Buddhist<\/a> monk, and a couple of philosophers. The physicist mused about the possibility, at least at the quantum level, of future events influencing the present in something like the way the present is shaped by the past, thus challenging the idea that past actions entirely control present outcomes. The Sikh pondered that we behave like we believe in free will, even if we deny its existence. Otherwise, how do we hold each other accountable for our actions? The Tibetan monk bluntly declared that if we want to continue suffering, then we ought to maintain the false belief in free will. <\/p>\nTheir conversation was inconclusive, to say the least! But it did stimulate me to ponder further this perennial question. Saint Paul wrote in Romans (7:15) that \u201cI do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.\u201d Saint Augustine (City of God, 14:17) argued against full free will with a simple proof. (Take a deep breath and prepare yourself for it!) He said that before the \u201cfall\u201d men had free will control of their erections. But after Adam and Eve disobeyed God with their free will, men\u2019s penises developed minds of their own, so to speak! Disobeying God through our free will resulted in a loss of free will. The Calvinists believed in radical predestination, but the Baptists and other Christians hold that accepting salvation is a free choice. Clearly, there is no clear answer to the question in Christian theology.<\/p>\n
The longer I live, the less I believe in free will. I have concluded that I should claim a lot less credit for the good results of the choices I\u2019ve made, and put a lot less blame on others for the bad results of their choices. About a year ago, a long-time friend of mine died after a long and mysterious illness. His behavior had exasperated his friends countless times. When his disease was diagnosed, it was revealed that he had suffered from it for his whole life, and it might well have been the cause of the many quirky choices he made. The diagnosis changed his friends\u2019 opinions of him, but should we ever have held those opinions? It\u2019s disturbing to suggest that we don\u2019t have free will, but believing that we do can lead us to inappropriate judgments of ourselves and others.<\/p>\n
This little poem of mine came to my mind as I heard the physicist, Yakhir Aharanov of Chapman University, speak at the conference:<\/p>\n
look for
\n leaf causes
\n not just
\nroot causes<\/p>\n
Perhaps the idea of free will could be replaced with the question of imagination. If someone commits a crime, we can then ask if the person was capable of imagining the consequences of his or her actions \u2013 and if the person was in a social environment where imagination was nurtured. Perhaps our freedom of choice is really the attractive influence of future possibilities on our present actions, liberating us from imprisonment in the causal nexus of the past. Imagination is the telescope through which we peer into these attractive possibilities. By cultivating our imaginations to conceive vivid scenarios of positive futures, and by infecting our culture with them through art, media, religion, and rhetoric, we increase the likelihood that we\u2019ll make good choices. \u201cWhere there is no vision, the people perish,\u201d says Proverbs 29:18. Conversely, where there is vision, the people flourish. By actively envisioning a future society of justice, peace, creativity, and kindness, we make decisions today that will make us more God-like tomorrow. <\/p>\n
I doubt I\u2019ve come close to plumbing the mystery behind this classic theological and philosophical problem. But by putting a lot more time and energy into stimulating our imaginations with positive visions, maybe we can exercise the moral equivalent of free will without getting caught in the blame-game that goes with that concept. <\/p>\n
______________<\/p>\n
NEW BOOK \u2014 PUBLICATION DATE: 3\/22\/13, St Johann Press \u2014 order on Amazon now \u2013 <\/p>\n
HITCHHIKING TO ALASKA: The Way of Soulful Service
\nby Jim Burklo
\nAssociate Dean of Religious Life, University of Southern California<\/p>\n
\u201cJim Burklo\u2019s HITCHHIKING TO ALASKA: The Way of Soulful Service is a must-read for those interested in exploring the intersection between service, learning and meaning-making. Through stories and thoughtful prose, Burklo offers a loving critique of our common preconceived notions about service and artfully presents a framework for engaging in ethical and meaningful action. I know of no other person who could better blend deep intellectual explorations with rich spiritual questions through such powerful story telling. Pick-up the book and begin hitchhiking to a more profound way of seeing service.\u201d Kent Koth, Director, Center for Service and Community Engagement, Seattle University, and Director, Seattle University Youth Initiative<\/p>\n
\u201d Written with raw heart energy fueled by years of disciplined reflection and practice. Whether you are Christian or not, read this book when you are close to burn-out and ready to quit your job in the good works department.\u201d Dr. Ulrike Wiethaus, Professor of Religion and American Ethnic Studies, Wake Forest University<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this powerful and provocative book, Jim Burklo brings to life the faces of those whom we so easily marginalize, and in the process redefines the spiritual life.\u201d Retired Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong, author of Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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