The Problem of Free Will, A Theological Problem. Options

[NoSex]

Alright, the purpose of this thread is to discuss the theological Problem of Free Will. So, under common christian theolgy, God is described as being all-knowing (omniscient) and all powerful (omnipotent). Men are also described as having free will. This is at the heart of the reality of theological fatalism. Solving this issue is vital to christian theology as it becomes an inherent contradiction as well as threatening to the christian conception of salvation and damnation.

I hold that God's infallible foreknowledge makes impossible man's free will. If god knows the future, how can we choose our own path?

Discuss.

[*CrackedRearView*]

^

I still think the logic is a bit restrictive and skewed. Your argument states that a man will choose X, and God knows that. It then moves to say that because God knows the man will choose X, he can't choose Y because that will defy God's omniscience, making him imperfect. And because man needs two choices or more in order to have free will, God's omniscience cancels this.

What I don't understand is where you assume that God's omniscience prevents a man from choosing Y over X. I don't understand where your argument proves that a person didn't have the choice to pick between X and Y. Where do you reasonably show that God's omniscience prevents our ability to choose? Where do you reasonably prove that we start with a blank slate and God simply knows the path we'll take; the choice we'll make out of several thousand choices over our lifespans?

Call me ignorant and thickheaded, but I don't get the logic.

[NoSex]

^

I still think the logic is a bit restrictive and skewed. Your argument states that a man will choose X, and God knows that. It then moves to say that because God knows the man will choose X, he can't choose Y because that will defy God's omniscience, making him imperfect. And because man needs two choices or more in order to have free will, God's omniscience cancels this.

What I don't understand is where you assume that God's omniscience prevents a man from choosing Y over X. I don't understand where your argument proves that a person didn't have the choice to pick between X and Y. Where do you reasonably show that God's omniscience prevents our ability to choose? Where do you reasonably prove that we start with a blank slate and God simply knows the path we'll take; the choice we'll make out of several thousand choices over our lifespans?

Call me ignorant and thickheaded, but I don't get the logic.

All my argument does is make clear the contradiction. If only one option is available, there is no choice in the matter, and thus no free will. All my argument does is to show that there is only one option, and no chance to do otherwise.

God's omniscience "prevents" man from choosing Y because God knows that the man will "choose" X. The man could not choose Y, because Y is an impossibility given that God is omniscient. How could you choose against the perfect and ultimate foreknowledge of God? So, Y isn't a real option because it is an impossibility. Given that there are no other options left but X, how can man have a choice? How can man have free will if he doesn't have the power to choose? How can he have free will without at least two options?

The basic contradiction is this:
Free Will requires options and a choice between options.
God's omniscience does not allow the possibility of multiple of options, thus not allowing the possibility of choice. Essentially, how can you freely choose to do anything if it is already true that you must do X?