If we have free will to choose, why do we blame the devil for our actions?

1. 71

   Darrell Robertsposted 12 years ago

   If we have free will to choose, why do we blame the devil for our actions?
   
   i find that there are so many people that claim that they have free will and they make their own choices, but then when something goes wrog they blame the devil.  Why is this so?
   
   

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2. 0

   msorenssonposted 12 years ago

   There are many levels of freedom. We cannot speak of free will until we have ourselves unshackled from the tyranny of the mind. Only then can we have choice. To be or not to be is not a hypothetical question.

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3. 73

   dashingscorpioposted 12 years ago

   I believe it's human nature to either blame someone/something for causing us to make poor/bad decisions in our lives. We even do this when bad things happen in the world. Example: The movie shootings in Colorado. Instead of placing 100% of the blame on the gunman we are now looking at his doctors, the laws on the purchase of guns and ammunition. In fact in the U.S. whenever a tragedy or disaster strikes the hunt begins to find whoever has the "deepest pockets" and sue them. If an employee takes it upon him/herself to be rude or abusive to a customer that person sues the employee's employer along with the individual.
   As you noted we have "free will".  Therefore there is nothing anyone can do stop a person from planning and executing violent acts especially if that person is willing to die for their cause. The only exception is they are caught in an undercover sting of some kind. People with bad intentions will break the law, blame it on their childhoods, the loss of a job, or a breakup with a significant other/spouse. "It's not my fault! You made me..."

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   1. 59

      Margaret Skipperposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Wow, so true! Good answer!

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   2. 71

      Darrell Robertsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Well put. We think along the same lines.

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4. 73

   stanwshuraposted 12 years ago

   We don't have as much free will as some people think.  And I don't know who blames some red, horned and very grouchy troll with a pitchfork for their actions, but when overwhelming difficulties befall me, NOT when I myself f-up, I have the guts and the white-hot anger to point my finger in the other direction and keep it so until He can be bothered to answer!

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5. 59

   NiaLeeposted 12 years ago

   We definitely need to take more responsibility for our actions to enjoy a better life. Very simple they are temptations, they are choices and we need to get the info, study a the situation and make a choice/ Yes, it is not that easy to be and do good or right. But, we take chances and when we make a mistake, we need to take responsibility to be able to grow and make some progress.
   Let's be wise and responsible...still remember that we are humans.
   Love and peace to all.

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6. 37

   edhanposted 12 years ago

   It is normal when comes to failure. Guess it is easier to blame the devil than yourself for failing to see it coming.
   
   It is part of human err and when we understand our action, we know that it is our fault and no one else.

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7. 60

   MickSposted 12 years ago

   Because it is so easy to blame others for our failings instead of taking tthe fact squarly on the chin that we can do things wrong.

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8. 0

   JThomp42posted 12 years ago

   That old cliche' "The devil made me do it" is not meant to be taken literally. We as adults know right from wrong and the consequence that follow. No one makes one do anything they do not want to do.

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9. 69

   Sarah Christinaposted 12 years ago

   Like many have said before me, it is much easier to place blame elsewhere instead of accepting responsibility for your own actions. The devil brings in "temptation" but it's still up to a person what they decide to do. It's not like he appears before you holding a gun to your head telling you to do something bad or he'll shoot...it's more like situations in your life will present themselves and you are forced to make a choice...and then face the consequences of that choice.

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10. 60

    tonie2weeksposted 12 years ago

    Philosophically impossibe to have free will.... We choose shame in our culture and simplify it by feeling guilty.....With all the determining factors involved, we are in a quagmire of infulences... this does not mean to be willfuly hurtful is out of our contral....no , most of us were taught decency and are decent.... This is not true for everyone, however ,because they simply have not developed into a functional person after experiencing lgnorance in thier presence

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11. 0

    Garifaliaposted 12 years ago

    It's in our nature to blame somebody else. Very few of us have the self-understanding  and enough self respect to stand up to ourselves. I do believe that the devil is everything bad in man.

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12. 60

    Matthew Weeseposted 12 years ago

    People need something to blame when they mess up.....When good things happen "OH!!!! for the grace of God, for some deranged reason or another people have to pass the credit or the blame on mythical beings, maybe it is so they can mentally feel stable within in themselves. The bottom line is events take place from pryer actions, pryer human thought, pryer decisions. Life may have no rhyme or reason so people make up these mythology's then in-doctor ideology to try to make sense out of a world that's so complex.

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    1. 57

       bjg5160posted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Good answer...and the word is "prior"

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    2. 60

       Matthew Weeseposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       I type fast some times, Prior.

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    Lovelovemelovemeposted 12 years ago

    Oh the arguments on "free will" are endless. it's like the chicken and the egg argument. it's way to broad. nothing is black and white but thinking makes it so

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    1. 71

       Darrell Robertsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       I think for individuals things should certain things should be black and white.  I you believe in free will that is on choice if you do not that is the other.  A little freww will means you belive in free will.  No free will at all is just that.

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14. 59

    Tawl Pawlposted 12 years ago

    I think that people do have free will. The devil cannot make anyone do anything. The Devil is simply someone who tempts us. No matter what we are TEMPTED to do or not do, we can make the choice to do or not do it. The devil works sort of like a TV commercial. A company shows delicious looking food or beautiful people and tempts the viewer to buy something. It is up to the viewer to buy or not buy. The commercial can never actually force the hand of the viewer. Now based off of that, I would say in answer to your question that the reason people blame the devil is because they dont understand how he (or It or she) works. That, or they need a scapegoat and the devil is the easiest one to use.

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    1. 71

       Darrell Robertsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Well said.

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    2. 69

       Sarah Christinaposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Exactly, I couldn't agree more.

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