Does God Support Free Agency?

[_just me]

If God gives you a choice of doing exactly what he says or being killed or anihilated, is that really free agency?

Today, God does not kill people who choose to do horrible and depraved acts to little children or other humans. He allows genocidal maniacs to rule nations and he allows the cycle of abuse to continue in individual homes.

Back in the olden days it is claimed that God killed a dude for trying to steady the Ark of the Covenant. He killed two husbands of that one lady who then pretended to be a prostitute to get pregnant with her father in law. You know who I'm talking about.
This same god flooded the earth to kill everyone because he wished he had never created humans to begin with. He was so disgusted with whatever it was they were doing that was just so super bad.

If God was willing to kill people back in the olden days for such tiny infractions as touching a sacred object why doesn't he kill genocidal maniacs and mass murderers of today? Isn't genocide worse than steadying the AotC?

If killing or stopping the "wicked" today is disallowing free agency then killing and stopping the "wicked" in Biblical times was also disallowing people their free agency.

Where is the consistancy? Does God really care about agency?

Are we really free agents if the only two choices given us are obey god or die?

Now, I realize that the LDS view is different from other christian views on the topic of agency. This is clearly coming from an LDS perspective.

[_Buffalo]

That's what you get when you try to mash several incompatible ideologies together. The Yahwists are not compatible with the early Christians are not compatible with the modern Christians. None of it harmonizes.

[_MrStakhanovite]

Free Agency is an illusion.

[_Morley]

Free Agency is an illusion.

Please make your argument for this, Stak.

[_Fence Sitter]

Free Agency is an illusion.

Please make your argument for this, Stak.

If he chooses to defend his position would that be evidences that he is wrong?

[_MrStakhanovite]

Free Agency is an illusion.

Please make your argument for this, Stak.

I adhere to the B-theory of Time, I do not think the present is unique and different from the past or future, that there is no ultimate objective standard of time (like a God’s eye view of time), that is to say, time is tenseless.

[_Drifting]

Well, after less than 2,000 years God was so unimpressed with His human creations ability to choose wisely He decided that all but eight had to die by drowning them.

Interestingly I once had a meeting with a Stake President. I raised a number of questions about the validity of the Church - he responded to these questions of mine by whipping out the Temple Recommend questions and running through them with me. One sticks in my mind "Drifting, do you sustain the First Presidency" (words to that effect).
I answered no and explained that I didn't agree with how they spent the members donations and that I didn't believe God approved of how they distributed the funds.
His response was to tell me that, once I had been through the Temple, I wasn't allowed to question things. I just had to be obedient to all my leaders required and decided. I politely disagreed and refused to meet with him again.

[_Morley]

I adhere to the B-theory of Time, I do not think the present is unique and different from the past or future, that there is no ultimate objective standard of time (like a God’s eye view of time), that is to say, time is tenseless.

Thanks.

[_Buffalo]

Well, after less than 2,000 years God was so unimpressed with His human creations ability to choose wisely He decided that all but eight had to die by drowning them.

Interestingly I once had a meeting with a Stake President. I raised a number of questions about the validity of the Church - he responded to these questions of mine by whipping out the Temple Recommend questions and running through them with me. One sticks in my mind "Drifting, do you sustain the First Presidency" (words to that effect).
I answered no and explained that I didn't agree with how they spent the members donations and that I didn't believe God approved of how they distributed the funds.
His response was to tell me that, once I had been through the Temple, I wasn't allowed to question things. I just had to be obedient to all my leaders required and decided. I politely disagreed and refused to meet with him again.

I wonder how he thought that would go in his head. Seriously, the response from these guys is so often to not even address the issues, but just to try to pull the Mormon Jedi Mind Trick, as if that's going to work.

"Don't question it. These aren't the droids you're looking for."

[_DarkHelmet]

God is like that mean dad that tells you to do things "because I said so, that's why." The type of dad who says you're free to make your own decisions, but you're also free to get an ass whooping.

I believe when god was a man like us, he was just like this guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wl9y3SIPt7o