I was watching a recent meteor show with a friend and her two children. Since I am very like Daniel Boone, I knew an awesome spot in the Deschutes National Forrest.
As we were lying on our backs watching the shower, which was spectacular by the way, we were talking about constellations and planets and whatnot. At one point a girl about the age of 7 asked if “God controls what we do?”
Her mom’s short answer of “no” is of course correct, God gives us free will to choose to follow him, or not. What makes me keep thinking about the situation is that God does in fact control us.
What I’m looking for here is an open discussion on what “free will” means.
I know that there are things that I can’t do. With gravity, and escape velosities, and terminal velosities ect.I can't do what I want. I know I can’t make up another God and it be real. I can’t fly, or read minds or use telepathy. Unfortunately there are physical limits to our universe. With these limits there is a kind of control being put upon us.
“You cannot serve two masters” is an axiom that puts the concept I’m thinking of into words. Why can’t I? That would be free will. For my atheist friends believing in science (or whatever they believe in) and not in Hell is not going to save them from it.
So what is free will?
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4 comments:
Good question (kids are cool like that).
Free will is such a loaded term - I don't really want to argue Calvinism vs. Arianism. That's played out.
My best thought process about this is as follows:
If God created the world
Then God is very powerful
Therefore God does not require anything from his creation.
If God does not need anything from his creation
Then creation must exist for some reason other than to provide for God's needs.
All human cultures throughout time have had religion as a core element.
Therefore, it is very likely that the desire to engage with God through religion is a created trait.
So, God has created us for relationship with him.
Relationships between people are not truly possible unless the individuals can choose whether or not to be involved.
Therefore, relationships with God must involve choice to be genuine.
So, God gave humanity choice in order to provide the foundation for a true relationship with people.
We are controlled insofar as we are created beings living within a creation. We are free insofar as we can choose whom we love and will obey.
James, I would like to hear a little more on the Calvinism vs. White power (Arianism)argument please.
Yes james, and please post it here
Well you see that Calvinism is all about predestination but Arianism is all about . . . prejudice. One of destining beforehand while the other is judging beforehand.
Or I meant to say Arminianism.
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