Free Will Vs. Morality

[Space]

I choose the tree of life!

And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 2:9 (King James Version)

I don't understand how you can have morality in free will and vice versa. How can you have the knowledge of good and evil in life if it doesn't exist in life? Having that knowledge is said to have caused Adam and Eve to be sinners.

The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Genesis 2:25 (New International Version)

Isn't the knowledge of good and evil the reason why Adam and Eve were supposedly sinners. Obviously, the serpent wanted Adam and Eve to open their eyes and realize that they were naked, which it said happened later on and that's when they had the knowledge of good and evil and thought they were bad. But in life, that knowledge doesn't exist, so why fall for the lies of the accuser? Especially when he's telling you something about yourself that isn't true (having the knowledge of good and evil, for example).

 

[rambot]

Free Will means that you are free to make the choices you make.
Morality is the guidelines that you use to CHOOSE which decisions you make.
This is a poor analogy but to get my general point across is:
Free will dictates that you are free to jump off a tall cliff. You conscience tells you NOT to do that.
Is that your conscience LIMITING your free will, OR is that merely part of a rubric which assists you in making your choices ?

I prefer to think of it as the latter.

IOW, in so much as I CHOOSE to follow the "suggestions" God gave me in the bible, I am using my FREE WILL: I decide what I should and should not do.

 

[Space]

Free Will means that you are free to make the choices you make.
Morality is the guidelines that you use to CHOOSE which decisions you make.
This is a poor analogy but to get my general point across is:
Free will dictates that you are free to jump off a tall cliff. You conscience tells you NOT to do that.
Is that your conscience LIMITING your free will, OR is that merely part of a rubric which assists you in making your choices ?

I prefer to think of it as the latter.

IOW, in so much as I CHOOSE to follow the "suggestions" God gave me in the bible, I am using my FREE WILL: I decide what I should and should not do.

The knowledge of good and evil does not exist. If the things in your knowledge are good and evil, then you have the knowledge of good and evil. But if they aren't, but you think they are, then your mind is filled with lies. Since the knowledge of good and evil doesn't exist, that means that anyone who thinks things are good and evil, are believing a bunch of lies, as Satan would have people to believe.

As for your conscience telling you not to jump of a cliff, that's Satan hurting your faith. I think God meant it when he said that you can do anything if you have faith the size of a mustard seed. How do you think birds fly?

 

[amused]

I think free will is the freedom to make what ever choices about whatever for your life. Free will to chose to live according to the standards of God's law, if we choose not to then there is still a knowledge of morality. It is something to try and live by and if we cant its ok because we are living everyday and trying to change and grow in God.

Jesus didnt die for nothing, God was fully aware we were going to sin, to choose to not be moral. You can label Gods laws as morality or societies laws as morality, or even common sense. Eitherway we have free will to abide by them or not. This is what makes the sacrifice of Jesus so great, and the love and grace of God so huge.

cheers

 

[elman]

I choose the tree of life!



I don't understand how you can have morality in free will and vice versa. How can you have the knowledge of good and evil in life if it doesn't exist in life? Having that knowledge is said to have caused Adam and Eve to be sinners.



Isn't the knowledge of good and evil the reason why Adam and Eve were supposedly sinners. Obviously, the serpent wanted Adam and Eve to open their eyes and realize that they were naked, which it said happened later on and that's when they had the knowledge of good and evil and thought they were bad. But in life, that knowledge doesn't exist, so why fall for the lies of the accuser? Especially when he's telling you something about yourself that isn't true (having the knowledge of good and evil, for example).

No it is not knowledge that is evil. It is unloving action that is evil. Also knowledge is not the cause of evil.

 

[TeddyKGB]

As for your conscience telling you not to jump of a cliff, that's Satan hurting your faith. I think God meant it when he said that you can do anything if you have faith the size of a mustard seed. How do you think birds fly?

I think birds fly because they have numerous adaptations for flight, including but not limited to wings, hollow bones, specialized muscles, and high-efficiency lungs.

Why? What were you going to say?