A complex question about free will and Calvinism

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Jan 28, 2021
67
20
8
#1
I have a complex question about free will and Calvinism, as the title of the thread suggests.
Here it is:

If one could know the position and momentum of every particle at the time of the big bang, any future event could be calculated.
These future events would include the motion of neurotransmitters and electrical activity in the brain, both of which contribute to decision making.
Therefore, do we really have free will?
If we don't have true free will, which my thought experiment would seem to suggest, then is Calvinism true?

Before anybody throws Heisenberg at me, Heisenberg simply suggests that the more accurately you measure one variable, the less well you can know the other. Regardless, every particle does have a definite mass and velocity.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
61,149
30,296
113
#2
I prefer the term "self will" over "free will," since the will of man is constrained by many factors.
 

phil36

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2009
8,345
2,159
113
#3
I know noting about particles nor neurotransmitters.

But a better place to go would be scripture? No matter what way you look at it, it's the old Arminianism Vs. Calvinism debate.

So what does that say about neurotransmitters?:ROFL:
 

Adstar

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2016
7,600
3,624
113
#4
I have a complex question about free will and Calvinism, as the title of the thread suggests.
Here it is:

If one could know the position and momentum of every particle at the time of the big bang, any future event could be calculated.
These future events would include the motion of neurotransmitters and electrical activity in the brain, both of which contribute to decision making.
Therefore, do we really have free will?
If we don't have true free will, which my thought experiment would seem to suggest, then is Calvinism true?

Before anybody throws Heisenberg at me, Heisenberg simply suggests that the more accurately you measure one variable, the less well you can know the other. Regardless, every particle does have a definite mass and velocity.
If God exists outside of universe time ( which he created along with this universe ) And since God existed before the universe came into existence God does exist outside out universe time.. Then:: God can see all out universal times from His own eternal time.. thus He does not really need to predict the path of every neutron proton and electron.. He has already seen their paths from the very beginning to the very end..

Therefore we human beings can and do exert free will in our own times in this universal time.. But God having already seen all our universe times from His time already knows what out free willed response to His is.. since the beginning of creation..

Cavlinism is false.. God is independent of our time box and see's it all at one time from his time..
 
Oct 19, 2020
723
161
43
#5
I have a complex question about free will and Calvinism, as the title of the thread suggests.
Here it is:

If one could know the position and momentum of every particle at the time of the big bang, any future event could be calculated.
These future events would include the motion of neurotransmitters and electrical activity in the brain, both of which contribute to decision making.
Therefore, do we really have free will?
If we don't have true free will, which my thought experiment would seem to suggest, then is Calvinism true?

Before anybody throws Heisenberg at me, Heisenberg simply suggests that the more accurately you measure one variable, the less well you can know the other. Regardless, every particle does have a definite mass and velocity.


Interesting!
Energy is the [source] to the Bang, meaning, the Universe is connected to all things. Therefore, through the process provided by the Laws of Physics, you entertain that the connection to [Matter} can manipulate the neurotransmitters. And depending on the specifics of the [Matter], this changes the neurological flow throughout the Universe?

From a Scientific viewpoint, yes.

It would be no different than how the Moon causes the tides to speed/slow which sets off a natural chain of reactions.
 
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,691
113
#6
I have a complex question about free will and Calvinism, as the title of the thread suggests.
Here it is:

If one could know the position and momentum of every particle at the time of the big bang, any future event could be calculated.
These future events would include the motion of neurotransmitters and electrical activity in the brain, both of which contribute to decision making.
Therefore, do we really have free will?
If we don't have true free will, which my thought experiment would seem to suggest, then is Calvinism true?

Before anybody throws Heisenberg at me, Heisenberg simply suggests that the more accurately you measure one variable, the less well you can know the other. Regardless, every particle does have a definite mass and velocity.
That makes a lot of assumptions. Is God actively scrutinizing every single last atom simultaneously? Or does He have the ability to plot the lifetime of a set of particles and view them independently of time if He needs to examine something closely?

Is God either unwilling or unable to see people who are tainted by sin? If yes, to what extent does sin separate us from God?

I think there are too many unknown variables, but the Gospel is for everyone. Having foreknowledge of a person's decision doesn't validate calvinism. What would validate calvinism is controlling people like a puppet. God doesn't control people like that as far as we can tell so calvinism seems to be a false gospel.
 

Lafftur

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2017
6,896
3,636
113
#7
I have a complex question about free will and Calvinism, as the title of the thread suggests.
Here it is:

If one could know the position and momentum of every particle at the time of the big bang, any future event could be calculated.
These future events would include the motion of neurotransmitters and electrical activity in the brain, both of which contribute to decision making.
Therefore, do we really have free will?
If we don't have true free will, which my thought experiment would seem to suggest, then is Calvinism true?

Before anybody throws Heisenberg at me, Heisenberg simply suggests that the more accurately you measure one variable, the less well you can know the other. Regardless, every particle does have a definite mass and velocity.
How do you measure or fit or equate LOVE into your formula?
 

Lafftur

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2017
6,896
3,636
113
#8
God is the Creator of all seen and unseen........and God is Love......

I hope you haven’t underestimated Love......by completely leaving Love out of your theory.....:unsure:
 

AgapeShellArt

Active member
Nov 21, 2018
156
128
43
#9
Your hypothesis doesn't take into account an outside force that can change the momentum of a particle: God.

He can take a particle destined for destruction and make it eternal.

I have a complex question about free will and Calvinism, as the title of the thread suggests.
Here it is:

If one could know the position and momentum of every particle at the time of the big bang, any future event could be calculated.
These future events would include the motion of neurotransmitters and electrical activity in the brain, both of which contribute to decision making.
Therefore, do we really have free will?
If we don't have true free will, which my thought experiment would seem to suggest, then is Calvinism true?

Before anybody throws Heisenberg at me, Heisenberg simply suggests that the more accurately you measure one variable, the less well you can know the other. Regardless, every particle does have a definite mass and velocity.
 

throughfaith

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2020
10,467
1,593
113
#10
I have a complex question about free will and Calvinism, as the title of the thread suggests.
Here it is:

If one could know the position and momentum of every particle at the time of the big bang, any future event could be calculated.
These future events would include the motion of neurotransmitters and electrical activity in the brain, both of which contribute to decision making.
Therefore, do we really have free will?
If we don't have true free will, which my thought experiment would seem to suggest, then is Calvinism true?

Before anybody throws Heisenberg at me, Heisenberg simply suggests that the more accurately you measure one variable, the less well you can know the other. Regardless, every particle does have a definite mass and velocity.
The ' big bang ' never happened. This is why we have atheistic determinism . I think its found in Islam also .
 

throughfaith

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2020
10,467
1,593
113
#11
Calvinism teaches non free ,free will . The bible is the truth on the matter .
 

throughfaith

Well-known member
Aug 4, 2020
10,467
1,593
113
#12
Never begin with a philosophical position . Let the bible dictate our world view . Calvinism / Arminism is based on a philosophical starting point. Thats not good bible study .
 
Jan 28, 2021
67
20
8
#14
Your hypothesis doesn't take into account an outside force that can change the momentum of a particle: God.

He can take a particle destined for destruction and make it eternal.
No particle physics experiment nor quantum theory requires the input of a God, so let's not start making assumptions and concentrate on answering my question in the original post.
 

Lafftur

Senior Member
Apr 18, 2017
6,896
3,636
113
#15
I have a complex question about free will and Calvinism, as the title of the thread suggests.
Here it is:

If one could know the position and momentum of every particle at the time of the big bang, any future event could be calculated.
These future events would include the motion of neurotransmitters and electrical activity in the brain, both of which contribute to decision making.
Therefore, do we really have free will?
If we don't have true free will, which my thought experiment would seem to suggest, then is Calvinism true?

Before anybody throws Heisenberg at me, Heisenberg simply suggests that the more accurately you measure one variable, the less well you can know the other. Regardless, every particle does have a definite mass and velocity.
How do you measure or fit or equate LOVE into your formula?
It depends, what are you assuming love is caused by?
A free will choice.
 
Oct 19, 2020
723
161
43
#17
No particle physics experiment nor quantum theory requires the input of a God, so let's not start making assumptions and concentrate on answering my question in the original post.

Then you should be familiar with the K.O.B.E. Telescoping revelation. It changed minds like Krauss to flip and claim, [the Bang just happened from nothing, the result of the Bang has then provided us with Singularity, the Laws of Physics, Electromagentic fields, energy, particles, all matter].

When you place context to content there still has to be a [Cause] in how Nothing created a Bang. All [soup] theories have been eliminated. The revelation led an astounding group of Scientists and researchers to the existence of Where God lit the [Spark].

So yes, every particle physics experiment and quantum theory applies to the [conglomerate work] of God.
 

jb

Senior Member
Feb 27, 2010
4,940
591
113
#19
I have a complex question about free will and Calvinism, as the title of the thread suggests.
Here it is:

If one could know the position and momentum of every particle at the time of the big bang, any future event could be calculated.
These future events would include the motion of neurotransmitters and electrical activity in the brain, both of which contribute to decision making.
Therefore, do we really have free will?
If we don't have true free will, which my thought experiment would seem to suggest, then is Calvinism true?

Before anybody throws Heisenberg at me, Heisenberg simply suggests that the more accurately you measure one variable, the less well you can know the other. Regardless, every particle does have a definite mass and velocity.
Try reading a Book called "The Bible"!

You'll find "free will" clearly revealed in it!