Caution: Quasi-theological, but non-denominational, discussion lies ahead.
A commenter writes (in a discussion of what guns she would like to ban):
As for my life- I for the most part leave that in God’s hands.
I have never understood that argument. Of course it is in God’s hands. It always was. It seems mighty arrogant for any person to place it there. He does what he does. You do what you do. If you to defend yourself and God wants you dead, you lose. But the fact that he trumps your actions doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to do something for yourself.
I asked my wife about this and she said “that attitude is just how some people cope”. Okay, I can buy that. But cope for yourself your way, I’ll cope for myself my way. Don’t use laws to force your way of coping on me.
A analogous argument might be to sit in front of a plate of food and a fork and say “if God wills it the food will enter my stomach, I need not lift this fork. Therefore I ban 4 pronged forks, but not 3 pronged, they are okay.”
Good luck with that. I’m certain God could put the food in your stomach, but anecdotal evidence from a few billion humans shows that lifting the fork yourself is his preferred method. A lighting bolt could correct my view of this, but until then I feel pretty strong that, indeed, the fork should be lifted by me.
Free agency, choice, defines any religion worth being a part of. Lack of free agency flaws the Muslim faith making it unsafe for the rest of us to be around it. This is largely why I think we should keep its adherents from immigrating here.
Once given free agency, you can’t give it back. Its your’s to use and misuse. So get busy, the test is on.
April 1st, 2009 at 3:01 pm
The commenter is really out of it, i.e. ignorant. You are correct by agreeing with most western philosophy from Epicurius forward but maybe not cosmologists who tend toward eastern philosophy after noticing that quantum physics still can’t pin down “reality.” Quantum effects blow a big hole in determinism in human affairs leaving only free will! Buddhists et al. believe there’s only God (Oneness) of which each human is a very small part but seem to agree that there’s choice. That’s my take on fatalism. Religion is nothing but limiting freedom of choice for a particular theology or metaphysical outlook.