RE: Free Will is a sign if God's inescapable weakness
November 20, 2017 at 1:45 pm
(This post was last modified: November 20, 2017 at 1:52 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
I think you misunderstand the purpose of free will in the religious narrative, OP. It's not there so that we can learn something (some would go so far as to tell you it's not there at all, in the narrative - for another time). It;s there to circumscribe the borders of moral culpability for obeisance to social norms purported to derive from divine authority. It exists solely to provide a rationalization for righteousness of divine condemnation....but, much more commonly, for the very real and very earthly punishments man seeks to dole out in god's stead. Ancient religions, or modern secular legal systems - it's purpose is the same. A useful fiction.
It's existence or lack thereof says nothing about gods, it really never had anything to do with gods in the first place. Supposing we find a demonstration of the complete vacuity of the concept tomorrow (this is assuming we don't have it today for no reason other than discussion), the religious will simply go back to claiming that we do not have free will. That their scriptures always knew this. That all is and all will be as god wills, and our only true choice in any matter is to obey...and, perhaps...we don't even have a choice in that.
It's existence or lack thereof says nothing about gods, it really never had anything to do with gods in the first place. Supposing we find a demonstration of the complete vacuity of the concept tomorrow (this is assuming we don't have it today for no reason other than discussion), the religious will simply go back to claiming that we do not have free will. That their scriptures always knew this. That all is and all will be as god wills, and our only true choice in any matter is to obey...and, perhaps...we don't even have a choice in that.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
