Free will?

According to the bible God gave Adam free will. The ability to make choices. And yet, what choice was he really given? Option one: live life the way I direct and live forever. Option two: live life the way you want and ultimately die because you didn't make the choice I wanted you to.

Wait a minute, what? Pretty much that sounded like "do it my way or else" to me. What about you?

Is free will just an illusion? Sure seems like it. Recently I overheard, "I hope he sees his responsibility and comes back to church." Responsibility? Is that what you want worship/devotion from? A sense of responsibility? A sense of obligation? A sense of duty? Shouldn't devotion and worship be given out of love? Out of desire?

I certainly don't want my children to love me because they feel obligated to. I don't want to be married out of a sense of obligation. It should be because of love, because I earned it, not because I made a threat or gave someone no choice.

I don't subscribe to the belief of heaven or hell. I believe that dead is dead. Many however do and think that as long as you're a good person you'll go to heaven. That's not what I gathered from the book of Genesis. Adam was given two options: my way or the highway.

Why were we given free will? Are we just some science experiment? "Hey let's see what happens if we make creatures that are selfish, greedy and cruel, but also have the capacity for honor, love and generosity." Just toss 'em all together, shake 'em up and see what happens?

I feel like we were setup. Your thoughts?

Ain't No Rest for the Wicked, Part 2

As long as I'm on my high horse of confusion, allow me to continue this line of thought. If the bible is just a good book and nothing in it about Armageddon and the end of the world is true, then what will be done about the oppression in the world? Are the people who live on other continents lesser humans somehow? I've said it before and I'll say it again, I do not believe I am entitled. I believe I live in America based on luck. I could have just as easily been born in Ireland or the Philippines or any other country rife with oppression, fighting and poverty.

My parents live in an agricultural area. Many of the fields around them are empty. Why? The government is paying the farmers not to plant crops. There is a famine in Somalia and these fields sit empty. I'm told the reason is because if there is too much grain it drives the price down. So perfectly good ground sits empty.

Not that it would matter, I suppose. From what I understand the warring factions in these countries stop the efforts of humanitarians and the food either sits on docks and containers rotting and getting infested with rats or is intercepted and sold on black markets.

What makes people do these things to one another? What kind of person thinks sacrificing a few lives for their cause is okay?  Or maybe its better stated who sacrifices lives and thinks nothing of it?

How many horrors can be attributed to religion? To someones interpretation of what has been written down in the bible? I believe we were created and as such I think we have a genetic need to believe in something. If the bible is just a good book, or a fable, what else is there? If it's not, if it really is the word of God, what do you do if you no longer have faith in everything you've read in it?

Ain't No Rest for the Wicked

I was recently discussing douche bag people with my friend. I told her, “This is when I’d like to believe all the things I learned in Church. That God is going to destroy all these stupid losers.” The problem is, I can’t reconcile myself to understanding who God is going to destroy. Based on the beliefs I was raised with, my very close friends will be destroyed by God.  I will be destroyed by God. This seems really messed up to me.

You hear people say, “I just try to be a good person.”  A good person in whose opinion?  I’m betting that Hitler thought he was being a good person. I’m betting he had what he perceived as the best interests of his friends, family and countrymen in mind when he decided to attempt to wipe the Jews off the face of the planet.

                           

Who sets the standards for “being a good person?” If you use the standards set in the bible, none of us are good people and we’re all doomed.

As the world continues to fill with atrocities, what is the solution? Too many people won’t raise their voice. They see bad things, but keep their mouth shut. Attempts at raising awareness of issues peacefully end up with little to no recognition.  Attempts to raise awareness in other ways ends with news events like the recent riots in London, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria…there have been more riots in the news this year than I can remember.  Then, in countries with a democratic system in place, where individuals can express themselves through voting, how many take advantage of the opportunity.  How many sat out thinking, “well, my little vote doesn’t matter anyway.” (Look at the douches in Congress as a result!)

I make no offer of a solution here.  I really have absolutely no idea.  What I do know, is that I worry about making the right decisions in life for myself, for my children, for the future.  What do you consider on this Sunday, God’s day of rest? Can you find reconciliation and peace of mind within your belief system?

P.S. This has been prescheduled. It is not a sign that I survived Six Flags. :P