I've learned to see the light of the coexistence of free will and predestination... okay, so I kid...
For whatever reason, I looked up the concept of the coexistence of free will and predestination. This concept has always puzzled me. I read through many people's comments on how the two entities can be compatible with one another. Some went as far to say, "It's so simple. I don't understand how anyone could not understand it" or "It crazy that so many intelligent scientific-types don't understand this. You're making it more difficult than it needs to be."
Are we? A solid chunk of the comments laid claim that God knows what we will choose to do, meaning he doesn't make the choices for us and this is how the two entities can coexist. Others suggested that our free will involves the choices we make to reach the final destination, but that destination has already been predetermined.
I think many of these individuals are getting the concepts of omniscience and predeterminism mixed. It is said that God is omniscient or all-knowing. This would not mean that our paths are predetermined. God could potentially be psychic and know of our futures, but isn't the one deciding them for us. However, if our futures have been predetermined by God, how can one declare that it was our free will which paved the way for us to this destination? My father could be psychic and he knows I will attend Harvard one day, but never utters a word about it and I decide to attend the University for myself. If he has predetermined, through his superior powers, that I attend Harvard, that choice wouldn't have been mine.
If a person wants to believe God is omniscient while also believe mankind possesses free will, I'm fine with that. If they want to solely believe in free will or predestination, again, I'm fine with that. However, when it comes to the coexistence of free well and predestination, that makes absolutely no sense to me. I found it rather humorous that so many commentators seemed to believe that this was such a simple concept to grasp, yet were contradicting themselves while explaining, that or misusing terms. To me, it's the direct opposite. If my destination was determined by another, how did I choose my destination? It's impossible. Scientists are perplexed by this notion for good reason - it makes absolutely no sense on any level, especially from a logical one.
Also, if one believes that mankind freely makes choices leading up to their final destination, but with that destination having already been determined, again, how is that possible? Would this not make life rather meaningless? Regardless of the actions I take while living, it is of no matter, since my fate has already been decided by another? If I somehow knew that a relationship wasn't going to pan out through some psychic vision, why would I even bother to try making the relationship work? What would be the point?
Well, I'm ill, so I think I better take a nap, then awake, perhaps have some soup and do whatever else I want to do, but it doesn't really matter what I decide. The end has already been decided for me...
Are we? A solid chunk of the comments laid claim that God knows what we will choose to do, meaning he doesn't make the choices for us and this is how the two entities can coexist. Others suggested that our free will involves the choices we make to reach the final destination, but that destination has already been predetermined.
I think many of these individuals are getting the concepts of omniscience and predeterminism mixed. It is said that God is omniscient or all-knowing. This would not mean that our paths are predetermined. God could potentially be psychic and know of our futures, but isn't the one deciding them for us. However, if our futures have been predetermined by God, how can one declare that it was our free will which paved the way for us to this destination? My father could be psychic and he knows I will attend Harvard one day, but never utters a word about it and I decide to attend the University for myself. If he has predetermined, through his superior powers, that I attend Harvard, that choice wouldn't have been mine.
If a person wants to believe God is omniscient while also believe mankind possesses free will, I'm fine with that. If they want to solely believe in free will or predestination, again, I'm fine with that. However, when it comes to the coexistence of free well and predestination, that makes absolutely no sense to me. I found it rather humorous that so many commentators seemed to believe that this was such a simple concept to grasp, yet were contradicting themselves while explaining, that or misusing terms. To me, it's the direct opposite. If my destination was determined by another, how did I choose my destination? It's impossible. Scientists are perplexed by this notion for good reason - it makes absolutely no sense on any level, especially from a logical one.
Also, if one believes that mankind freely makes choices leading up to their final destination, but with that destination having already been determined, again, how is that possible? Would this not make life rather meaningless? Regardless of the actions I take while living, it is of no matter, since my fate has already been decided by another? If I somehow knew that a relationship wasn't going to pan out through some psychic vision, why would I even bother to try making the relationship work? What would be the point?
Well, I'm ill, so I think I better take a nap, then awake, perhaps have some soup and do whatever else I want to do, but it doesn't really matter what I decide. The end has already been decided for me...
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