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SLOBODNA VOLJA
FREE WILL

1 Pitanje: – Je li čovjek slobodan izvršitelj svih svojih djela ili ga se na to prisiljava i u tome ograničava? Question.—Is man a free agent in all his actions, or is he compelled and constrained?
2 Odgovor: – Ovo je jedan od najvažnijih i najnejasnijih božanskih problema. Bude li volja Božja, jednog ćemo se drugog dana, početkom večere, prihvatiti detaljnog objašnjenja ovog predmeta; sada ćemo ga objasniti ukratko, u nekoliko riječi, kako slijedi. Neke stvari podliježu slobodnoj volji čovjeka – poput pravde, pravičnosti, tiranije i nepravde, drugim riječima – dobra i zla djela; jasno je i očito da su ta djela, većinom, prepuštena volji čovjeka. No postoje određene stvari koje je čovjek prisiljen činiti i koje mu se događaju, poput spavanja, smrti, bolesti, opadanja snage, povreda i nesreća; sve ne podliježe čovjekovoj volji i on za to nije odgovoran, te ih je prisiljen podnijeti. No u izboru dobrih i loših djela on je slobodan i izvršava ih prema svojoj vlastitoj volji. Answer.—This question is one of the most important and abstruse of divine problems. If God wills, another day, at the beginning of dinner, we will undertake the explanation of this subject in detail; now we will explain it briefly, in a few words, as follows. Some things are subject to the free will of man, such as justice, equity, tyranny and injustice, in other words, good and evil actions; it is evident and clear that these actions are, for the most part, left to the will of man. But there are certain things to which man is forced and compelled, such as sleep, death, sickness, decline of power, injuries and misfortunes; these are not subject to the will of man, and he is not responsible for them, for he is compelled to endure them. But in the choice of good and bad actions he is free, and he commits them according to his own will.
3 Na primjer, ako želi, može provesti vrijeme hvaleći Boga ili se može zaokupiti drugim mislima. Može postati upaljeno svjetlo pomoću vatre ljubavi Božje i filantrop koji voli svijet, ili pak postati mrzitelj čovječanstva i zabavljati se materijalnim stvarima. Može biti pravedan ili okrutan. Ova djelovanja i ovakva djela podliježu kontroli volje samog čovjeka; dakle, on je za njih odgovoran. For example, if he wishes, he can pass his time in praising God, or he can be occupied with other thoughts. He can be an enkindled light through the fire of the love of God, and a philanthropist loving the world, or he can be a hater of mankind, and engrossed with material things. He can be just or cruel. These actions and these deeds are subject to the control of the will of man himself; consequently, he is responsible for them.
4 Sad se pojavljuje drugo pitanje. Čovjek je apsolutno bespomoćan i ovisan, jer moć i snaga pripadaju poglavito Bogu. I veličanje i poniženje ovise o dobroj želji i volji Svevišnjega. Now another question arises. Man is absolutely helpless and dependent, since might and power belong especially to God. Both exaltation and humiliation depend upon the good pleasure and the will of the Most High.
5 U Novom zavjetu kaže se da je Bog poput lončara koji pravi “jednu posudu za plemenitu, a drugu za neplemenitu upotrebu”160. Dakle, neplemenita posuda nema nikakva prava prigovarati lončaru i reći: “Zašto me nisi načinio kao dragocjenu šalicu koja ide iz ruke u ruku”? Značenje je ovog stiha u tome da se položaji bića razlikuju. Ono što je na najnižem stupnju postojanja, poput minerala, nema se pravo žaliti i reći: “ O, Bože, zašto mi nisi dao savršenstva biljaka”? Na isti način, biljka se nema prava požaliti da je lišena savršenstava životinjskog svijeta. Također ne dolikuje životinji da se žali zbog nedostatka ljudskih savršenstava. Ne, sve su te stvari savršene po svom vlastitom stupnju i moraju težiti prema savršenstvima svoga stupnja. Niža bića, kako smo rekli, nemaju ni prava na položaje, niti su dorasla položajima viših savršenosti. Ne, njihov napredak mora biti unutar njihova vlastitog položaja. It is said in the New Testament that God is like a potter who makes “one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour.”160 Now the dishonored vessel has no right to find fault with the potter saying, “Why did you not make me a precious cup, which is passed from hand to hand?” The meaning of this verse is that the states of beings are different. That which is in the lowest state of existence, like the mineral, has no right to complain, saying, “O God, why have You not given me the vegetable perfections?” In the same way, the plant has no right to complain that it has been deprived of the perfections of the animal world. Also it is not befitting for the animal to complain of the want of the human perfections. No, all these things are perfect in their own degree, and they must strive after the perfections of their own degree. The inferior beings, as we have said, have neither the right to, nor the fitness for, the states of the superior perfections. No, their progress must be in their own state.
6 Jednako tako, nedjelovanje ili kretanje čovjekovo ovisi o pomoći Božjoj. Ako mu se ne pomogne, on ne može činiti ni dobro ni zlo. Ali kad od Darežljivoga Boga stigne pomoć postojanja, on može činiti i dobro i zlo; no kad mu je pomoć uskraćena, on ostaje posve bespomoćan. Zato se u Svetim knjigama govori o pomoći i potpori Božjoj. Tako da je ovo stanje poput stanja u kojem se nalazi brod koji pokreće snaga vjetra ili pare; prestane li ta snaga djelovati, brod se uopće ne može pokrenuti. Unatoč tome, kormilo broda okreće ga na bilo koju stranu, a snaga pare pokreće ga u željenom smjeru. Usmjeri li se prema istoku, ide na istok; ili ako se usmjeri prema zapadu, ide na zapad. To kretanje ne dolazi od broda; ne, ono dolazi od vjetra ili pare. Also the inaction or the movement of man depend upon the assistance of God. If he is not aided, he is not able to do either good or evil. But when the help of existence comes from the Generous Lord, he is able to do both good and evil; but if the help is cut off, he remains absolutely helpless. This is why in the Holy Books they speak of the help and assistance of God. So this condition is like that of a ship which is moved by the power of the wind or steam; if this power ceases, the ship cannot move at all. Nevertheless, the rudder of the ship turns it to either side, and the power of the steam moves it in the desired direction. If it is directed to the east, it goes to the east; or if it is directed to the west, it goes to the west. This motion does not come from the ship; no, it comes from the wind or the steam.
7 Na isti način, pri svakom čovjekovom djelovanju ili nedjelovanju, on snagu dobiva Božjom pomoći; ali izbor dobra ili zla pripada samom čovjeku. Tako, imenuje li kralj nekoga upraviteljem grada i dodijeli mu moć vlasti i pokaže mu puteve pravde i nepravde u skladu sa zakonima – ako nakon toga upravitelj počini nepravdu, premda bi trebao djelovati uz pomoć kraljeve vlasti i moći, kralj će biti oslobođen krivnje za nepravdu. No, bude li on djelovao pravedno, on će i to činiti uz pomoć kraljeve ovlasti, koji će biti sretan i zadovoljan. In the same way, in all the action or inaction of man, he receives power from the help of God; but the choice of good or evil belongs to the man himself. So if a king should appoint someone to be the governor of a city, and should grant him the power of authority, and should show him the paths of justice and injustice according to the laws—if then this governor should commit injustice, although he should act by the authority and power of the king, the latter would be absolved from injustice. But if he should act with justice, he would do it also through the authority of the king, who would be pleased and satisfied.
8 To znači, premda izbor dobra i zla pripada čovjeku, on u svim okolnostima ovisi o neophodnoj pomoći života, koja dolazi od Svemogućega. Kraljevstvo je Božje vrlo veliko i svi su zatočenici u vlasti Njegove Moći. Sluga ne može učiniti ništa po svojoj volji; Bog je moćan, svemoćan i Pomoćnik je svih bića. That is to say, though the choice of good and evil belongs to man, under all circumstances he is dependent upon the sustaining help of life, which comes from the Omnipotent. The Kingdom of God is very great, and all are captives in the grasp of His Power. The servant cannot do anything by his own will; God is powerful, omnipotent, and the Helper of all beings.
9 Ovo je pitanje jasno objašnjeno. Pozdravljam vas! This question has become clearly explained. Salutations!