Does free will exist?

1. 68

   DeanMcDonnellposted 13 years ago

   Does free will exist?
   
   In the Christian story of Adam and Eve, they were put into the garden of Eden and instructed NOT to eat from the apple.. Surely, if God knows all, he/she would have for-saw this happening right? Why put the tree in the garden? or better still, why draw attention to it?

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2. 71

   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   Yes, free will exists. Each person uses each and every day of their life. It is in every CHOICE each person makes, as is it in the thoughts they have before they make the choice.

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3. 68

   DeanMcDonnellposted 13 years ago

   But with persuasion, conformity, compliance, how does one know if we aren't being directed towards a choice?

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4. 60

   frequentflyerposted 13 years ago

   Yes, God did see this happen, he gave EVERY man and woman alike the ability to choose. Temptation is very common, Adam and Eve were tempted by satan (in the form of a serpent) to eat the fruit and they CHOSE to eat it. God did for-see this, but he still gave them the choice.

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5. 57

   dawnMposted 13 years ago

   God has a path and we can choose to be part of that path or not, but the path will still continue weather we are on it or not.  So yes free will does exist.
   
   By the way that was a great question!!!!

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6. 0

   Twenty One Daysposted 13 years ago

   Why not. He did not want to hide anything from humans.
   The choice was there and so was free will.
   
   Free will is not choosing but understanding you don't need -better said, no necessity. Choice is deciding which to do -eat or not, good or evil, left right. Choice is a parallel within human consciousness.
   Free Will is outside of it.

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7. 0

   Chasukposted 13 years ago

   The best scientific evidence increasingly reveals man as a driverless meat puppet. Possessed of sentience, but trapped in the causal chain in the same manner that planets are trapped in their orbits.
   
   In other words:
   
   Determinism: 1
   Free Will: 0
   
   However, I'm hoping that science is wrong. If it isn't, then composing this answer was destiny.

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8. 59

   Dave Mathewsposted 13 years ago

   I believe that Lucifer-Satan had a discussion after God created man and woman, and it went something like this.
   
   God announces to the angels of heaven that he created man and woman.
   
   Lucifer asks why?? and God responds so that they will love me and worship meaccording to my will.
   
   Lucifer, being jealous and envious of God, wishing to be God himself, asks;
   "Will these humans love you and obey you, because you created them and expect it from them?"
   
   God replies "YES" I am their creator, I am their God.
   
   Lucifer then tells God,
   
   "Then this is not    'True Love'  for it to be true love, rather than blind obedience to their God their creator, they must have the right to choose to love you."
   
   God responded; "Then they will choose whether to love me or not,whether to obey me or not.
   
   I believe that this is how "Free Will" came to be.
   
   Brother Dave.

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9. 94

   angela_michelleposted 13 years ago

   I have wondered the same thing many times.

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10. 60

    terced ojosposted 13 years ago

    Free will is an enigmatic term that most people don't really think about in terms of truth.
    
    Everyone in every society is socialized to go in certain directions; this direction is given on different levels and has varying degrees.
    
    In the purist of minds free will is only possible apart from any indoctrination into any system.
    
    I've never heard of any society poor or rich that does not have customs, culture, traditions, Gods, devils...
    
    Adam and Eve will forever be a cunundrum for me.
    
    Interestingly enough God kicked them out of the garden of eden because if they ate again of the "fruit" they would've become like God and his angels. I assume this to mean they would have been angelic and or God-like themselves.

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11. 75

    Lady Roseposted 13 years ago

    Yes. During our life span on Earth, God has limited Himself to not interveen in the majesty of our free will choice. Of course He knows the choices we will make, for there is no present, future or past to Him. As a good Father, He tries to guide His child the right way and warn him of the consequences of doing the wrong things, but ultimately He allows us to do what we want. And this is how we learn best. He is in total control.
    It is like when our kids are grown up and they make their own choices, no matter how much we try to talk them into not doing this or that because we know they are going to get hurt somehow, based on our own experiences. Even if they do the wrong choices and have to pay the consequences, we still love them and are there for them to help in any way we can. God does the same.

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12. 59

    Alasterposted 13 years ago

    I have heard alot of Christians say the God doesn't want robotic followers so it gives you a choice to have a closer relationship, at least that's what they say.

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13. 58

    bibi16posted 13 years ago

    At least if you believe in it, you are choosing to be aligned with your outcome as harmoniously as possible. All that still sounds a little illogical to me. BB16

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14. 74

    carolappleposted 13 years ago

    Try reading Viktor Frankl's book "Man's Search for Meaning" in which Frankl describes how even in a concentration camp, after everything he owned or loved was taken away  - his clothing, his family, his career, his dignity - even his last scrap of paper on which he had written a precious manuscript - he found he could still choose something. He still had his free will.

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15. 79

    Mitch Alanposted 13 years ago

    God created man to fellowship with and to love and be loved by.  Love can not, in any real sense, exist if the option to not love is not also present.  If free will did not exist, then we could not love God, but instead only be "programmed" to act in a certain way.  Free will, necessary for real love, also allows for sin.  God, knowing that we would sin, created us anyway.  He did this knowing that He would have to pay for that sin at the cross.  In light of this knowledge, He created us anyway.  That is how strong His love is for us.  He was willing to endure Calvary to share His love with us and through us.

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16. 0

    AMBASSADOR BUTLERposted 13 years ago

    Yes we have free will. GOD put the tree in the garden to see if man would trust in GOD to know what is best for human beings to stay in the relationship with GOD forever and ever on the earth for which he created the earth for this purpose with human beings. Human beings failed so GOD have a back up plan to restore the relationship with human beings to live on the earth with humanity in the future forever and ever when GOD will create a new heaven and new earth to dwell among mankind.

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