Ask the Saints: Freedom

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St. Augustine of HippoINQUIRER: I'm confused and curious about human freedom (some call it free will).  I've been told that freedom means the ability to choose to do whatever I want to do as long as I feel that it's "right."  Can you clear up this questions for me?

ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO: The freedom of the will is then true freedom when it does not serve vice and sins.

[Personal addition from a layman with an Augustinian spirituality: In it's essence, free will is the ability to choose any action, right or wrong.  However, with a purified conscience, human freedom directs us toward doing that which is good, which brings more freedom.  Choosing vice and sin hinders our freedom and will eventually wrap us in slavery to those same vices.]

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