What? No "free will?"

[acerrak]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Okay, thanks for the clarification. I see what you meant, now.

But I would say that we ALL operate with certain presuppositions. Also, certain presuppositions are required to be in place before a meaningful interpretation of Scripture is possible - for example, we must presuppose the Scriptures are inspired and suitable for doctrine, otherwise the whole search for meaning falls apart as irrelevant.

Also, when looking at verses, we have to have an understanding of the biblical usage of terms (such as foreknowledge), and further we must have some kind of a priori assumptions about HOW to determine the Biblical usage of a term before we apply that understanding to a verse.

As an example, both Calvinism and Arminianism presuppose that man's nature, in itself, is sinful and subject to damnation. That is one of the shared presuppositions both systems have. But is that really the case with human nature itself?

If that presupposition be found lacking, then BOTH systems fall apart and the truth is no longer a 'happy medium' but something else entirely.

there is somethings that are just truth.

the nature of mans fallen state is true. because you can take a child raise him up in a enviroment with out sin (as much as possible) but the nature will eventually kick against the goads, so to me that is truth.

I also dont agree that all ideas have to start with a presupposed position. when i started learning to read and write, i did not have a presupposed position. I was taught.

people come to scriptures with a presupposed position because some one taught them that way. that is why its important to be open minded when dealing with scriptures.