I have great respect for those who choose to accept the responsibility of bringing a person into existence. That is the greatest responsibility I can imagine. Before your action, this person simply did not exist in this reality and as a result of your decision, either plan or unplanned, a person has been created. Whatever this individual experiences, your choice allow him or her to exist. I have always been a much too selfish person to accept such responsibility.
What a burden this responsibility must be for someone who believes in a literal hell complete with God's Damnation. Even parents with the best intentions may discover problems when raising a child. Certainly, good parenting skills set the odds in favor that the child will be socialized in an acceptable manner but part of the maturation process is revolt against the old paradigm. This revolt could lead to a unacceptable lifestyle with the resulting heretical beliefs and thus possible damnation. It would seem to me if a parent believe his child had died and gone to hell then this parent would never be free from guilt. He or she is ultimately responsible since it was their choice to bring this person into existence.
If God is the creator then this scenario would also seem to apply. For if one chooses to create does that not imply responsibility for the creation. Let's say I create a robot and program it to have various independent choices of behaviors. If one of these choices resulted in behavior that harmed or killed someone who would be to blame, the robot or the creator. I would imagine a court of law would hold the creator liable. If I gave the robot even more freedom and then declared this robot as a free agent, would this change anything? I would still be liable in a court of law for his actions.
It would seem God would also share this liability. As the story goes, God created everything. He created the very physics which operates in a precise fashion that allow atoms to exists. He created gravity to allow for the formation of galaxies and solar systems. He create life and the resulting creatures. As a result he is ultimately responsible for everything and whatever happens to you or me is a result of God's action to create.
I choose to believe we have free will limited by the realities of our existence. We are subject to the laws of physics and to various societal mores. We are also limited by the programming we received during the socialization process. God on the other hand apparently had complete free will and his intervention into creating our reality was fully his choice and thus the resulting responsibility for this creation is his alone. Both the good and the bad would not exist if had not acted.
I choose to believe there is an overall purpose to this existence. I do not have the slightest idea what my part is other than I feel it is best for me to live a somewhat moral life. I say somewhat since that is the way I have lived. I don't choose to confess my shortcomings at this time but simply admit that at times I have acted in ways upon later reflection I do not approve. Why do I believe this morality? One of the main reason for my belief is it makes me feel good to believe in a purpose rather than in meaninglessness (is that a word?) universe. Maybe not the only reason but one that does seem to work for me. I wish I could say I have had some great revelation verifying these ideas but I continue to await such an experience. Meanwhile, I just do the best I can.
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