The universe is in play.
We are material beings. Beings of matter. If god extended free will to us then it seems reasonable to think that it’s extended it to all of the material world as well. Only the free will of the universe doesn't have conscious thinking involved it just does what it does and goes where it goes.
Lot of wills.
There are several kinds of “will.” Look them up if you are so inclined. It’s kind of fascinating. You won’t be glad that you did. Let me know if you have fun in the rabbit hole. On second thought don’t.
Ω Free will.
Ω Sovereign will.
Ω Permissive will.
Ω Perfect will.
Ω Dispositional will.
Ω Good will.
Ω Last will.
Ω Danger Will Robinson.
Ω Willing heart.
Ω Willful malice.
Good Luck v. Bad Luck
Are unseen forces at work in the world around us? Luck would have to qualify as an unseen and often capricious force at work in the world.
How many times have you heard or wondered after some "act of nature", illness, accident, senseless tragedy or similar event "Why did god let that happen?" I think about it. Why did my brother who loved life and lived it to the hilt die so early and our mother who was so unhappy with her life and found little joy in living make it so long? Why does an entire family go to sleep one night and not wake up ever again because of a faulty heater? Why do babies get sick and die? Why do so many people starve to death?
Ω Bad luck for not being around enough food?
Ω Bad luck for being born in the wrong place?
Ω Bad luck for not having the right parents?
Ω An angry god?
Ω God’s plan?
Good with the bad.
If we are to hold god responsible for every bad or sad act then don't we also have to hold god responsible for every good act? Are there scales of the universe getting balanced in some way that is inconceivable to us?
I do believe that we have free will. It is obvious that we can make decisions. Good and bad ones. Now I know this subject can get pretty involved with the big-brained people but for the rest of us I just want to keep it that we can and do make decisions. In the Christian faith it means that choosing salvation is up to us. We have the free will to make that choice. (There are those that disagree.) We have the free will to make a lot of choices.
Or not.
Unplanned event.
What I want to posit is that in the physical world, there is also free will. In our faith we say that we believe that God created the universe. Our “creator” set all of these forces in motion. They were set free. Unleashed.
We try to come to some kind of understanding of the universe around us to help us in our daily lives. It's okay with me if this understanding is based in science. I'm talking about the laws of science that we've come up with to explain what is taking place around us. Science will tell us how a tornado is formed, why it rains, what causes earthquakes, tides, etc. Science helps us predict the weather. Kinda.
Science is discovery. Several disciplines of science along with humankind’s inquisitive nature made the physical (printed) bible possible.
At times a river will flood, jump its banks and do damage. A tornado will go where it will. Sometimes it will miss people, other times not. The point that I want to make with whatever example or illustration is necessary is that we often get caught in the physical world free will that surrounds us and sometimes wounds us. Electrical boxes will short out. Doctors will make mistakes. People will run stop signs. We will have an accident--an unplanned event.
Unplanned events happen to the world as well. Asteroids hit causing incredible damage. Continents move. Volcanoes erupt or blow up.
As we gain in understanding of the forces governing the physical universe we’re able to better predict some things happening.
Like a pandemic.
Stuff happens.
It isn't happenstance. It is the free will of the physical world that I'm talking about here. It acts upon us. AWKWARD ---> All of the forces in motion that affect or don't affect our lives from bacteria and viruses to sunsets to the smell of flowers are in place. Viruses are out there. Some of them bring harm to us. We’ve been through pandemics before. We’ll go through pandemics again.
Case in point—one’s happening right now. It should not have been a surprise. We were warned as a nation. As a nation we have failed and it doesn’t matter which side people are on. Our response is still one of utter failure.
Stuff is still happening. The pandemic is still happening whether people believe it or not. Our personal survival is now on the line. Often dependent upon the actions of others. And science. Will science save us?
Only if we use it.