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To: Heartlander
I think that free will only makes sense in a naturalistic world, regardless of how created. If God can and does change the rules in the middle of the game, like democrats at election time, then there is no rational basis for making decisions. No need for medicine or medical science, since God will provide miracles either to those who deserve them, or for some inscrutable purpose. In either case, health is in the hands of God. Same for self-defense, same for nearly condition of mankind. If the rules are unknowable, human decisions are of no value.
265 posted on 06/06/2003 8:54:10 AM PDT by js1138
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To: js1138
same for nearly every condition of mankind
266 posted on 06/06/2003 8:55:43 AM PDT by js1138
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To: js1138
I think that free will only makes sense in a naturalistic world, regardless of how created.

Let’s look at free will from a naturalistic perspective:

From a naturalistic perspective, there are no causally privileged agents, nothing that causes without being caused in turn. Human beings act the way they do because of the various influences that shape them, whether these be biological or social, genetic or environmental. We do not have the capacity to act outside the causal connections that link us in every respect to the rest of the world. This means we do not have what many people call free will, the ability to cause our behavior without being fully caused in turn.
Further, you deny all/any miracles while still leaving the door open as to how everything was created. I would say that if God created anything, at any point, it would constitute a miracle i.e. Big Bang, etc...

If God can and does change the rules in the middle of the game, like democrats at election time, then there is no rational basis for making decisions. No need for medicine or medical science, since God will provide miracles either to those who deserve them, or for some inscrutable purpose. In either case, health is in the hands of God. Same for self-defense, same for nearly condition of mankind. If the rules are unknowable, human decisions are of no value.

Let me get this straight, if miracles happen then I can go to a bar, get drunk, and God will get me home? There is no longer a need to think because God will take care of it all? God was created for our purpose?

280 posted on 06/06/2003 2:51:43 PM PDT by Heartlander
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