by Regnus Numis » Mon Dec 18, 2017 5:12 pm
> Free will isn't really free in terms of being able to do or choose anything. It can't possibly be, and that is not what anyone means by free will. Free will doesn't mean we as humans can choose to fly to Saturn on a hot dog if we so choose, or that we are free to turn ourselves in armadillos. That's not what free will means. It means we have the capability to choose what is properly within my capabilities. Teleporting myself to the rings of Saturn is an option in contradiction to my capability, and is therefore impossible and not within the scope of possibilities for me. Free will always has limitations, or parameters.
I never argued that free will meant we literally have the physical capacity to do anything.
> God has free will, but he's not free to sin. He's not free to renege on His promises. He's not free to be evil. These are options in contradiction to his character, which is impossible, and therefore not within the scope of possibilities for Him.
It seems like you're talking about a different type of free will here. Earlier, you were discussing our physical limitations as human beings, not our moral limitations, as if implying that free will meant a complete lack of physical limitations. However, you do not apply the same standards of free will to God. Instead, you discuss how God would never act contrary to His character. Hence, your definition of free will remains unclear to me.
> Our nature is determined by our DNA, as are our capacities. No matter how hard we wish, we can't see like eagles or sniff like bloodhounds. That has no bearing on the fact that our choices are not determined.
Once again, I'm not talking about physical limitations. When addressing our nature, I'm talking about our character. Speaking of which, if God is limited by His nature to only do good, then why doesn't He limit our nature to only doing good as well? If the nature of a psychopath is determined by his DNA, then why doesn't God intervene and modify human DNA to prevent psychopaths from being born?
It's often stated we can sin because we have free will, so claiming God has free will yet cannot sin requires a redefinition of free will, unless you define sin as rebellion against God. If so, then perhaps I should replace the word sin with the phrase be malicious.