Thread: Choice? Or born with it?

God gives us talents, strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies at birth. What we do with them is up to us. A weakness can be a great gift if it is treated right. The man who has successfully fought against a tendency towards alcoholism all his life is much stronger for it and is more capable of helping others with the same problems than someone who has never had a desire to touch a drop.

Much like the others, I whole-heartedly believe that though one may tend to gravitate more towards some things than others, it is an ultimately a matter of choice. I acknowledge and embrace the proposition such weakness are not only implanted in childhood by means of environment but also that some tendencies are present from conception.

Interestingly, my church has placed quite an emphasis on this recently. We believe that the fifth commandment - that of which being to honor your mother and father - isn't merely a command to respect and obey (provided obeying parental authority doesn't clash with God's authority, should you accept it) one's parents, but to truly honor them by identifying and breaking the cycle of generational sin. For in the second commandment, God clearly states "You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the seas. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected - even children in the third and forth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands." (Exodus chapter 20, verses 4-6)

In other words our addictions and dependencies, our modern idols, effect those around us, especially our own kin. The pastor in our college group mentioned one man - I don't recall his name, unfortunately - who spent many years studying this phenomena. He initially started creating a family tree tracing back to the time his ancestors came to America. After he had finished, he went down the list of every living relative he could possibly find and interviewed them not only about themselves, but their families both deceased and living alike in order to test the proposition of generational sin. From what I was told, the man eventually started color coding (such as red for temperamental problems, blue for alcoholism, green for divorces, yellow for pornography, orange for adultery, et cetera) various addictions and dependencies and traced them as they literally flooded down the generational line. Hoping to share his findings the man wrote a book on the matter and it was published some time ago. The next time I speak to my pastor, I'll bring it up and cite the author and the book.

Interesting stuff, nonetheless.

Originally Posted by teddeler

God gives us talents, strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies at birth. What we do with them is up to us. A weakness can be a great gift if it is treated right. The man who has successfully fought against a tendency towards alcoholism all his life is much stronger for it and is more capable of helping others with the same problems than someone who has never had a desire to touch a drop.

Aye, it's ever so much more powerful to receive help on a matter from someone who has previously struggled with similar problem than someone who hasn't.

Nice topic... *Folds hands and bows to one of best topic creater of AO*

Yes, there are some people, who are born with some predispositions. Mostly, it is do to genetics. Of course, no human being has any control over these things. We just have to accept them and try to find a cure for them---that is all we can do.

Then again, there are certain things on which we have a greater control on, such as avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol...to name a few. There might be a little bit of genetic control over this, but it might not be as well. I strong believe that a person with a lot of mental and spiritual strength can overcome these undesirable traits.

If there is a will, there is a way...

I myself believe that it is indeed choice.......
And pretty much Ditto to what the qote said in the first post.....and to you all that agree......

Thank you Kedar my awsome friend. *Bows*
But YOU truly are the Master of thread making!

Originally Posted by Arrianna

I think your quote basically sums it up already. Genetic disposition does not remove the resposibility of personal choice.

I agree.


Now... can one be more "sensitive" to things by birth?
... maybe so.

Or, more likely so. Some people are born with a higher tolerance to alcohol than other.... like an immunity. You know, like when you keep spraying roaches with the same brand of RAID until their children become completely immune to it? ... then you get really pissed, so you call the Exterminato- ... anyways...

...however, I'm not so sure about "being born homosexual"...
How can we say that genes make us more attracted to a certain sex?
That a man will be born to love a woman?
That a woman will be born to love a man?
And the same with...
That a man will be born to love a man?
That a woman will be born to love a woman?


... isn't it your choice? ... sure, maybe someone is born with less hormones, or with "different" hormones... but a person born with so much hormones that he/she'd explode with sexual eccentricity, can fall out of love and suddenly, all those hormones seem dead, don't they? ^w^ ...choice choice. Your choice.

i think that it's a choice that you'll have to make, or overcome eventually....people usually aren't born an alcoholic.... or are they?

Well it is both. If your gay you make that choice. You may find the same sex atractive but you don't have to be gay. And for alcoholism, you get adicted to alcohal, but you make the choice to drink. It is your choice. No one can blame it on genes or being born with it or what ever. It is a choice and you have free will. I have nothing against eather types of people. Some of my best friends are like that.