Greetings BB….and all!! Agree with Mara BB, you always ask the most interesting questions offering much for reflection and research into the Urantia Book. I wish you had attributed the quote you posted as its source might be an interesting clue as to its perspective; certainly it could not come by or from any student of the UB itself which spends so much time presenting the sanctity of free will, including an exhaustive presentation as to why that gift is so very important – universally. As stated already, not even God would insert himself or herself or their selves between mind and the gift of free will. I look forward to further discussion on the core meaning and value of free will – the actualization of potential and the Supreme Being are both absolutely dependent upon this gift, its function, and it ultimate result.
To your last question: “Mara, can human free will be “influenced”?”, the answer depends on the definition of “influenced”, but the short answer is no. Free will cannot be manipulated nor tricked or duped or baited and switched or influenced by any other mind or agent – including angels, midwayers, planetary princes, or system sovereigns or the Spirit of Truth or TA – no other mind possesses such power or authority or capability – no – not ever! Choices we face (as opposed to choices made by mind) may be influenced however and that’s a most interesting topic.
It is said in text that both the angels and the TA care nothing for a life of ease for their charges. Our life on this world is a life of choosing and in preparation for more, and better, choosing to come. We are here to learn and to become. The vicissitudes and challenges in life are inherent but are also presented in their way for teaching babies to sit up, and stand up, and walk, and run, and jump, and fly as a crude example of progressive attainment of experience, skill, balance, maturity, etc. We make mistakes and we are attached to the material world of that portion of our duality – material and spirit – until we mature sufficiently to learn to identify with the spirit and eternal nature of our being.
We are inherently doomed to make the same mistake over and over….until a new choice is made by new motive and intention or other realization of truth brings a new result to a new choice. But worry not, other errors remain for the same cycle of learning by choosing and identifying the result or the effects of the causes – our choices by free will; our motive, intention, priority, and our tactic and strategy choices, and our patience, and our ability to make choices that are not focused on self interest but, rather, on other’s interests and in love for others too. These are difficult lessons. Far too difficult to perfect in such a brief “semester” of school as or material life is.
So, to some degree, I do think circumstances and situations and relationship intersections ARE influenced, perhaps even manipulated in some ways, to provide us the best educational and free will experience as the guardians, TAs, and other agents of personal progress can provide. Like a parent who presents rattles and rings and then simple puzzles and tasks and toy brooms and cooking sets and then challenges of skill development and personal expression to their children, I think the angels attend to us in some similar fashion.
But it is only by our consequences and positive results TO our free will that provides any meaningful education and progress. I do wonder time to time if we are also, occasionally, “protected” from some consequences to allow more time or another opportunity to do better?
"Live loyally today—grow—and tomorrow will attend to itself. The quickest way for a tadpole to become a frog is to live loyally each moment as a tadpole."
