Question regarding free will

[Dean Peterman]

Dear Ray,

I read your thought provoking article on free will.  While reading your article a question came to my mind.  If we don't have free will or the ability to evaluate truth how do we know what we believe is true.  In your article you indicated that God would cause you to accept these truths or He will cause you to reject these truths.  If this is the case, how do you or anyone else know that what they believe is the truth.  As a reminder, you state the following:

"God will either cause you to accept these truths at this "appointed time" in your life, or He will cause you to reject these truths at this "appointed time" in your life, and your "will" is not "free" to do either. It is all of God! The circumstances are already set in motion which will bring about God's desired intentions."

If this is true it would seem impossible to ever know if what we believe is the truth.  For example, if someone rejects the idea that we have free will and someone else accepts the idea that we have free will and both have been caused to believe as they do, how can we ever sort out who is right.  Both are being caused by God to believe as they do.  Perhaps in his wisdom God has caused you to reject the truth of free will in order to achieve a greater good in your life.  Since it is God that is controlling your beliefs you have no way to think about this using your own reasoning abilities.   

Finally, let me say that I love you and mean no disrespect.  I am sincerely looking for an explanation.  If you have one I am anxious to hear it.

Sincerely,

Dean

[gmik]

Dean, Ray doesn't read this forum.  You have to send him an e mail.  See the address at his site.

[GODSown1]

Hey hwz it goin Dean,
                                wot im 2 write 2 u isnt an answer 2 ur question, Well den again it could b, Here goes, , B4 GOD called me out of da world (so 2 speak), I was a gang member of ova 20yrz, in sayn dis , my parents were so Orsum! my dad workd hard my mum made sure we(siblings) had 3 meals a day,had us practically bathed/showered everyday but we werent told/taught nothing abowt GOD/JESUS, I did well @ school, well up 2 a point n e way , I represented my schools 4 cricket & rugby out of school I boxed travelling my country NZ & finkn about it if it werent 4 Boxing I probably wouldntve even travelled n e wher az my parents did their best 4 us just 2 hav food on our table & us 2 b clothed Y im telln U dis is bcoZ I didnt want U 2 get fingz wrong az hw I ended up bein a gang member, finkn I mustve had an abusive up bringn bla bla bla far frm it, imy parents were gr8! & still r, well my dad is deceased nw tho of 3 yrz. Well @ da age of 13 I, yes! I jus up n moved out frm under my parents Wing Yes! 13yrs old, bcoz I fell in awe! id say of dez Gang members I seen, frm d@ day I jus wanted 2 b part of it, the Police uz 2 pick me up & take me home 2 my parents but id jus go in my room & soon az they left id b out da window, dis went on time n time again, until my parents jus sed enuff is enuff & jus let me b. Then i ended up in boys homes to teenage type Prisons eventually leadn 2 growin up Prisons, so I became a Patched up (fully fledged) gang member frm 1981-2003. Well 2 get 2 wot im tryna get @ lol! , is in my time as a gang member I did so much fings I look back finkn if I didnt do dis or didnt do d@ hw would fings hav been now or if only my Parents had spoke of GOD, as in hw Ive cum 2 no GOD hw would fingz hav been nw, But! da realality of it alL has cum clearer 2 me, bcoZ alot of fingz I do nw in my life since bein called frm GOD 2005 ( it was time) all relate 2 my past!, I c it az PRERARATION 4 wot Im doin nw, as I can c if i hadnt did dis or d@, den I wouldnt understand wot im doin nw in my Life & Truly! its all heading 2wards GOD!/JESUS! az in "Sowing of the Seed", So wot Im sayn, well personally 4 me my Life was AlL GODS doing no matter wot n e 1 says 2 me, "GODS WilL be done" in the mighty name of JESUS CHRIST our LORD & our SAVIOR Amen & Amen.
                         much muchLOVE!! Pera

ps. So 2 me Dean I believe der aint 'free will', az I also believe if We had 'free will' den der shouldnt b n e sin I hope U no wot I mean in sayn d@??, Well n e wayZ Dean welcum! & I hope dis Helps U sum wot. The Blessings of the LORD be with You, PeaCe!!