CHAPTER NINE

Using Hairy’s imagination God appeared to him on a bar stool in Hairy’s favorite tavern during the half price cocktail hour. Hairy was enjoying a martini when the guy next to him said, “I am sorry, Hairy, but I cannot grant your request for a modified free will.”

 “Jesus!” exclaimed Hairy, “Are you really God? You look a lot like everyone else at the bar. And what are you drinking?”

God said, “Yes, I am your imagined God and I look like everyone else because I created mankind in my own image. I am drinking a fine Bordeaux that used to be a glass of water. (God has unique privileges).”

Hairy said, “Why can’t you switch to a modified free will?” I thought you can do anything.”

God said, “It is complicated and beyond your ability to understand. It has to do with the fact that there are two distinct kinds of freedom. There is free will and there is freedom of action. There is an important distinction between these two related, but conceptually distinct, kinds of freedom. The truth of causal determinism further muddies the water. I only created two guys who were compatibilists and capable of explaining it but they are dead and gone from the face of the earth. You just have to trust me. I have exhaustive control of all that goes on and I know what I’m doing.” God lit a cigar and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Hairy ordered another martini and kept shaking his head.

To be continued...