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I don’t know if I can answer this in a simple manner, but I will try. It has to do with the limits of logic. For example, can God make a stone so heavy that he can’t lift it? Anyway you answer that question, “yes” or “no,” limits what God can do. Therefore God is not all powerful and we have a contradiction.

In the twentieth century the limits of observation at the sub atomic level was neatly stated by the “Heisenberg uncertainty principal”> view link
In mathematics> We have Russell’s paradox> view link
And Gödel’s incompletness theorem> view link

So if God knows what we are going to do, does that in fact limit our free will? If there is some wiggle room for an electron concerning its speed and position, then I think there is also some wiggle room in which way a man will decide to use his free will. AND if you ask me, I think there is even greater wiggle room if you consider a woman.

Wow, I'm not sure what Bernie said. Anyway, Yichel, I don't have trouble with this at all. Yes, God knows everything that we are going to do, but he doesn't necessarily stop us from doing or not it. I think He lets us make the decisions, good or bad, knowing the outcome. However, sometimes I think HE DOES step in and 'change our minds'. Only He knows what He will or won't do. I guess some people, like my friend who is Catholic, would say that God decides everything we do or don't do, PERIOD. I think God KNOWS, but steps back and let's us make the decision. Does that make any sense to you? I know what I mean, but I'm not sure I'm saying it right! I've done some REALLY stupid things that God didn't stop me from doing, and I sure wish He had! But I really believe God knew the decision I was going to make.

I was once told a metaphor to look at the power of G-d as a similar to a nuclear reactor that one must be so cautious in attempting to reach? Since you brought up christian stuf this predestinatin to me has always seemed to be un jewish on its theory? am i wrong
yichel

“Wow, I'm not sure what Bernie said”

Ok, let me try again.

A condemned man is going to die on one of the next three days AND he will not know which day it will be until the morning of that day. So the condemned man thinks logically that surely he could not be executed on Wednesday, because if he is alive after Tuesday morning, when executions are carried out, he will know that the execution will occur on Wednesday and it was stated that he will NOT know until the morning of that day. So that leaves only Monday or Tuesday. So if he is alive after Monday morning, he will know that the execution will occur on Tuesday morning and since it was stated that he will NOT know until the morning of that day and since it could not be Wednesday, then he will know after Monday morning that he will be executed on Tuesday morning. And since he WILL NOT KNOW until that morning then it could not be Tuesday. So that leaves only Monday! But since he knows that it will be Monday before Monday morning, then he concludes that they will not execute him at all.

So he goes to sleep quite confident in his logic that he will not be executed at all. He wakes up on Monday and they inform him that THIS is the day that he will be executed AND he did not know until that day which day it would be.

So where is the fault in the man’s logic?

bernie your execution reply does n't that presuppose that the condemed is also the executioner? for the only limit on the executioner is to make sure that e prisoner does not know the day so wednesday is the only day that is out if the condemed makes it through tuesday?
yichel,thanks i like this story

This story is based on a Jewish theme: “On the day before you die, you should do serious introspection, self-correction, prayer, and teshuva, (return).” “But, Rabbi, we don’t know which day we will die.” “Then you have to do this every day!”

“Wednesday is the only day that is out if the condemned makes it through Tuesday”

If the judge had said, “you will die in the morning on one of the next three days,” there would not be a logical problem at all! However, the judge added, “AND you will not know until that morning, which day you will die.” So follow the logic: You agree that Wednesday is not a possibility. So how about Tuesday? Well it can’t be Tuesday, if we are alive after Monday morning, So that leaves only Monday! And since we know that the day before, it can’t be Monday! So it can’t be Wednesday! It can’t be Tuesday! It can’t be Monday!

The logic problem speaks to the idea of knowing. If God knows what we are going to do, does that limit our free will? You know with absolute certainty that the condemned man cannot die on Wednesday! But your degree of certainty is somewhat less than 100% for Tuesday and you are even less certain for Monday. I suspect that God also “knows” in a similar fashion.

I may have missed the whole point here, but I will add my two cents. I read and re-read this and I compare it to destiny. I personally feel destiny is not an excuse for your life but an explaination of it. Our Birthdate is a given and so is the date when we die, the dash that lies between the two seems insignificant to everyone but to those that have known us. In that dash we have made decisions, choices and changes. G-d may have had a hand in them, but I prefer to think He let us go about our merry way and was there to always pick up the pieces, providing we let him, if we erred. G-d is always a constant, we are the ones always evolving. The dash in and of itself is small, but it speaks volumes and makes the dates insignificant if there is nothing in between. Elly

Ask HappyHarry. His answers are usually good ones.