My first argument as an Atheist.

Kevin:

It is not my meaning to offend anyone or to be crass but I have been reading an essay by Bertrand Russell and I decided that I should open a certain quotation up for discussion, since peoples views are often not presented thoughtfully in person. So it goes: "If God knew in advance the sins of which man would be guilty, He was clearly responsible for all the consequences of those sins when He created man."

Hollie:

the Lord is perfect and blameless. although he knew what we would do & choose, he gave us that choice & free will. light or darkness, love or hate. forcing someone to love and obey you would not be true love, right? he wants us to WANT to love him. and we would, if we understood God's true character. i think that when we understand that it's all on us. we are of desperate need of the Lord. and even though we don't deserve anything (but death), he gives us everything and more (mercy, and then grace!) the only appropriate response is adoration.

Drew:

on a lesser scale...I have three daughters. I love them and want them to grow up knowing both love and discipline. However, I do know that at some point in their lives, they will disobey me or just blatantly do something wrong. So, since I already know that this will happen, am I responsible for the consequences of their actions?

To answer your question directly; just because God knew in advance, doesn't make Him guilty. If a man lost in sin chooses to refuse the love and grace freely extended to him by God, and so condemns himself, who are we to blame that condemnation on the one who offered redemption?

Great question though Kev.

Kevin:

Hollie, free will is a beautiful concept to those who are not victims of suffering caused by another's free will, much less those who expierience famine. For of whoms will would choose to be hungry? It is apparent to me that if God both wanted our love and punished us in it's absence, that free will would not be so free as it would be recomended. I think the idea that we deserve death is extremely troubling. If every person has the inevitability of sin, then shall every person be elegible for death? Even from birth?

Drew:

if it's raining and i give you an umbrella, and you refuse the umbrella and get wet, is that my fault or yours?

Kevin:

Drew, to answer your question directly, no you will not be responsible for the wrong things your daughters will do because supposing that they will do wrong things does not identify the impact of the wrong things they will do. However if you, one day, were struck in the skull with lightening and acquired omniscience and through that sense you amassed the knowledge that your daughter would eventually, for arguments sake, champion an apartheid in America that would in time marginalize the rights of all non-white Americans and at it's apex would advocate their extermination, would you not feel compelled to take action against the inevitability of this happening?

Hollie:

kevin, i just sat here & wrote you this essay-long answer to all your statements and questions... and it mysteriously deleted itself. so i feel like i'm just supposed to tell you this: instead of constantly asking, "why, why, why?", i just encourage you to ask for revelation & the holy spirit. without those things, we will NEVER understand. there would be endless questions. when the Lord gave me revelation, it was as if he literally opened my eyes. i saw everything from a different perspective (his instead of my own) and it just clicked. it made SENSE. i described it like waking up from a coma. so i could sit here and "debate" with you for eternity and never get anywhere, or i could just tell you to seek after him. i swear you'll find him perfect.

Drew:

Kevin that doesn't answer your own question. It's not if I should take action against it. Your question was, would it be my fault? Those are two completely different questions. The answer to the first: is God responsible for our sin? absolutely not. The answer to your second question: should God take action? He did, in the form of Jesus Christ.

I hope this isn't offending you Kevin. I noticed a little sarcasm in your last reply. But I love you like a brother and I always have. You asked a question and I felt a need to answer it. I think these questions have deeper roots in you than just reading an essay. Stop listening to what your friends and society are telling you and listen to your heart. You are an amazing person and your heart is good. Deep down you know the truth. And you know that you know it.

To be continued...