I started a similar thread to this a while ago, and you're right about the inconsistency. When the apologists come in, they'll start to run a real wide circle, hoping you won't notice once they revisit something that's already been refuted.
It's super important that we have free will so God can know who really loves him. We need to be tested in order to deserve heaven. Sure, God could create us in heaven without the test, but that wouldn't be just. Sure, that notion of justice seems arbitrary, but it's God's nature. You can't understand God's nature, but just know that he loves us and wants what's best for us. The best thing is for us to love God and him to love us back, which is why we have free will. Oh, shit. A circle.
I haven't heard any sort of defense of this that isn't arbitrary, ad hoc, and speculative.
It's super important that we have free will so God can know who really loves him. We need to be tested in order to deserve heaven. Sure, God could create us in heaven without the test, but that wouldn't be just. Sure, that notion of justice seems arbitrary, but it's God's nature. You can't understand God's nature, but just know that he loves us and wants what's best for us. The best thing is for us to love God and him to love us back, which is why we have free will. Oh, shit. A circle.
I haven't heard any sort of defense of this that isn't arbitrary, ad hoc, and speculative.
