I would like to have some theists explain to me how fate and free will can coexist?
Clearly many theists believe that since god is all knowing, our fates are predetermined. God already knows what we will do, how we will do it, whether or not we will change our minds, what we think and what we will think in the future. God knows all because he created all and we cannot escape his ultimate knowledge of everything.
Yet...
Many theists also believe we have free will, and that this of course explains why humans can be evil or do bad things. We can choose to do as we please, when we want and how we want. We are the sole authors of our own actions and we are in control of what we do and think.
My question is, how can these two things coexist? How do we have free will if god already knows what we're going to do? God has already laid out the plan for our lives, so how can we choose to do anything? How can we even choose to believe in him or at least follow him, even skeptically, when he has already predetermined some of us to be atheists?
Isn't this akin to locking someone in a cell, placing a can of Pepsi and a can of Coke in front of them and saying, "You have the free will to choose to do whatever you like,"?
Maybe I'm missing something here.
Atheists, obviously, can also chime in. I'm interested to hear everyone's thoughts.
Clearly many theists believe that since god is all knowing, our fates are predetermined. God already knows what we will do, how we will do it, whether or not we will change our minds, what we think and what we will think in the future. God knows all because he created all and we cannot escape his ultimate knowledge of everything.
Yet...
Many theists also believe we have free will, and that this of course explains why humans can be evil or do bad things. We can choose to do as we please, when we want and how we want. We are the sole authors of our own actions and we are in control of what we do and think.
My question is, how can these two things coexist? How do we have free will if god already knows what we're going to do? God has already laid out the plan for our lives, so how can we choose to do anything? How can we even choose to believe in him or at least follow him, even skeptically, when he has already predetermined some of us to be atheists?
Isn't this akin to locking someone in a cell, placing a can of Pepsi and a can of Coke in front of them and saying, "You have the free will to choose to do whatever you like,"?
Maybe I'm missing something here.
Atheists, obviously, can also chime in. I'm interested to hear everyone's thoughts.
“Love is the only bow on Life’s dark cloud. It is the morning and the evening star. It shines upon the babe, and sheds its radiance on the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer of poet, patriot and philosopher.
It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.
Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll
It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.
Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll
