The mixing of religious and non-religious beliefs in an individual.

FREE WILL, IS IT FREE?

Does Free Will exist of is it merely an illusion? Is it Free?

When I align my spiritual centre (the self or soul) with, let’s call it the Supreme Soul, does Free Will exist? In other words when one is perfectly aligned with God, is one exerting their individual Free Will? Or, is one freely submitting to the will of God? Conversely, when one is not perfectly aligned with God can it be said this person does so of their own volition. It would be foolish to think that any one can give a quick and easy answer to such questions like these.

Do geese exert their Free Will when they follow the lead bird down south for the winter? And do humans every demonstrate similar “intuitive” aptitudes for collective behavior. Could we argue that geese do a better job of exercising their Free Will than humans? What is Free Will? Does it really exist?

During the course of human evolution, has Free Will always been as readily available to us as it is today in this Age of Information Access – or has the degree to which we exercise Free Will been the same since the time of Krishna, Adam, Abraham and the other progenitors. Is there a relationship, for example, between self-awareness and making a conscious decision to exercise free will?

The topic is complex. Here, it is being proposed that only those who are masters of the self can rightly claim to know what free will really is. . . for how can one exercise Free Will only some times and claim to be the master of the self. And if one is not self sovereign, how can one claim Free Will except in fractions. Does the bird ultimately decide when to fly south? Do people decide to eat when they feel hungry and does free will create fat people or is it what enables people to loose weight?

Sure we all make decisions but is this the same as exercising free will. Did I decide to make myself a cup of coffee this morning or was this decision part of a previously established habit, routine or pattern established over time?

Did Bob Dylan not once say, “Even a bird is chained to the sky.”

I believe the key to understanding “Free Will” begins with understanding the metaphysical nature of the self/soul. In the framework used at the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, Lesson #1 is – Who am I and it asks, where did I come from, why am I here, where am I going. The university provides instruction and support in the practice of Raja Yoga Meditation – an objective of which includes the concept of mastery of the self.

Briefly, the self or soul is seen to exist of 3 faculties – mind, intellect and sanskaras (sometimes written as Samskāra and referred to as impressions). Sanskaras can be thought of as your individual tendencies, traits, predispositions, propensities – habits. These inclinations are what make you – you and cause you to respond or not respond to external stimuli. As we become engaged in patterns of behavior, these sanskaras get etched more deeply into our nature.

To understand Free Will, one must understand the properties of the soul. This will be the topic of a subsequent Belief Module.

Unfortunately, it is far easier for good habits to “evolve” into bad ones than for bad habits to evolve into good ones. This is the way of the universe. It’s called entropy. To prevent good habits from degenerating into bad ones requires effort. To transform bad habits back into good ones takes even more.

Tags: Free, God's, Self-mastery, self-sovereignty, will

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Permalink Reply by James Germiquet on March 26, 2012 at 5:01pm

Sometimes I think of God in terms of a parent who allows their children to learn from their mistakes.

Sure our parent can tell us the right thing to do, but often we have to learn the hard way for the lesson to really sink in.

Free will? Yes. But in the end we yeild to our Fathers wisdom.

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Permalink Reply by Robert DeFord on March 26, 2012 at 5:04pm

Kernal posits...”Does Free Will exist of is it merely an illusion? Is it Free?

Robert again, (will this Robert never cease?), ...”Kernal. please remove your dunce cap for a minute two.
How many times do I have to repeat myself? You do not have a will or a free one at ALL.
If you had a will you could stop your thinking for a minute or two right? Please answer that question...it is the hinge on the door you need to pass through into REALITY.

One more time slightly different, "you may have (obviously do have) a learning disorder of great magnitude. Tell your "self" (which you also do not have one of, instead you have an entire population of "selves" all depending on your "reactions" to outside impressions...Alas...A Lack). that, "I am going to watch the second hand on that wall clock (or your wrist watch), for thirty seconds, and nothing else will creep into my mind but that idea...OK?
Results?

within a few seconds multiple "other" thoughts will tumble into your thought channels, your thought accumulator( call it your mind), , and there goes the experiment...out the reality window...(a window in your mind that "can"", has the potential too), shift into the bright and exciting world of SELF realization...or...soul consciousness), which your caregivers, the waiters and waitresses of the BK franchise, continuously say to you in your somnambulistic delusionary entrancement, in unreality, continuously murmur ever so hypnotically...”you dear one, have a soul, not to worry, listen to us alone, we have the exclusive menu for gigantic delicious “whoppers” that will keep you smiling..why almost forever...."Oh Happy Day...Ph Happy Meal")

Kernal again speaks (actually a recording inside him voices this ridiculous remark...”When I align my spiritual centre (the self or soul) with, let’s call it the Supreme Soul”,

Robert almost dumbfounded says...”Kernal, how can you “align” something that you do not have with something you can only imagine”?

Kernal wonders...”does Free Will exist”?

Robert, almost ashamed he has been unable to pierce the veils of density and illusions that this otherwise nice fellow has placed on his own head as a turban. (lined in lead and tin foil strips)...”Not in your case, you are only a mechanical device in a soft enclosure with a highly complex system of electrical filaments, and soft pulsating organs, all filled with bodily fluids and a mind that has been programmed from birth by external impressions coming at you from every corner of the world and cosmos...(i.e. planetary and lunar influences (hende cometh the word "lunatic", up the yin yang), ...that is all you are, a creature of this dumbed down sliver and miniscule fraction of a kmuch much much larger, interpenetrating spheresw ordimensiopns of the real REALITY.
(REALITY Kernal is Eternity, Infinity, and Everlasting change.;..nothing else is REal).

FOR ALL ETERNALLY relevant purposes you are dead. (If you wince at that word “dead”, allow me to substitute another few words...you are in a deep deep trance that clinically is likened to a delusion.)

Kernal says... "In other words when one is perfectly aligned with God",

Kernal, the only facsimile of a god that you can be aligned with in your present state is a refrigerator, or a lawnmower,m or a computer random programmed computer at that. Of course, if you can handle the TRUTH in your condition you are a puppet in the hands of a higher power whose name starts with SAT...,.

Kernal again as ifhe is applying for a position at the local cemet...Oops...Semiknary,..." is one exerting their individual Free Will? Or, is one freely submitting to the will of God? Conversely, when one is not perfectly aligned with God can it be said this person does so of their own volition. It would be foolish to think that any one can give a quick and easy answer to such questions like these."

Ny answer was neither easy, nor quick but it is TRUE.

Please examine your “reality principle based on the fact that you cannot "willfull

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Permalink Reply by James Germiquet on March 26, 2012 at 5:51pm

Maybe dylan never heard of the penguin.

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Permalink Reply by James Germiquet on March 26, 2012 at 5:59pm

Just heard a great line from the TV series Stargate.

"To resist the influence of others knowledge of ones self is of utmost importance."

Just thought I would share this, it just seemed appropriate for some reason.

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Permalink Reply by Robert DeFord on March 26, 2012 at 6:08pm

continued from above...

Please examine your “reality principle based on the fact that you cannot "willfully" empty your mind and concentrate that little second hand on your wall or wrist for any more than ten? or fifteen seconds? of WILL POWER.

Does that answer your question?
I do have much more to say on that subject of entrancement and delusion.