etu wrote:
It seems to me that the words “free will” has never been clearly understood and implicated.
The phrase “Freedom of Will” to me seems a better choice as it implies that One is free from the Will of another.
Their is a phrase in Hindu religion “The Dance of Maya” and it symbolizes that what we experience in life is usually not what we think it is. This has multiple levels of meaning, in the material universe it explains the Quantum structures of the universe and how our senses can only assimilate a fraction of the entirety.
That said, the metaphorical scene in the Garden of Eden is that the Abrahamic god lied to Eve in saying that:
Genesis 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 2:17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”
3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Here the Abrahamic god attempts to keep the ignorant Adam & Eve under His Will, the Serpent/Lucifer enlightens them that they will not die and that they too shall become gods.
Freedom of Will means just that . . . freedom from the Will of another.
Thy Will Be Done . . . becomes . . . My Will Be Done
Thank you for your response. It begins with a false premise however.
The Creator, whom you call the Abrahamic God, does not lie…..in fact he “cannot” lie. (Titus 1:1, 2)
The “father of the lie” is the devil (meaning slanderer) (John 8:44)
God’s will is that his children obey him. If you are a parent, you will understand this concept. The Father always has his children’s best interests at heart. When he gives them directives, it is not because he wants to curb their freedom to make choices….he gave us that freedom to begin with.
Freedom to make choices would have enhanced their lives to no end, provided it was exercised within the parameters set by God. Abuse of free will means exercising it to the detriment of others. Once that occurs, your free will then becomes a curse instead of a blessing. The world today is proof positive that this is true. Selfish exercise of free will benefits no one.
“But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace” (Psalm 37:11)
JaneD
Avid Bible Student

