Free Will

[m_p_w]

According to the Orthodox, Oriental, Assyrian, Eastern Catholic and Latin catholic teachings humans have free will.
By my understanding we are responsible for our life, destiny, actions (good or evil ones), etc.(Correct me if I am wrong, please).
This philosophy is opposite to Calvinism (reformed) which suggests that we do not have a free will, and every action is predetermined by God.
How come, many catholics from the Latin rite tell me things like “God is controlling my destiny” or “God is controlling my actions and life” as if they were Calvinists?
Isn’t this a heresy in the catholic church?

 

[chuck001]

It boils down to what “actions” mean. Do you live a life in service of others for the simple reason for love of God? Or actions as in God tells you to go to your car, start it, and drive? We have free will to use tools and our intellect to serve God otherwise we would just be robots.

 

[m_p_w]

It boils down to what “actions” mean. Do you live a life in service of others for the simple reason for love of God? Or actions as in God tells you to go to your car, start it, and drive? We have free will to use tools and our intellect to serve God otherwise we would just be robots.

But by my understanding, we have a choice to “live a life in service of others for the simple reason for love of God”

 

[jlhargus]

According to the Orthodox, Oriental, Assyrian, Eastern Catholic and Latin catholic teachings humans have free will.
By my understanding we are responsible for our life, destiny, actions (good or evil ones), etc.(Correct me if I am wrong, please).
This philosophy is opposite to Calvinism (reformed) which suggests that we do not have a free will, and every action is predetermined by God.
How come, many catholics from the Latin rite tell me things like “God is controlling my destiny” or “God is controlling my actions and life” as if they were Calvinists?
Isn’t this a heresy in the catholic church?

Ask them what they mean no one else can really answer.

 

[joeybaggz]

According to the Orthodox, Oriental, Assyrian, Eastern Catholic and Latin catholic teachings humans have free will.
By my understanding we are responsible for our life, destiny, actions (good or evil ones), etc.(Correct me if I am wrong, please).
This philosophy is opposite to Calvinism (reformed) which suggests that we do not have a free will, and every action is predetermined by God.
How come, many catholics from the Latin rite tell me things like “God is controlling my destiny” or “God is controlling my actions and life” as if they were Calvinists?
Isn’t this a heresy in the catholic church?

No, to allow God to control one’s action is a free choice.

An officer in the military orders an enlisted man to perform three distinct tasks. The enlisted man has the free will to disobey the order (and face the subsequent consequences). If he obeys the order and performs the three tasks, you could say the officer is controlling his actions, or put another way, the enlisted man could say that his actions were/are controlled by the officer. But he does have the free will to obey or disobey.

To choose to do the will of another, does not mean one’s free will is negated.

Shalom

 

[USMC_Convert]

But by my understanding, we have a choice to “live a life in service of others for the simple reason for love of God”

You are right, it is difficult to understand, but let me put it to you in the terms of marriage. A wife has free will, she can do as she pleases, she can choose to do things that make her husband happy or to do things that make her husband unhappy. However, when she submits to her husband’s will it does not mean she has given up her own free will, it means she does his will. Same with the husband, he should submit to his wife’s will and do what makes her happy.

Now to complicate it further, I, personally, look at my relationship with God as that of a slave. I have a free will, but I give it up, I want to be a slave not only of God but of the Blessed Mother. That in all things God’s will is done. Do I still have free will, you better believe it, watch me go into the confessional, often! A slave has no will but that of his/her master, that’s what I want. I want my only will to be the will of God. Do I still exercise my own will at times, yes, I’m human, even when I want something so badly, I fail.

 

[phil_at_dayboro]

The Best way to Learn , is first to Fail,

 

[m_p_w]

Ask them what they mean no one else can really answer.

well, I found this question online which I really like →

“Does God put our lives in motion and we act it out, or do we choose and his plan for us is what we want to do in life?”

By my understand catholic/orthodox/oriental/assyrian would say “we choose and his plan for us is what we want to do in life”

While Calvinist/Reformed would say " God put our lives in motion and we act it out"

(Correct me If I am wrong)

Couple times in my life (living in catholic country), people told me things like “God has a path for me and final destination”. wouldn’t it suggest that the person might be arguing that he/she has no free will since for him/her, God has already predetermined destination?
Additionally, God’s plan which we should follow is about Jesus teachings such as being good person, loving you neighbor, etc. , and not the final destination?

 

[MaryT777]

No, to allow God to control one’s action is a free choice.

An officer in the military orders an enlisted man to perform three distinct tasks. The enlisted man has the free will to disobey the order (and face the subsequent consequences). If he obeys the order and performs the three tasks, you could say the officer is controlling his actions, or put another way, the enlisted man could say that his actions were/are controlled by the officer. But he does have the free will to obey or disobey.

To choose to do the will of another, does not mean one’s free will is negated.

Shalom

Well said,

 

[rdorseyhsd]

We have free will. This does not contradict the fact that in God’s mind what is going to happen has already happened

 

[TK421]

According to the Orthodox, Oriental, Assyrian, Eastern Catholic and Latin catholic teachings humans have free will.
By my understanding we are responsible for our life, destiny, actions (good or evil ones), etc.(Correct me if I am wrong, please).
This philosophy is opposite to Calvinism (reformed) which suggests that we do not have a free will, and every action is predetermined by God.
How come, many catholics from the Latin rite tell me things like “God is controlling my destiny” or “God is controlling my actions and life” as if they were Calvinists?
Isn’t this a heresy in the catholic church?

“Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth, as it is in Heaven.”

A submission to Providence in the unfolding of one’s life: trusting in God, the Lord of our Life, above trusting oneself…