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An astonishingly good post there, Analog. I didn't even know you were Calvinist i.e. holding the true Christian doctrine regarding man's natural spiritual state and God's sovereignty toward man in salvation.

It is a commonplace attack upon the Bible's doctrines of grace (Calvinism) to say that those of us who uphold these ancient Christian doctrines are championing some sort of robotic religion or that God has taken us prisoner or made slaves of us. This could not be further from the truth. As can be readily observed from nature, all forms of complex life strongly exhibit free will, mankind more so than any other. It is another straw man for Arminians to knock down to attack God's absolute sovereignty in salvation. God will not take us prisoner or make us slaves even if we pray for it. God desires our willing love and service to Him.

kiltmaker, it gives me no particular pleasure to tell you that there is no Summerland. Paganism isn't actually any worse a religion than any other manmade religion. But there is only one supernatural religion and that is Christianity, a saving belief in Christ. Ignore any local Christians that are a stumbling block to your view of Christ. Christ calls you to freedom and joy. And, doctrines of election notwithstanding, I believe that God will find a seeking heart. Our Father is most generous toward us. I would suggest that you consider the doctrine of election to mean that, with regard to mankind, God has so arranged His eternal plan of creation so as to save every possible soul that He can but without violating His own holy standards and His requirement that we serve Him willingly. We are children of God, not slaves or robots or prisoners.

Amen...I just read a wonderful analogy...Scripture tells us not to be drunk with the Spirit and not with wine which leads to debatchery, but with Holy Spirit...

Before we are saved we are drunk with sin. Like the drunk that is driven by the alcohol to continue to sin . It lies to us and tells us we are not drunk..we " can handle it" The alcohol ( or sin nature) drives the decisions we make. When the Holy Spirit taps us on the shoulder we become drunk with the Spirit of God instead .God's grace intoxicates us with His "new desire and power" we just naturally turn to Him!

Both the decision to turn from God and the decision to turn toward God are our decisions