a sin nature and a virtuous nature. Our sin nature isn’t something to “get around”. It’s there because we are human and as humans we often learn through mistakes or adversity.
Freewill means that God intended for us to make choices throughout our lives as to whether we will follow our sin nature or our virtuous nature. Both choices teach us something just as when we go against the will of our parents, it teaches us something. Sometime the lesson is hard, sometimes it is easy, but I believe that God’s goal in offering freewill is to teach us so that we can mature our souls and grow in spirit.
It makes a lot of sense that the religious and political leaders like the threat of hell in an attempt to control the masses and encourage virtue, but I don’t see God as using those tactics. I believe wholeheartedly that God gives us true freewill without threat. You just have to wade past the human interjections to see it.
2007-10-02 08:44:47 · answer #4 · answered by apples_ll_apples 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You misunderstand free will. Free will is not the abscense of threat, it is the abscense of direct influence. God will not directly influence your decision to follow or not to follow. He lets you make your own decisions, giving you the consequences of your actions accordingly.
Its more like a parent saying we're going to have cake after dinner, so don't eat those potato chips before hand. You eat the potato chips anyway, which makes you full and unable to enjoy the cake.
2007-10-02 08:23:01 · answer #5 · answered by capitalctu 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Thats not what free will typically means. It means that you have the right to choose God or not to choose God. Thats what its supposed to signify. But the world throws it into this otehr perspective of "you can do it, but you'll be punished" God isn't like that. He is a wonderful, Kind, Loving God. Oh and he's very forgiving. Things happen. He understands.
2007-10-02 08:25:36 · answer #6 · answered by grumpybear0718 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Isn't it great that you look at it on the negative side?
God created hell not for you but for Satan
God paid the price for your sin. He died for you. He is erasing your debt and not asking you to pay it back.
All you have to do is accept it. If you don't he is honest enough to tell you the alternative.
You sound like my 2 yr old. She is mad because i told her you can go to McDonald's or Burger King. I'm paying....I'm driving.......I'm fellowshipping with her the whole time. But she wants a 3rd choice. Ungrateful for the gift offered.
2007-10-02 08:22:48 · answer #7 · answered by jesussaves 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Read Romans chapter 9.
All have sinned and are on their way to hell without Christ. But....God chooses some vessels for honor & some for dishonor.
Is God fair & just for doing this?
Absolutely.....who are we to question Him?
2007-10-02 08:20:42 · answer #8 · answered by primoa1970 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋