Do Alcoholics have Free Will?

[Purple Knight]

Suppose some booze bum actually wants to stop drinking. Suppose he tries as hard as anyone possibly could to quit and he simply can't resist alcohol.

Does he have free will?

[1213]

...Eternal life is just a carrot dangled in front of the credulous to lure them into a religious sect. ....

I disagree with that, because person can do nothing to earn the eternal life. it is only a gift for righteous people. Being in religious sect doesn’t make person righteous.

[brunumb]

Being in religious sect doesn’t make person righteous.

For once I completely agree with you.

Eternal life as a gift for being righteous or otherwise is still the offer made by religious groups to entice new members. Do they allow you to be a member without agreeing to pay tithes?

[1213]

...Do they allow you to be a member without agreeing to pay tithes?

Who? I think it is not necessary to be part of any religious sect. And if I would be, I would pay, because I think it is good, not because I have to.

[nobspeople]

...Do they allow you to be a member without agreeing to pay tithes?

Who? I think it is not necessary to be part of any religious sect. And if I would be, I would pay, because I think it is good, not because I have to.

Scientologists sure seem to have to pay. Rather or not one would consider that group a religious group is irrelevant as they tend to consider themselves a religious group - at least the 'leaders'...not so sure many of the followers do.

[BibleTruth]

[Replying to Purple Knight in post #1]

Everyone has free will. If you are addicted to something, that is because of the weakness of your flesh or maybe even because of evil spirits. But in any case, Jesus said whosoever sins is a slave to sin. Why did he said this? Because it is true. If you are not born of God, you are a slave to sin. So in some situations you cannot decide to do what you actually want to do. But if you are born again and receive the Spirit of God, you can overcome everything. You are no slave to sin anymore. The flesh is dead thanks to the Spirit of God.

[brunumb]

But if you are born again and receive the Spirit of God, you can overcome everything. You are no slave to sin anymore.

Instead you become a slave to manipulators peddling absolute nonsense and, in many cases, relieving you of your hard earned cash. Sin is an imaginary religious concept that is used to entice people into the fold and exert influence and control over them. Religion can be as addictive as anything else like alcohol.

[Miles]

Everyone has free will.

Prove it.

.

[Purple Knight]

But if you are born again and receive the Spirit of God, you can overcome everything.

I have a very strong desire to breathe. I have found I cannot voluntarily self-suffocate. Can people who are born again overcome any such desires?

Sin is an imaginary religious concept

I don't think so. I sin all the time. I'm not as polite as I could be. I get in peoples' way at the store, even trying not to. I sometimes say things I oughtn't. I'm not as anti-racist as I want to be.

Knowing I do things I shouldn't is really all sin is to me.

I'd take up a religion if I thought it would help - if I thought it would actually help me stop sinning and become perfect - but I don't think it will. I think it will only help me worship people (like God, and some of his chosen messengers and prophets) who are good no matter what they do and have special permissions.