But those of you that have children, and I would assume you love them more than anything, do you let them choose between good actions and bad actions? Are they free to run around your house and do anything they want, for example set the house on fire, steal from your neighbors, hurt themselves, hurt each other?
If you went to someone's house, and you saw them allowing their children to do these things, what would you say about that parent? Would you say, "oh clearly this parent loves their children so much that they give them the freedom to do whatever they want so that when the child does the right thing they're doing it freely!" ???
Why do we apply one set of logic to "God" and another logic to humans?
When something terrible, like 9/11 happens, do we say "oh look evidence of God's work in the world, evidence of God's love for us, of our freedom to choose?"
Or do we lash out at the perpetrators, and hold them accountable, and punish them using human laws, human prisons, and human punishments?
If our faith in God was absolute, why wouldn't we allow them the same freedom of choice that God does? If we don't, does it mean we don't love our neighbor as God does?
When we punish our children, or at least attempt to direct their behavior towards what we consider best, are we being less than God? Or are we exercising our common sense that if a child is not directed in terms of how to act in a way that is best for themselves and others then there will be consequences that affect others and ultimately will come back on the child.
So do you raise your children allowing their complete freedom of will like God? Or do YOU decide what is BEST?
Or are we perhaps abusing the concept of "free will" ? How can we define free will in a way that doesn't create unintended consequences? Because the current definition ALLOWS and JUSTIFIES abuse. And yet, we don't even apply this definition universally. As individuals, we tend to apply this definition to justify OUR actions and thoughts and beliefs that are not best, and yet we hold everyone else to the standard of paying for their actions, thoughts, and beliefs when they hurt other people or ourselves especially.
What if the true meaning of "free will" is the freedom to always choose what is BEST in any given situation? Whether you believe in "truth" or not, at the very least, doesn't this definition serve us and others better?
Of course, in the way the world works today, it is not always possible to choose what is best from the bigger perspective, because we have to survive. And so we all do things that we know are not best because if we don't, ultimately it's a lot harder to survive in this world. In self honesty, don't you observe that those who are the most dishonest, the best liars, the best cheaters, the best abusers, tend to make the most money? You may say that people get what they have coming, but deep down you know that isn't true. Because otherwise you would never blame anyone in any position at any level of society for any problems in this world. Because they would've got what they had coming and would not be allowed or be able to continue in the position they are in. There would be no oil cartels, drug cartels, monopolies, starvation, suffering. With enough money you can virtually avoid justice in this world. And you know what I'm saying is true.
The fact is, saying that God allows free will gives you permission to participate in a system of abuse, for example our money system, while billions starve and lack basic necessities.
If God were here on earth, wouldn't he do something about this situation? Isn't that what Jesus attempted to do? And yet the world crucified him. Is that what you fear for yourself? Are you not actually free to exercise your will due to fear?
Did God allow Jesus to have free will? What does it say in the Bible, that God so loved the world that he sent his only son to die for OUR sins?
What parent would do that? A loving one?
So, if we are to exercise our free will properly, knowing that we have a system of abuse in this world, wouldn't that imply that even within that limitation, proper use of our free will would be to choose in every moment that which would support a change in the system that would free us from the bonds of a system of slavery, abuse, and competition for survival?
Isn't that what Jesus would do?
Self honesty means looking at your beliefs within commonsense, not justifying your own self interest and fear, but based on considering the actual consequences of holding such beliefs.
Are you self honest enough to see the common sense in what I'm saying here? Can you forgive yourself if it turns out that you've been wrong this whole time? Or have you given the power to forgive away to something/someone external to you, which is the essence of mysticism?
And what does it mean to take the Lord's name in vain if not to use his name to justify abuse, when He put you on this earth to use your God-given common sense to make it the heaven that it could be.
See you in the comments.
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