The Importance and Basic Right of Freedom of Choice and Freedom of Informed Decision-Making

The first two people, Adam and Eve, according to my Bible, were duped by the deceiver to make a decision that was based on misinformation and a smearing of God’s character, resulting in them distrusting Him and disobeying His command. What the deceiver did was an actual projection of his own character onto God’s. This practice continues to this day, sadly very successfully.

The great “I Am” has created us as free beings, with the freedom to make free decisions. That is one aspect of being created in His likeness (Genesis 1:27). In order to exercise this freedom we need informed decision making. That is where the fundamental problem of exercising our God-given freedom lies. This process is being sabotaged in a variety of scenarios and the strings of these scenarios are still being pulled by the same deceiver, with the same intent, in an unrelenting manner. He even tried this strategy on the Son of Man (Luke 4:1-13), thankfully unsuccessfully!

Let’s look at religion; presented as a praiseworthy practice to embrace, no matter what its name. The trouble with religion is that it often does not allow its followers to engage in informed decision making, leading to freedom of choice but rather is prescriptive and frowns upon or even punishes those who would dare to question its dogmas and practices. Such religions de-humanise human beings as they were meant to live.

Any form of indoctrination, which does not allow for informed decision making, is an evil, dehumanising practice, devilish in its intent to control human beings.

I deplore such practices, used in every sphere of human life; especially when used with children, whose minds are still very vulnerable to indoctrination. A good teacher or parent will not hide their own convictions but will present, according to the child’s maturity, the full picture of choices.This applies to every stratum of life; in schools to science and scientific interpretation, ethics, religious instruction etc. To use the excuse that such “teachers” know best what’s right and what’s wrong is no excuse at all!

Respecting freedom of informed decision making means honouring the Creator who insisted that we have and walk in those rights. All those who have the power to influence others, whether through the media, through the pulpit, at home, in the classroom or controlling any other type of group have a choice to make and need to examine who they ultimately are serving! If such influence is done in a coercive, selective way, with the intent to manipulate others, they have their answer already.