So if you go into a store grab a pack of gum and put exact change on the counter does the cashier have any free will in whether or not he can ring you up? I would say yes he does. He could choose not to serve you, to quit his job and walk out, or any number of things other than ringing up the purchase and accepting payment.
Similarly I don't see a logical contradiction in saying people can have a free will and still be influenced by a divine will. If the influence is to make your choice an easy one then you still had a choice.
The argument that god is omniscient and would therefore know exactly how to influence to get the desired reaction is actually failing to realize the corollary to this point...namely that he would also know how much he can influence you without corrupting your free will. There is no reason to assume he will always (or ever) play hardball and maximize his influence to his best benefit.
As an omnipotent being there is no reason he should be unable to seperate information from distinct decision making processes.
Then there is a simple scenario:
Lets say you're about to walk into a women's restroom and the divine influence comes in the form of the sign on the door losing one of it's screws and sliding down suddenly and becoming uneven. As a result you notice the sign and realize you're heading into the wrong restroom.
Did god influence this person's free will or simply provide them with the information required to allow their free will to truly be had?
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| To Each Man, Responsibility |
