Free Will Vs. God's Plan

Is there free will or are events Predetermined?

Total Votes:

[ 0 ]

This poll closed on January 19, 2005.
No longer accepting new votes.

[KaliaFerret]

Hi all.

There is something that I've never understood about Christian/Catholic beliefs. People say that God has blessed them with free will, and has given them the freedom to do what they want in their lives. But when something tragic happens, suddenly things all are part of God's plan. I'm not talking about a situtation where a third party influences or causes an event to happen, but when a through a person's own decisions something bad happens.

For example: Person A decides (free will) to drive his car while exhausted, and gets into an accident running off the road and dies.

How come, when comforting Person A's family, his death is suddenly part of God's plan?

This is a similar situation to something that happened to a co-worker's family, and got me to thinking about this whole concept.

[u.r.i.e.l]

i don't belive in christianity... too many holes

[little e]

i myself am a christian. what i have learned is that freewill is the ability to choose. however He knows what you will choose and he has control over what happens. it's complicated i know. in a sense, you have already made your choice and what's left is the outcome. the outcome whether good or bad happens for a reason. even a death is never in vain no matter what we may think. evey little event that occurs is part a much larger picture that we, as humas, cannot contemplate. so there is a lot of trust going on. it's also a lifestyle. trusting. you have to experience this sorta thing before you can understand it.

[Transilent]

u.r.i.e.l

i don't belive in christianity... too many holes

Ditto

[Vash262]

u.r.i.e.l

i don't belive in christianity... too many holes

same here

[Desert Stars]

XD I always think about the question my mom asked when she was a little kid:

"If everything is pre-ordained, why do we have to be good?"

[TheSlyder]

The problem with Christians, is that they often contradict themselves, just to ensure that they are comforted by Christianity.

I'm pretty confident that God has a (Long term) plan, that doesn't involve little things like car wrecks, God's plan is probably something along the lines of things that are mentioned in Revelations. People saying things like "Johnny died because it's part of God's plan" is probably just a way to keep them sane about the fact that they loved a lost one.

BTW. I'm a Christian.

[JLbass]

little-e

i myself am a christian. what i have learned is that freewill is the ability to choose. however He knows what you will choose and he has control over what happens. it's complicated i know. in a sense, you have already made your choice and what's left is the outcome. the outcome whether good or bad happens for a reason. even a death is never in vain no matter what we may think. evey little event that occurs is part a much larger picture that we, as humas, cannot contemplate. so there is a lot of trust going on. it's also a lifestyle. trusting. you have to experience this sorta thing before you can understand it.

That is confusing... so, you are saying that, in the Christian religion, God knows the end of the movie, but likes to watch it anyway? And we are mere actors/puppets on his hands?
Can you explain a little more how is this free will?

I believe in my free will.

[u.r.i.e.l]

if everything was planned by him, and he was good, why have so many evil events in life? why create lucifer when he knew lucifer's "choice" would be to betray him [for lack of a better word] and if god damns both gays/bis, and those who are predudice and dont "love thy neighbour" wouldnt he himself be in hell for damning them in the first-place? the list is endless, just a few examples xd

[KaliaFerret]

little-e

He knows what you will choose and he has control over what happens. it's complicated i know. in a sense, you have already made your choice and what's left is the outcome. the outcome whether good or bad happens for a reason.

If God already knows what you will choose and has decided the outcome, that by defination makes the events predetermined, because you have no choice in the matter.

[Schwarze_Witwe]

I dont have a religion and i extremly hate being called an athiest, because its a god damn religious name for somone who doesnt believe in religion! its sooooooo stupid. I guess you could say i live my life the way i want to, but that probably isnt true. Considering im 15 and live with my parents i cant live my life the way i want...i have to follow my parents rules (which i barley do) and go to school and etc....

[u.r.i.e.l]

KaliaFerret

little-e

He knows what you will choose and he has control over what happens. it's complicated i know. in a sense, you have already made your choice and what's left is the outcome. the outcome whether good or bad happens for a reason.

If God already knows what you will choose and has decided the outcome, that by defination makes the events predetermined, because you have no choice in the matter.

she has a point 3nodding

[Serena_TanninAri]

I believe that fate chooses what will happen, but we have the free wll to choose how to do it. No matter what, the course of one individual means nothing. If one man doesn't create an army of clones, then another will, it is that simple. But in the end, fate determines what happens to the world, and my guess is that the human race will only live for another mellenia if they are lucky.

We have the free will to choose how fate ends us.

[fubenkunai]

Blissful_Silence666

I dont have a religion and i extremly hate being called an athiest, because its a god damn religious name for somone who doesnt believe in religion! its sooooooo stupid. I guess you could say i live my life the way i want to, but that probably isnt true. Considering im 15 and live with my parents i cant live my life the way i want...i have to follow my parents rules (which i barley do) and go to school and etc....

It's not religious, it's Greek. "Theos" meaning "God," and "a" meaning "without." Jesus Christ (no pun intended), what do they teach you kids these days? You ought to listen to your parents and go to school; that can only benefit everyone.

[u.r.i.e.l]

fubenkunai

Blissful_Silence666

I dont have a religion and i extremly hate being called an athiest, because its a god damn religious name for somone who doesnt believe in religion! its sooooooo stupid. I guess you could say i live my life the way i want to, but that probably isnt true. Considering im 15 and live with my parents i cant live my life the way i want...i have to follow my parents rules (which i barley do) and go to school and etc....

It's not religious, it's Greek. "Theos" meaning "God," and "a" meaning "without." Jesus Christ (no pun intended), what do they teach you kids these days? You ought to listen to your parents and go to school; that can only benefit everyone.

she's right