Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.
DoctorScurvy
I'm probably the person your priest warned you about. I believe there is logic inherent in all things, my existential philosophy of choice is structural determinism, and I'm studying to become a teacher.
Does God have free will?
"You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your book!" [Psalm 139:16]
If God is omniscient, he knows the future. The only way this can be possible is if the entirely of history and future is running along a set path. If the fate of the entire universe is already mapped out, then God knows what he is going to do. If he knows what he is going to do, does he have the power to do something else? If so he is omnipotent but not omniscient, if not he is omniscient but not omnipotent. These appear to be mutually exclusive.
If he is an 'all good' and 'perfect' God, then he is also bound to do nothing but the action deemed to be 'best'. If he's 'perfectly just' he has no option but to perform the most 'just' action.
It seems that a god cannot logically be omniscient, perfect, just and utterly benevolent at the same time as having free will.
How would you escape this paradox?
17 AnswersReligion & Spirituality1 decade ago