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Douglas Geivett said, “A great deal of responsibility for suffering or for evil generally in the world today is rooted in how we exercise the freedom we have.” What are evidences you have seen of the connection between the freedom to choose and human suffering?
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it’s all within our freedom to choose our will or the heavenly Father. In conjunction with the freedom to choose are the actions that follow based on these choices.
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Late 2020 misinformation was rife in my country. People chose to believe it because it supported their resentment at the government restricting their freedoms. Several hundred people converged and camped on parliament grounds. Many were violent, hurled objects abused passers by and media people. It climaxed in the protesters setting fire to tenting they no longer wanted and causing police from all around our country to be sent to the capital to assist in managing the protesters. Many were violent towards police and hurled objects at them.
The leaders of the protest were apprehended and those causing chaos arrested also. They exercised their power of choice in a self serving way and had to accept the consequences. They brought their suffering upon themselves. Unfortunately police personnel were injured in the conflict because they exercised their freedom to do their duty.
Much of rest of the country exercised their freedom to follow the government’s advice, be sensible citizens and take care of one another.
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The entrance of sin in the world through the fall, affected both humanity and creation. Because we have free will, selfishness and misuse of power cause much pain in the world. As morality on earth declines and selfishness increases, we see the natural world suffering as well. These days disease is increasing and new diseases emerging. We are as Romans 8: 21 says, groaning with creation for glorious freedom from death and decay.
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The evidences, I believe, are found in how we react to the situations we are dealt. If we put our faith in the Lord, then we know there has to be a reason why He allows the suffering we are experiencing. We have the freedom to cry out to Him and pray about the situation but then trust that He will work all things for our good. We can also choose, however, to blame God and allow a root of bitterness to grow. Once this happens, our focus is turned inward, believing we can fix the problem on our own.
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The freedom to choose carries with it the idea of more than one alternatives. At times these alternatives oppose each other such as doing good or withholding good. A caregiver can choose to give or withhold medicine from a patient who is in need of such medicine. The decision to withhold such care could be motivated by hate or other selfish motives. If such care is withheld it can increase or prolong the suffering of the patient.