Why did God give us free will if he doesn't want us to "USE" what he himself had bestowed upon us?

Question

Gee, why wouldn't he make himself more scientific so all people can believe in him or just show himself to humans every 5 decades if he would give us free will? Then he sends people to Hell if we didn't believe in him. It's not at all "divine" but almost "capricious". He seems to me like a childish Dad (Peter Griffin most likely) asking his children if they like their Mom or Dad more, telling them they can choose whichever then getting pissed off when they say they like Mom better. Just because one is a Christian that doesn't mean that they are good people and vice versa for Atheists. Let me hear some explanations and if I find them reasonable and persuasing enough then I shall gladly convert myself into Christianity, NOT because of fear for Hell: http://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AgzJstczLdGCOllOY7bk44DAFQx.;_ylv=3?qid=20071207160615AAkxw96

If God sends people to Hell STRICTLY because he doesn't want to be with people who doesn't love him back, then he should just let those people rot after death, not eternal pain. THAT's what I call tyranny.

Answer 1

I'm not a fan of your two parent idea. It's more like a room full of 1000 shopping lists by different people, all claiming to be from your parents and the One True List. Only one of these lists are from your parents. You only can accomplish one shopping list or do none.

Eventually your real parents come home and will send you to hell if you get the list wrong.

Anyone else fail to see the logic?

Answer 2

Well no, not really. It's like making a clay figure, and having it decide it's better that you. Then making a bunch more, and having some of them say the first one was better than you. Personally I would just squash them and start over. Wouldn't you?

Actually a good example of this is Terminator, or the Matrix. Man makes machine, machine decides it's better than man, man decides it's time to destroy machine.

As far as showing himself, he does it all the time. Just because you aren't there to see it doesn't mean it isn't happening. Give me a scientific explanation to how a person could possibly grow back a missing arm. When your done, give me an explanation to how a person can grow back an arm in a matter of minutes.

Really when you think about it you should appreciate the fact you're given the choice to live on. Don't think it will be boring either. Heaven and Hell is a whole different level of thinking.

I know you're reading this with no intention of considering what I said. I just hope I dropped a bit for you to pick up on, and something actually sticks.

Answer 3

What's Christ pupil ? How are you ? To me free will means what ever you will(desire to do) to do the choice is not forced on you or anyone. Although free will doesn't mean we our free from consequences of our actions. Perhaps some see God as forcing himself on them or making them do what they do not wish to. Is that what the scriptures show us ? No, it does not. Then again when you look in the O.T. there is stories that seem to show God was forcing and enforcing his will on Israelites. The truth is as even Jesus states in Revelations "Behold I stand at the door and knock".. that not forcing but pleading to the heart of man. As far as the OT remember they made an agreement with God as states in Hebrews 8:7. " FINDING FAULT WITH THEM"... It wasn't with God or his Laws it was them , they did not keep their promises because it was based on faulty human condition of man's heart. They was sinners like us and just kept backsliding and worshipping idols and so forth. Read the books of the O.T. I'm always reminded how much sinful some of them became. When I read it either begans like this..."AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF GOD...." Right after they heard God speak the Ten Commandments they sinned soon after when Moses went to recieve the Law they made an idol and partied.(exodus 32:7-9)" They have turned themselves quickly out of the way which I commanded them..." Another thing the law of Moses had curses against them in case they broke the Laws or not meet all the requirements needed to appease their sins. It was a contract like the ones we make when we co-sign or sign for credit cards every body wants payment. Their payment was the death sentence or sacrafices and annual feats called holy day "The feasts of the Lord..."(Lev.23; & colosians 3:14-17) Never the less not to get away from the answer it remains we still have free will but the consequences comes after the judgement when christ comes. Adventist believe in a investigative judgement ( The hour of Judgement;now /revelations.14:6&Daniel 7:26) and in the executive judgement that comes in the 2nd death(hell's fire) in revelations 20:11-15. The only one in earth's history that forces people to worship him is Satan and the antichrist church goverment (Rev.13:4,12,15) We should know who that is and truthfully speaking with respect to catholics that are unaware and God fearing (The ancient Roman Catholic Church of the dark ages)

Answer 4

Well, for starters, I don't believe in a Hell, at least not as a physical place. I believe Hell is a state of mind, of remoteness from the Divine. And I agree with you in saying that many of today's depictions of God are immature, and portray him as a classic example of the immature Masculine.

That being said, I believe God gave us free will, because it would be wrong to force everyone to follow a certain path. As far as Him/Her not wanting us to use it... You see, when a parent is watching his or her child at the park, the parent doesn't care whether the child is playing tag or hide-n-seek. In the same way, I don't think God really cares which path we choose, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, and it makes us happy. In the long run, God gave us free will to decide for ourselves who we wan't to be. Those who are good are only good because they have chosen to be so. They would not be good if they were forced to be. If everyone on the planet were good, we would have nothing to compare it to, and it wouldn't really be good at all...

Answer 5

First I must tell you that the best worded argument in the world cannot convert the unbelieving heart. Second, non-believers seem to act like the Bible describes a God that was visible thousands of years ago, but is now invisible. But when you read it, that is clearly not the case. Many people struggled with the loneliness and doubt that comes with serving a God that you cannot see or feel. Think about Noah being the only warning the anti-deluvians ever experienced, yet he preached the same old tired message for 120 years. How much heat do you think he would take today? You should hear Job cry out to a God he knew existed, but couldn't sense. Or see Jesus moaning in anguish at the loneliness he felt due to the burden of sin. Or chuckle at the disbelief that Thomas showed when he was told Jesus was alive. The Bible doesn't describe a magical sky daddy. It describes the imperceptible God we serve everyday, and how people relate to Him. Think about it, what did Jesus tell Thomas after he showed him Himself? He said, You saw and believed, but blessed are they that will never see, but will still believe. God knew that his followers would be left with a book that some would mock.(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%203:1-13%20;&version=31;) But he placed strong evidence in it, that his word is true. Those who searched through it with honest hearts would be wholly convinced that Jesus is who He claimed to be, and salvation could be theirs. I honestly can't tell you why God doesn't come down and erase all doubt. Maybe Satan would claim it is unfair, and God knows he is right. I don't know though. Whatever it is, God is fair, and gives every man plenty of opportunities to see the truth. On the judgment day, there will not be one person who reviews their life and says, "Not fair God, you gave all these Christians tons of evidence and I didn't see any of it." Every person will know that they rejected every opportunity afforded them by divine grace, and their fate is just. I don't write this because I want to see you converted to my belief system. God forbid. But Jesus Christ, the same one that appeared to doubting Thomas, wants a relationship with you. He isn't afraid of you asking questions, and He doesn't care about who you have been. And as cliche as it may sound, He loves you. If the Savior's tender mercy and compassion don't speak to your heart, no amount of fire and brimstone will soften it. I can't put God in a test tube for you, but you can experience Him for yourself. And like me and so many others can happily say, "Lord, I have no doubts."


Can I add that He does indeed "let them rot". There is no eternal punishment. Just everlasting death. God does not torture indefinitely for 100 years or less of sin. Hell=the grave. The lake of fire is meant to destroy sin forever, not perpetuate a burning lake full of screaming dead (yet alive) individuals in some corner of the universe. Plus it occurs on earth which God will also recreate. That means it is mutually exclusive with the new Earth. I just wanted to let you know that since it will affect your perception about a benevolent God. That idea of hell is a lie from Satan designed to slander God, and it is not truly Biblical.

Answer 6

This is what I tell people all the time and I hope it helps you too....

What if you decided to committ yourself to praise and worship unto God and lived your life as a good Christian person to the best of your ability and in the end when you die ...nothing happens?? No God, no nothing...What was so wrong with taking the chance in believeing in something so strongly that it made you a better person?

Or you could go on and live the way you wanted and in the end you see that it was a choice given for a reason and what He asked of you wasn't all that bad, but because you don't like a few specific things about it...you end up not in Heaven, but rather in Hell??

You have nothing to lose-

Yet everything to gain.........

Answer 7

If the Christian God does exist, some of the people who believe in Him tend to give Him illogical qualities which do not match up with other logical qualities that could apply.

Now, the reason why this God supposedly does not show Himself is because He wants His people to believe in Him without discrete evidence or proof, but rather by faith. This is what the general Christian populace says, I think. As the Bible says, faith moves mountains.

Perhaps--and this is still theoretical in the belief that the Christian God or a god period does exist--God wishes for us to discover everything on our own, and try to prove His existence. Perhaps he/she/it would prefer we live our lives freely. Seriously, it is religion and Church which places rules on others, using the unimaginable god concept to back them up.

Also, I don't recommend you become a Christian, but I don't recommend you stay an atheist either (or agnostic.) Become an independent thinker, be open, and be yourself--no propaganda intended. =] You'll find your own truth.

Answer 8

You don't need to convert, you seem to know God better than some Christians. Remember he is divine and a loving God, not what too many religions have portrayed him to be.

Answer 9

You are a victim of the slights of the oldest game in town---HELL is a hole in the ground where the English people bury their potatoes in the winter so they do not freeze! Now, God is not a physical piece of material, and you wouldn't know him if he did come in a fleshly form, what would he dress like? Anyway how can you believe in a spiritual figure? Shouldn't there be a kind of communication with the object? Alright, if he did appear in a material form, hell people would try to kill him too!

Answer 10

I'm no Christian, but you are asking a loaded, presumptuous question. You're assuming "he's" a person that can just show up on your doorstep. and who said God doesn't want us to use free will? Mankind is an experiment. We are given the power of choice to see what will happen. we're not perfect, and in that respect i think we ARE made in God's image (ironically speaking). don't convert, they don't want someone as inquisitive as you. go watch Family Guy...