"God PLANNED it before the World Began."
-thus "God's Plan"... which I would add looks increadably like a tale of the history of the Jewish peoples... Which only makes sense since they are the Chosen... unless you travel to China... but I digress and will not continue on this track as I know it upsets you BV.
Jonah:
As far as still having Free Will or not: no, he probably did not think he still had Free Will, but he did. How many others have chosen to go against God when they are punished? MANY! So, no, he may not have felt like he had Free Will, but he obviously did. Intelligence suggests that once shown the Might of God, Jonah decided (freely and perhaps with more wisdom than you or I will ever possess) to follow God. Intelligence also suggests that if "those who are not for me, are against me", and upon making the same realization that Jonah did, we will turn to Him that is the most powerful. This intelligent reasoning won many converts to the Jewish faith out of Egypt and especially in the Promised Land of Isreal. It is not coersion and therefore it is Free Will.
Those who God choses to put faith in still must decide to follow Him. Granted the big G does have the fact that he can alter all of the world in order to make a point. But many are those who see His wonders and TURN AWAY, Harden their hearts, and otherwise CHOOSE to disobey God.
Let me see if I you'll get this point: If today I hear His voice and turn away, where does that fall in His whole "chosen plan" - being that the scriptures are primarily literal and refer to PAST events (with the exception of Rev... which has nothing to do with today per say). You seem to suggest that God's Plan is unfolding as He wishes, but you fail to see that Man has UNDENIABLY been given the opportunity to alter that plan. Man is a pain in God's ass that He just keeps giving chances to BECAUSE He is a loving God.
To put it all another way; if the Jews were His CHOSEN people, why are there Christians today. Somewhere down the line His Chosen people CHOSE to turn against Him and His teachings. He did not say "you are my chosen people, now I will harden your hearts against me so that I can have a reason to kill you all and hate you and kick you out of heaven."
It was by man's CHOICE that we are where we are today, and the failure to accept the stuardship of your own soul means that someone else is chosing for you.
-maouse |
