You're right in a sense. I know people get amazed when I multiply two two digit numbers in my head! But, actually, the dense cross-linking and cross-meshing - and "re-wiring" on the fly - of our neurons is actually far beyond a computer of today. Of course, computers have us beat out in some ways and we have them beat out in yet others. But I just used supercomputers because it is the closest word that I could think of...
Well, imo as a Christian, suffering was "woven into the fabric" of life on this earth. I get amused at Christians, through Flood Geology, who try to avoid this fact. It is a very sobering concept for many Christians, but as you age you start to see more and more of the purpose. I never marvel that there is suffering - I do marvel at the amount of suffering. But, of course, as a Christian I trust that God knows what He's doing. And I absolutely believe God suffers: I think that's why we don't see more of Him...
I hate to admit but I love talking/writing about this stuff. You can't get Christians to talk about it cuzz they're scared silly. And my motives really aren't to convert anyone as to show how incredibly complex the issues are. It disturbs me to see people with an oversimplified worldview. And, no, I'm not sure why!
OK, Shoe. Maybe this doesn't apply to you, but historically there's been a tendency for people to understand the human function in terms of the technology of the day. Today it's computers. Think of the many computer metaphors we use to describe our mental functions ( "Joe is programmed to do such and such.." etc. ). Computers compute; people think. There is a major qualitative difference between computing and thinking. Computing is a mindless, deterministic activity that occurs in the absence of consciousness. Thinking is a function that requires the presence of consciousness. Ironically, of all the things we are conscious of consciousness itself is the most resistant to description. Anyway, I don't think I'm telling you anything you haven't already thought of; I'm just communicating my own position.
It's just your nature. You were probably born with a genetic propensity to ponder and had some sort of support in your earliest, formative years that activated those genes. Sounds like you're like Turok - hanging out with the wrong kind of Christians. The advent of Christian philosophy marked a major advance in Western thinking; many of the greatest thinkers in Western philosophy have been Christians. Bible-thumping fundamentalists are the antithesis of real Christians; real Christians exercise the minds God gave them.
Please - some Christians. Not all Christians think alike. In any case, there might be an intresting debate in whether or not anthropomorphism is necessarily infantile. Are we distinct from the 'eternal energy'?
Yes, I see what you are saying. Though I have to think about it more if only on a philosophical level. It seems to me that interfering with anyone's freewill would violate the concept of freewill for all. Free will appears to be a universal attribute shared by all humans. So if a few have had their free will suspended, then all have since all are in jeopardy at some point or the other of having their freewill suspended at some point for whatever purpose. It's kind of like the concept of sin. All share it according to the bible. Depending on what particular demonination of Christianity one is from, some embrace the concept of original sin. The sin of Adam counting for everyone. In contrast, the sacrifice of Jesus counting for all. The bible appears to treat humanity as one homogenous bunch. If so, then that supports my thought that maybe freewill is transient at best. By that I mean, only in the mind but not in action. There's a proverb in the bible as I recall that says something to the effect of, "man plans his way but God directs his steps." That seems to be a tacit admission that there's no freewill of action. I don't know. I just remember that because of a debate between christians on the job. Never bothered to look into it further but just thought it was odd as I didn't know that kind of thing was in the bible.
You're sounding a lot like Roger Penrose. Don't know if he's influenced what you're saying, but I've wanted to read one of his books (even though he's not that well-accepted yet). If I understand his position, he has basically been saying that consciousness in humans is not deterministic and thus is beyond the classical physics that we are used to. I think he even argues that the human brain is queued up somehow at the microscopic level. If you know anything about that, I'd love to hear it!
That's funny - I've never been compared to Turok. Yes, certain aspects of fundamentalism absolutely drive me crazy. Since you seem knowledgeable, I'll give you just a few examples: Left Behind, Flood Geology and Anti-Supernaturalism (today). This is all relatively minor stuff (imo) in the grand scheme of things, but I think these positions have all hurt American Christianity significantly.