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Finding Faith: Respect for the exercise of free will

REV. JOSEPH ORR

The Pharisees could not abide the teachings of Jesus and they sought to silence him.

The Romans could not abide the teachings of the early Christians and they sought to silence them.

Despotic regimes have arisen which could not abide the teachings of believers in God and they sought to silence them. Sadly, at times various Christian denominations could not abide the teachings of others and have sought to silence them. On which side does God stand?

One of the most frustrating of all human characteristics is “free will.” It was established by God in the nature of the human person. Every person is born with the innate power of self-determination. This is a blessing in so far as love only exists when freely given and free will makes this possible for us. But it is terrible in so far as a person through the exercise of free will can bring evil upon themselves and those around them.

Most of those perplexing questions which we encounter that begin with “Why does God…” have their oft-unsatisfying answer in God’s insistence on respecting the freedom of will which he has given to the human race.

Devout souls often wish that God would deny a person their use of free will and keep them from evil. This has been expressed in the intolerance sometimes portrayed in the behavior of Christians to others who disagree with them.

If God is patient with them and permits them the exercise of free will, then perhaps we also should show tolerance also.

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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week’s column comes from Rev. Fr. Joseph Orr of Holy Spirit Catholic Parish, Lock Haven.

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