derek
Grey Eminence
proglodite said:Sorry for taking so long to reply, uni has just started in Australia
IMO:
God first created the angels, and gave them free will. In doing so, he created evil, as the angels were able to be evil. God could have created evil beforehand by being evil himself, but that is against his nature. The necessity of free will can be put into context by considering one's own situation: If all your friends and family (partner and/or children if applicable) had to love you, wouldn't that devalue their love? Surely the fact that they make the choice to love you is of the most importance.
As for God's need to create others, I believe that he created us for our benefit, not (just) his, as its a selfless act, not a selfish one, to let others share in your glory and majesty, rather than live alone
/imo off
Feel free to pick my argument to pieces
Brad
That does not make free will necessary. It only makes it a vehicle for your values to be thrust upon.