Does god influence the choices we make? Or does he simply know what we are going to do? We can look at bacteria we can probably predict what they will do, but we don't influence how they act. Likewise, if people act out of their free will without the interference of a greater being, then people still have the ability to choose. "God" is a observer, therefore they don't determine our fate.

But if you consider god almighty to control every detail of a persons life, what is there to talk about?

Here's what I believe: That most of what happens to us is based on our actions and free will. For example if we do something in the past it will cause something to happen in the future, but if we do something else in the past we get a different future. In short most things that occur to us and the things we do are decided by us, but God knows how and when they will happen before we even do them, before you were even born, so that's how god "decides" what we will do.

Does it really matter if he knows what you're gonna do or not if it's something you ACTUALLY WANT to happen?

in the case of free will, the fact that god can see it has no bearing whatsoever the reasoning behind the choice itself.

that also means that he wont save you from dealing with the consequences of those actions, whether positive or negative.

free will means free will for EVERYONE.

I'd tend to argue that the idea of an omniscient god doesn't go against the free will that we have, because all of our actions are technically pre-determined by prior events and influences. Him seeing the outcome of these events and influences doesn't take away from anything and isn't contradictory. It's only when you see free will as some third party function within the brain, of which there is no evidence, that the problem occurs.

What do you mean by "third party function"?

Quote from Samy Ichiro

EDIT: plz forget what i said

You could just delete your post. There's a delete button.

Totally agree with you Automaton, but for one problem, that we do need to address.

If God is omniscient, and knows everything thats going to happen, he knows how the universe will turn out BEFORE he makes it (there might be something wrong with this line of a approach due to timer-wimey, spacey-wacey outsideiness crap, correct me if there is). THEREFORE when he makes a particular universe, he knows what all our choices will be as he makes it. So he creates the events at the start which will lead to our choices (as in atheistic determinism) and hence decides what they will be, by deciding what will lead to them. Hence, he does't just know what we are going to do, he pre-determines it.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

having predetermined choices doesn't mean you don't have free will. it just means that that is the choice you are going to make at that time. if you become capable of seeing the future, you could just as easily change what choice you make.

Oh, I perfectly understand that. Yet if your choices are consciously pre-determined by anyone, doesn't it mean they are controlling your decisions?

Look at it like this:
1) God knows the universe is set up in such a way so as to mean you will make bad decisions and go to Hell.
2) God sets the universe up in such a way that you will make bad decisions and go to Hell.

If God were JUST omniscient, this wouldn't be a problem. But the fact that god is Omniscient AND created the universe does seem to imply one.