tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14667609.post7995328837437462085..comments2023-12-22T11:43:46.678-05:00Comments on One More Thing: FreedomRyanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02455778871683941763noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14667609.post-34182330685221837132012-09-09T09:54:02.213-04:002012-09-09T09:54:02.213-04:00I don't mean to imply that our ability to choo...I don't mean to imply that our ability to choose is unimportant. It is vitally important; it defines us as human beings. I was hoping to highlight two things: that unconstrained ability is not what was intended for us and should never be celebrated as such, even as we allow it's expression. Second, society is not obligated and should not let such ability dictate it's values. The responsibility of the human community is to provide consequences for someone using their unconstrained ability in destructive ways. I don't think we can properly do the second part without recognizing the first. Unconstrained ability is a gift, but it is not the goal. True freedom is being free from the control of our decisions and desires.Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02455778871683941763noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14667609.post-13579657476383317632012-09-09T09:10:18.073-04:002012-09-09T09:10:18.073-04:00I think you raise some interesting points, but I a...I think you raise some interesting points, but I also think you are glossing over the freedom in free choice vs. the freedom of giving up that choice to God. What I mean is that it is no small thing that we get to choose whether or not to follow the path set out for us by God and though you may call that sort of willing enslavement freedom, the ability to freely choose that end is very important and, moreover, should be celebrated.<br /><br />God gives us this choice because without it, there would really be no true love or true devotion there, merely automatons programmed to do his will. So this spills over into the United States as well. We should celebrate the freedom we have to choose to live our lives the way we see fit knowing that if we use that freedom to follow God it is all the better. We could make the same choices (sort of) in a country with less freedom and it would carry more or different consequences. Fortunately, we don't have to do that right now and to me that is something to be celebrated because I can choose to follow God's plan and that freedom freely.<br /><br />Not celebrating or at least recognizing that distinction can lead to indifference in influencing the world around us. If we as Christians care only about the freedom we have in God that is simply the other side of the same coin. If we were electing Christ as the dictator of our world and then could be sure of the intentions then that makes the giving up of freedom nice and easy. But we aren't that lucky... we are tasked as the care takers of the world and to dismiss freedom of choice as something unimportant is to miss out on the whole love side of the equation. The more freedom you give away to someone other than God and yourself, the less impact you have in doing on earth as it is in heaven.Marknoreply@blogger.com