I understand what you are saying Chris, and btw I agree about lessons. I use the word lesson is the same way you use euh... something something event
English isn't my first language and sometimes I use simpler words to mean the same as the more expensive words...
I agree that our lifes are not pre-determined, but that we put situations in place, or agree with other souls for certain things to happen at certain times so we can learn and grow. Not that we aren't already perfect, but to grow into remembering our perfection, to relearning our perfection.
I understand what you are saying, but it still doesn't explain the question that I am wondering about.
If life isn't pre determined then time (in the big sense of things) logically is linear.
If time isn't linear, free will is an illusion.
At least at EGO, conscious level. Maybe not on soul level or energy level or source level or however you want to call it... Because they can see everything at the same time and wouldn't have any trouble saying, Ok, I'll stay poor and helpless now and let myself get raped because there is a growing moment in there for a "later" incarnation.
The ego wouldn't be able to do that. The ego is to protect in the moment, it doesn't care about later moments...