I've had this discussion so many times in the last few months that I've
hesitated refused to post it here. But here goes.
The word choice means "an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities" (oxford). The important part is "2 or more possibilities". If God knows what we are going to choose then is that really a choice? Many people say that just because God knows what you are going to choose doesn't mean that you don't have a choice. I would disagree. If God knows what we are going to choose then wouldn't we only have 1 option? And for something to be a choice you have to have 2 or more possibilities. I know that the immediate reaction is that this steps all over the definition of "omniscient". But maybe it doesn't. Maybe God really does know all our choices in perfect detail and we really don't have any. Now this doesn't mean that God necessarily had a hand in deciding our paths. Maybe things just are a certain way. That would keep the "omniscient" title in tact.
Another possibility for God "omniscient" label to remain true would be to look at the definition of "omniscient"..."knowing everything." (oxford) I'd like to put a little tag on this. Let's be more specific and re-define it as "knowing everything that is knowable". What if God sees the future as a realm of possibility that is greatly limited by our past decisions and is also limited by everyone else's realm of possibilities? God knows the past in perfect detail. God also knows the present in perfect detail. God also perfectly knows all of us. All these factors combine to limit each person's "realm of possibilities" as God may see it.
Let me refute some common arguments about this.
1. I know this goes completely against traditional Christian teaching so quoting scripture to me won't help. I didn't come up with this question through some deep study of scripture. I'm simply asking questions.
2. "What about prophesy? That stuff came out to be true. If God doesn't know the future then how could that work?" It works because God is also omnipotent, meaning He is all-powerful and He also has free-will. Even I can say that next week on Wednesday at 12:10pm I am going to 7-11 to buy a slurpee. That doesn't infringe on anyone else's freewill...and I am definitely not God.
3. "Just because God knows what you are going to choose doesn't mean you don't have a choice." I would disagree. If God knows what I am going to choose then I have no ability to choose something different. Which, I would say, means I have no choice.
Ok...here it is. My "big" theological problem that I have been turning around in my head for months. I always said I'd never post this, but here goes. I'd like to conclude with a few thoughts...I do not know the answer to this question. I am asking these questions because I feel they are valid questions. But in reality they may not even be the right questions. "I know nothing except that I know nothing." When I die, if I find the answer, I may not even be in the ball park with the actual truth. But that doesn't mean that I shouldn't ask. If you don't ask then you don't get an answer. So I look forward to your responses.
If your responses are rude I will delete them. I am not posting this to get some ridiculous argument started. Nor am I posting this to attack anyone. I am posting this because I am searching for insight that I don't have, which I am hoping you may have.
So...thoughts?
I love music. I love all kinds of music. The band that I've been working on since last December, Moving Giants, filled a certain need that I had. However, I still have so many other types of music I want to play and Moving Giants isn't meant to fill all those needs. So the three guys from Moving Giants have hooked up with our friend John Dixon and started writing new music. We practiced twice and written four songs. The music is going to be a mix of indie blues and alt country. If you mixed up The Black Keys, Springsteen, and the Replacements then you'll be somewhere in the ball park. We are all excited about how quickly the writing is coming. Our goal is to get an hour and a half long set written and start playing out. The only problem is we have no name yet and are having trouble coming up with a name. Oh yea...and we are going to need to find a singer. But that process will begin shortly. 
