If god knows what I'm going to do, can I possibly not do what god knows I'm going to do?

Question

Or does that mean no matter what I'm going to do what god knows I'm going to do?

Answer 1

The idea of predetermination comes from the notion that God exists outside of time, meaning that God sees everything without a temporal framework.



You have free will, you can change your mind about something a million times, but God - existing outside a temporal framework - knows what your final decision and subsequent act will be.

Answer 2

Knowing the future is not the same as deciding the future. You seem to be hung up on the idea that the future can be known. Speculating on what God may or may not know is not really a productive task because everybody's idea of God is slightly different. And He ain't doing a lot to clear up the confusion.



The way I see it there are two possibilities for the future. One is the future is completely open, anything is possible. There are an infinite number of timelines. Travel down different timelines and you will end up in a different place in spacetime. Different choices make the timeline branch infinitely. The other possibility is that there is only one timeline, one future. Things will happen in a way such that a being who could travel through time could see it all, beginning to end, just like watching a movie on Tivo. Now the question is, if this second possibility is correct, does that negate free will. If our time traveler could jump ahead and see what shirt you pick out tomorrow morning, does that mean you have no choice? You will choose a shirt to wear tomorrow morning. Whether or not somebody is able to know what your choice will be in advance does not negate the free will,IMHO. If somebody was to tell you what shirt what your choice was going to be, then you might feel like your free will is gone. But God's not talking, at least not on matters like your wardrobe choices.



So I'll throw it back to you, if there is only one timeline, one history from the beginning to the end of time, do we still have free will?



-Wilds

Answer 3

I think I may have come into something in the middle, but I've never understood how God knowing all the possible permutations of my actions robbed me of my free will, if God isn't making me choose that action.



I know a lot of times exactly what my kids are going to do, but I'm not pulling puppet strings to make them do it, and I'm far from omniscient.



Add--I see. It's when you say you must do it that's hanging me up. You have a variety of choices each time you choose. God knows each of the possible outcomes of each choice. This is why I think it sometimes seems God "changes his mind" because God is engaged in our free will. Yet he knows the inevitable result. If you turn left God knows what will happen and if you turn right God knows what will happen but it is not preordained that you must go one way or the other.



However, I am not a Calvinist and don't believe in predestination.

Answer 4

I don't believe in the whole God knows everything about us and how are lives will turn out ahead of time concept. The concept of freewill to me means that God doesn't know. We can change our fate by the choices we make. God is hoping we make the right choices.

Answer 5

If god knew what you were going to do, then how does free will come into place. If he knows what our will is going to do, then no i supoce that we could not change what he already knows we are going to do... but i don't find the statement to be true.. if he gave us free will then he does not and can not know what we are going to do.

Answer 6

Foreknowlege IS causation when you are the all-powerful, all-knowing creator and controller of the omniverse.



Would you like to try another easy answer that will only satisfy your 2nd grade catechism class?

Answer 7

i would say 'seeing the future' is either a skill, he can do it, but chooses not to all the time



or



he cant see the future, but see's what is going on (and because he's so clever) makes very accurate predictions.



or the stuff he prophesied he made happen

Answer 8

Or does that mean no matter what I'm going to do what god knows I'm going to do?



yes

Answer 9

Because knowing isn't causing. Read Aristotle. Think. Look up what omniscience means. You simply posit what you are trying to prove.

Answer 10

To say "God knows "is just to put fear into your thinking that If you try to do something and you feel it is wrong you will not do it. Others call it "conscience".

How do we know God know!!!????

Answer 11

What if you try not to do, what you didn't know you weren't going to do , but don't do want you don't think god thinks you are going to do?

Answer 12

well god doesn't realy know what you are going to do he gives you

choices though out your life.

Answer 13

If god is omniscient everything is his will and perceived free will is an illusion.

Answer 14

but you are still doing something, so yeah he knows. He knows every though, move, or anything.

♥hn

Answer 15

God has to know.



Unless God was trapped by his creation (time) he exists outside of it. if he doesn't already know how your great great great great grandchildren will die, he has been trapped by time and lost his power.

Answer 16

God knows, but He ain't telling.

Answer 17

God works in mysterious ways...

Answer 18

You can do whatever you want. God just knows what it is. Change your mind a dozen times and He' ll still know!

Answer 19

tis kweshtun makes hard thinkeding

Answer 20

I know if you kick a brick wall barefooted you will hurt your foot. That doesn't mean you don't have the free will to kick the brick wall barefooted.



Foreknowledge is not causation.

Answer 21

No because he knows what your going to do either choice you make he also knows you are thingking of possibly not doing what he knows you are going to.

Answer 22

Oooh...you are a trickly little fella aren't ya

Answer 23

My head hurts

Answer 24

This again.