Do I Have Free Will?

[Bullet Magnet]

Here are some questions I've pondered for a while, and I'd like to hear your opinion.

First, let's start with 2 assumptions derived straight from KJV text. I've read related verses and have done my best to ensure these statements are accurate and I'm not over-analyzing (something I do frequently):
1. God is omniscient
2. Men are granted free will by God

I pose a simple question: If God is omniscient and all-knowing, how is it possible for man to have free will? Before God even creates Bob, he knows exactly what Bob will think, say, and do. Bob simply moves through the motions of a predetermined blueprint/timeline. A popular retort is that God knows what we will do but refrains from controlling us. This is also invalid given the two assumptions above. If God has knowledge of everything Bob will do prior to his creation, he has exercised that control. In order for Bob to have free will, he would have to make every decision in his life prior to being born.

I'm unable to muster an explanation that doesn't break one of the two assumptions listed above. Thoughts?

[BlackCat]

I've also raised this exact question to many people at a time when I was losing my Christian faith and I still bring it up to people today to challenge and question their beliefs. You've spotted a paradox -- a logical fallacy, one of many in the bible. Christians will B.S. their way around your question by saying "You took it out of context!" when it is taken in context or "Only God knows the answer; our little human brains can't understand this!" but at the end of the day, the truth remains that it's still a logical fallacy.

Don't worry or waste your time in trying to understand it because if your IQ is high, which I believe it is, you will understand that it's all one big error in logic -- something that's impossible to grasp. Many people are simply not too bright enough to comprehend what they're reading and therefore they just take it in without analyzing anything and defend it, "the word of God", like sheep because the alternative of not believing is going to hell, and any natural response of skepticism due to intelligence would be quickly defeated by the thought of the devil is making me think this.

Here's another paradox to entertain yourself with. If God is all-knowing then he knows what lust feels like. If God is all-good then he WOULDN'T know what lust feels like. However, the bible says that he is BOTH all-knowing and all-good! I M P O S S I B L E.

As a random side note, here's a funny verse. Numbers 12:3 (NIV):

Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.

Moses wrote Numbers....

[Bullet Magnet]

There are many religious people who indeed shy away from these discussions completely. There are also some that have done significant research and offer good explanations and interpretations to these topics.

If you ask me, too many Christians try to possess knowledge they don't have when the simple answer could be: "I don't know."

As annoying as it is for someone like me who likes explanations, Christians have a point when they say "God knows and we can't understand." One should not expect that a creator is bound by the laws of science and logic created by humans.

That said, I think my question is still fair since it's based on principles from the same text.

[BlackCat]

There probably isn't a god.

It really amazes me that the overwhelming majority of people just go with the religion they grew up with, doing little or no research as to its validity, or when they attempt to validate their book, they use sources within the source to prove the source. Of course, this is where the "Christianity isn't a religion" argument spurs, like it's somehow different from the thousands of other religions. I could create a religion tonight if I wanted to. The truth is that the bible was written by a ton of people and compiled from a bunch of priests who probably had a fascination with little boys then just like they do now. How's that for ad hominem? Logic validates or invalidates assertion as fact or fallacy. It's testable and not opinionated; it is derived from mathematical processes. You all know that 2+2 always equals 4. You can't escape that, even if you're a god. It just doesn't work that way... To those who think it does, brainwashed.

Don't let the thought police fool and control you.