(July 11, 2015 at 11:16 am)Randy Carson Wrote: As Jimmy Akin opines here, there are two options:If so, the words free will have little if any meaning. And you are left with a contradiction, free will requires us to be allowed to hurt each other on earth, but not in heaven. You really must choose one definition of the other. Either free will allows us to do anything we are physically capable of or it doesn't. Pick one.
1. We are no longer able to choose sin. This still allows for free will in that we may choose between different "goods".
(July 11, 2015 at 11:16 am)Randy Carson Wrote: 2. Your (3). While choosing "bads" might still be possible, who would want to do so?
No one, but it's very hard to imagine such a world, and if it could exist why isn't this world?
(July 11, 2015 at 11:16 am)Randy Carson Wrote: Akin's 2/Your 3 does not call into question why this world was created. God created us to know and love Him, and it is here in this life that we are given an opportunity to make a free commitment--or not. Akin draws this analogy:
Quote:"While there are many situations in this life in which we freely make commitments to each other, a particularly striking one is the case of a marriage.
We would not value the love of a robot. Stepford wives are just creepy. And we would not want to impose marriage on someone against their will. That would involve the abomination of rape, among other things.
"We want our mates to freely choose us. This is true even in societies that have arranged marriages. There must be a fundamental, free consent on the part of both spouses or the marriage will not be valid. (Not from the Catholic Church's point of view, anyway.) But marriage isn't a momentary choice that involves no commitment. It's a life-long commitment. What we value, then, is a free choice that leads to a permanent commitment."
God values it, too.
Half points. If the choice is as described in the NT, he values our decision to become Stepford Wives in order to avoid hell. That, that is in order to avoid hell is important. It's a stick that if real would preclude free will. If you don't understand what people might do to avoid eternal punishment, you have not imagination. People say all sorts of things under torture. Threaten eternal torture and you really raise the stakes.
(July 11, 2015 at 11:16 am)Randy Carson Wrote: I hope you will take a couple of minutes to read Akin's article in its entirety.I skimmed it anyway. Like your summary, half points for effort.
If there is a god, I want to believe that there is a god. If there is not a god, I want to believe that there is no god.