[geopyg]

I was out in the woods with my young son and walking by a small stream. I told him a couple of times to stay away from the water, 'cuz if he got wet we'd have to stop our hike and go back to the truck and get dry clothes on 'cuz it was chilly out.

On the third time he was out on the rocks a ways, looks back grinning 'cuz its fun and I'm not stopping him. Of course he slips on the wet moss and tumbles in. Scrapped himself a bit too.

So back to the truck with him crying wearing my jacket, me telling him he'll be okay, and then into some dry clothes (and a bandaid), and then back home.

Did I know what was going to happen? Yeah. Am I a not-all-powerful Dad because I let it happen? (No, I could have dragged him from the trail after the second time and carried him back to the truck before he got wet.)

But- what kind of life would that be for him - me always telling him what to do, and telling him how to do it. And, what kind of life would that be for me? Granted, my priority is not for him to love me (unlike God's), but I do think God and I agree that we want him to have a good, fulfilling life.

And all that stuff about destiny, known by God, etc. stuff is just a bunch of fancy words that gives me headaches. God is my Father, and I am His Child.

[Jorge]

On the third time he was out on the rocks a ways, looks back grinning 'cuz its fun and I'm not stopping him. Of course he slips on the wet moss and tumbles in. Scrapped himself a bit too.

So back to the truck with him crying wearing my jacket, me telling him he'll be okay, and then into some dry clothes (and a bandaid), and then back home.

Did I know what was going to happen? Yeah. Am I a not-all-powerful Dad because I let it happen? (No, I could have dragged him from the trail after the second time and carried him back to the truck before he got wet.)

That's right. You allowed him to walk out on the rocks where he fell and scrapped himself so that makes it your fault. If you can't "control" your son and prevent anything bad from ever happening to him then you are a bad father. It's the same as if you pushed him onto the rocks and scrapped him up yourself.
No difference. LOL