Why do people think that the existence of God implies determinism?

Question: Why do people think that the existence of God implies determinism!?

I don't see how god knowing the future would destroy our free will!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

great question!
some might think that because God is alpha and omega that everything we do is predetermined already even our ascension or decension into heaven or hell!. however, we are finite creatures, we can not fathom the infinite majesty of God!.
what im trying to say is we do have infinite choices on thing in our lives, with everyday situations that has cause and effects for our future however what applies to us and God are two different things!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I see others have already pointed out that this problem only exists in their notion of an omniscient and an omnipotent God!. They conceive of God in his omniscience deciding he will do something sometime in the future; either he can retract that decision (in which case he fails to be omniscient) or he cannot (in which case he is not omnipotent)!. This is somewhat similar to the old joke, "If God can do anything, can he make a rock so big he can't roll it!?"

But they've still missed a point: this problem only exists in the notion of an omniscient and omnipotent God who is nevertheless bound to a sequential experience of time similar to ours!. If God is eternal, concurrently (from God's point of view) present in all times as in all places, their notions of God needing to have the power to choose to not do something he had earlier thought he would do are a fiction: there is no "earlier" and God knowing his action is inseparable from God's action!.

The whole argument therefore depends on imposing on God a human limitation, one which was recognized as not inherent to all existence, even in popular fiction, over a century ago!. (See source!.)Www@QuestionHome@Com

If God knows the future, then the future already exists even if it only exists in his knowledge!. If the future already exists, then it is by definition going to happen in exactly the way that God knows it!. What appears to you to be a choice that will produce either A or B, God knows what it is going to produce so your choice is predetermined to match the result that God knows!. If you still want to call that free will, go right ahead, but it looks very determined to most of us!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

God knowing the future does not destroy our free will!. God knows what will happen as a result of our actions!. As for God knowing what actions we will do, yes I believe He knows that as well!. God knows everything, past, present, and future!. He will not stand in the way of our free will, but that will not stand in the way of Him seeing the future!. God has a plan for everything and everyone, it is His job to know what is going to happen!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

To answer the first part of your question!. The existence of only a certain type of God implies determinism!. The omnipotent, omiscient God!. The one that is supposed have complete control over what is to take place and know exactly what is already going to happen!. Not any other God!.

To Answer the second part!. God knowing the future does not nessaccarily "destroy" our free will, but instead should make you wonder why he gave it to us in the first place!. If it is all a "test"!. then why would would such a being with perfect goodness impose such a sadistic concept onto us!. A test of what!?, our love for him when he in fact provides us with a cruel sadistic form of it!. Why should he test our love for him, when we had no choice in the matter to begin with!? Love should be brought upon onto oneself!. Not demanded!.Www@QuestionHome@Com