Determinism.....

[chatpilot]

I don't think that free will is even relative to God having "created us that way". I interpret free will as the ability to make choices for better or for worse on our own without any outside influences. I don't find determinism as a viable idea for the simple fact that it would state that whatever we do we have no control over, and are predestined to commit to our so called choices. Under determinism you have no choices your choices are already predetermined and out of your hands.

Free will is a more viable idea simply because it is a conscious choice we make at the spur of the moment in response to whatever requires our attention. If you commit a crime I like to think that you made the choice to do so and yes, you should be punished for your crime. When it comes to the theological views regarding free will I have to say that I think that it is not free will at all. Simply because your courses of action are limited to 2 serve the biblical god and be saved or reject him and be damned for all eternity. Options of such importance as the above mentioned should not be limited nor coerced based on someones dogma. You should in my opinion be able to freely make a choice without fear of reprisals neither here nor in the "afterlife".