What is Freedom?

[Robert Pate]

Define true freedom and give a general outline of what it looks like, practically.

I believe in freedom of religion and freedom from religion.

 

[Nihilo]

Being deceived or beguiled renders you fundamentally incapable of making a truly free choice,

I will have to disagree with that statement, or at least with the way it is stated ----- particularly the word "incapable".

Being deceived may cause you to make a poor decision, but your freedom to make decisions is still intact.

If a particularly condition "causes you" to do anything, can you explain in what way, given that condition, that you remain free? It appears to me that the language you're using doesn't allow for it, it seems mutually exclusive.

Since we have been talking about Eve as one example, I would have to say that Eve still had the exact same freedom of choice (eat or not eat) before and after she was deceived.

Before the serpent beguiled her, Eve chose to not eat the fruit, but after it spoke with her, she chose to eat it. If her freedom was unaltered due to her conversation with the serpent, then I would expect her to continue to make the same choice she had made before speaking with it.

When she thought the fruit was bad, she still had the freedom to eat it or not eat it.
When she thought the fruit was good, she still had the freedom to eat it or not eat it.
Nothing changed about her freedom to eat or not eat.

I do think I hear what you're saying, but the reality is that before she was beguiled, she chose to not eat the fruit, and after she was beguiled, she chose to eat it. So that indicates that something changed. What changed? She changed, from not being beguiled, to being beguiled. And then, she made a different choice than she had made, before she was beguiled. So I grant that her choice to not eat the fruit, before becoming beguiled, was made freely, but not after she was beguiled.

So I don't see how being deceived or making a poor decision rendered Eve "incapable" of having freedom to choose to eat or not eat.

If Eve, though being beguiled, still chose to obey the Lord and not eat the fruit, then I would agree with you. But she didn't.

 

[Ben Masada]

Define true freedom and give a general outline of what it looks like, practically.

Freedom is the feeling one enjoys as a result of obeying the Law. When I watch a criminal being caught by the police I can imagine how enjoyable freedom is.