Free Will cannot exist as defined by Christians. Especially as relating to the Garden of Eden.

Wonderful arguments all... This is the part where we go extra biblical and to which I admit a deficiency. As this isn't an argument about the validity of Christianity verses Latter Day Saints doctrine I will attempt to argue from the Mormon perspective.... Wish me luck... ;-) Wondering whether I should reference the Great Controversy in reply, but will attempt to stick with one extra biblical document at a time... 1. My opponent references PoGP Moses 1:39 as prove God's intent in the creation of man, eternal life and immortality. However he then makes a huge leap from eternal life to eternal happiness. There is no reference provided to stipulate that God's intent was the happiness of man, only immortality. Hell doctrine also promotes immortality, but happiness has nothing do with it. I contend that the God in Pearl of Great price actually created man for his own purpose: Moses 1:31 And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me. 32 And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth. 33 And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; Here we can see that God created all worlds for his own purpose. That purpose may include the immortality of mankind, but does not at all claim to be the eternal happiness of mankind. That is assumed by his followers. Doctrines and Covenants and predestination. "And it came to pass that Adam, being tempted of the devil—for, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency; And they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels; And, behold, there is a place prepared for them from the beginning, which place is hell." The end of this passage makes it very clear that the God of Joseph Smith prepared Hell for the devil and his angels prior to their existence. I contend that this predestination is immoral as he created Lucifer and the angels knowing in advance that they would be thrust down, because of his own notion of justice into torture. Predestination shuts the door on a defense of the morality of God. I urge the reader to take this important point into account. Doctrines and Covenants and the doctrine of balance. "And it must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves; for if they never should have bitter they could not know the sweet" This statement clearly indicates that God intended for man, not only to be tempted by the devil, but to fail in that temptation, in order to fully discern bitter from sweet. Which supports the fact that Adam and Eve did NOT have a knowledge of Good or Evil prior to submitting to temptation. Counter to my opponents claim: "we did have a knowledge of good and evil before we came to earth." Doctrines and Covenants and PoGP supports my contention that God predestined sin and suffering and death and even hell, which negates free will as all of those things were created by God for his own purpose. Moses 1:31..."For mine own purpose have I made these things." If God has wise purpose in allowing Adam and Eve to be Tempted and fail in order to know bitter from sweet, Free will cannot exist. Perhaps we should seek clarity in Solomon Spalding's book The Manuscript Found?(1761-1816) Just Kidding, low blow, I rescind the last statement ;-) Augment 2 God's culpability Con argues that "God has done everything he can to help us to return to him, and we have chosen to have free choice." I argue that if God exists, tangible and measurable revelation of his existence is within his power, (as seen in OT accounts) and that he chooses not to do that in this day and age for a majority of mankind for his own purpose. So God does NOT do everything within his power to help us return to him. It is more than possible to reveal yourself to others without forcing their will. Free will would remain intact, and all of humanity would have an educated choice to make bereft of subjectivity and misinformation. God's inaction in providing this to us, supports my contention that he is culpable for our bad decisions. Conscience would not exist without a knowledge of sin and the ability to discern bitter from sweet. Argument 3 "God judges us by the intents of our heart not our thoughts alone." Unfortunately the intents of one's heart can be very good, yet have very evil consequence. This point doesn't negate my statement about thought sin disallowing man to live perfectly, thus sinless and free of God's judgement. Argument 4 The doctrine that Jesus sacrifice enables us to live without sin and avoid God's notion of justice doesn't absolve God of the introduction of sin into the world. It simply shows that 'His Own purpose' included the murder of his son. Argument 5 "God allowed his son to suffer and die in this way because of his love for us and because Jesus Christ chose to do this for us." Not according to predestination. God, knowing the outcome of his creation and introduction of Lucifer to mankind, chose not only to create Hell, but also the necessity of mankind to be saved through the sacrifice of his son. In conclusion I would like to thank my opponent for the opportunity to explore this subject. I urge the reader to read the verses con referenced and note that not one of them addresses the culpability of God as it relates to predestination and His foreknowledge of things to come. I argue that the reason the Bible, the BoM, D&C and PoGP don't address the issue of free will and God's omniscience directly, is because my initial argument is accurate and Free will CANNOT coexist with the Omniscience of God as promoted by Christians and LDS and thus built on a false premise. Thank you all for your time, I know these discussions can be exhaustive to read, I sure know they are to write ;-)