Knowledge and Free Will

I'm not sure the point to this post, but a few thoughts:

Joe and I were talking about belief in god, et cetera and we realised the thoroughly post-Enlightenment idea of atheism in the modern sense. We were talking about the Bible and how the issue for many people in the Good Book wasn't about whether they believed god existed, but whether they wanted to have a relationship with him.

The Pharaoh in Exodus didn't doubt the existence of the Israelite's god, he simply thought his gods were better. No characters question if god is there, just why he has abandoned them. It got me to thinking how I'm not sure whether it's god's existence is the issue as an atheist; it's whether I actually want to know him. God may exist; I don't believe he does, but even if he did, I'm not sure I'd want to know him.

Theologians speak of how god's vagueness ensures we have free will, but I think that's a bit of a red herring. I wonder if it was absolutely clear god existed, how many people would want to have a relationship with him. I don't think I would. I am biased and my view of god is shaped by my life and prejudice, but I don't think knowing for sure he was there would hinder my free will. I know cigarettes will greatly increase my chances of getting a horrible disease; I still smoke because I want to. I have known the implications and outcomes of certain actions, from experience, but still done them out of free will. Knowledge doesn't impede free will, it simply affirms the free will you have.

I don't believe god exists but I don't doubt the possibility he may exist. Either way, I don't believe I would want to spend time getting to know him. It doesn't matter if I see him from a conservative, liberal, evangelical, Anglican, Catholic, Islamic, gracious, vengeful or loving angle, I simply find god someone who I can do without.