Do you believe in fate or random chance?
By zionsphere
@zionsphere (673)
United States
August 31, 2010 2:03pm CST
As of late, I've come to believe that life is completely pre-determined and written by the hand of God (or whoever your higher power may be). It seems that the harder I try to make things happen, the more I'm either swiftly taken into another direction, or nothing seems to work out! When I just relax and let things happen, they do.
I'm not saying that I don't have goals. I just mean that when I set them, it really doesn't matter how hard I work. It's more about where life takes me. Usually my original goal ends up being a doorway to something completely different.
has anyone else noticed this, or have a different opinion?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@Lore2009 (7378)
• United States
31 Aug 10
This is something I wonder about a lot. I am a good control freak and when I get obsessed with that, things seem to pause and once I let go, chances start moving, sometimes. But then there are a lot of things that happen with my effort too. I think it is both.
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
1 Sep 10
I usually end up "listening" for an answer about things. I only really push to make something happen when I feel I am being told to do so. I know that won't make sense to everyone that will read this...maybe you know what I'm talking about?
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
1 Sep 10
Thank you . It sounds like a book I would be interested in. Even though I lean toward predestination, I like to think about both sides. I once had a conversation with a friend about this, and he said "Everything is mathematical coincidence." But that made me think too... if everything is so random, why are so many things figureable on paper?
@bird123 (10643)
• United States
2 Sep 10
God sets the parameters of our life but the choices are all ours. We will learn and grow but also teach others through our interaction. Since we can not see the entire picture, we can not always see what is the best direction for everyone. God places you where you need to be. The rest is up to you. Don't fight it so much. Work with what you have. Intelligence wins. Thoughout eternity you will get to do everything you really want at some point.
@jupitercrashing (635)
• Canada
1 Sep 10
As an atheist, I'm quite certain predestination is not reality. It's also a pretty terrible mindset to have, I think. It means that no matter what happens, it's not really anyone's fault. Don't blame the serial killers, because they were meant to be serial killers. And their victims were meant to be tortured, raped, slaughtered, etc.
I also don't understand why the religious believe it because it implies some terrible things about god. It means their god also let evil into the world, knew the pain and suffering it would cause to even his most devout followers, even to innocent children, and has no problem with it. That's not an all loving god worthy of praise.
Of course, if you don't believe in predestination, than god cannot be omniscient and isn't truly a god. I guess that's why some people must believe in predestination.
That being said, I don't think the world is random choice either. Things happen based on the events that led up to it. Personal choices are absolutely involved, and nothing is predestined, but the past influences the future.
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
1 Sep 10
Even though I believe in predestination, I don't believe that anyone is meant to murder or sin in any other fashion. I think when a person does that, it actually changes fate.
Please don't get me wrong. I'm not a blind believer. I actually put a lot of thought into matters of faith. The "Holy Bible" in all of it's different versions and interpretations contains many things that go against what I feel within my personal relationship with my God. Although I stand beside what Jesus said about the way to get into heaven. Which was "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul and the love your neighbor as you would love yourself."
Notice he said YOUR God. And in several places there is mention of a personal relationship with the Lord. I think if we were all supposed to live one way, there would be no confusion. But how many churches are there for Christians alone?? And versions of the Bible?
I think if it is pre-destined, it is that way for each individual, and we somehow have a hand in deciding our individual lessons from the beginning. Albeit with complete innocence and no real understanding of what we would actually be going through. But that's just me.
Thank you for your response :)
@devijay78 (1573)
• India
31 Aug 10
I completely agree with you. In my country we believe in destiny, poorva janma(previous birth)karma and rebirth. I doubt that youngsters believe in all this but this has been taught to us from generations. so I believe in it. And I do believe that life is pre-determined. It might not be god but there is some higher power that controls this whole universe and its happenings. I know what you are talking about.
That happens to me too. I used to get too frustrated that things were not going according to my plan, but now i understand that there is something destined for me and that is what is happening. No matter how much I bang my head against the wall, it is not going to budge. So I have just let go and learnt to take life as it comes.
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
1 Sep 10
I find that whenever I am taken on a course that I have in no way set for myself, I can sit down and think about what I am learning from my experience. And no matter how hard it is on me, I am always thankful for the lesson.
@jhyan007 (467)
• Philippines
1 Sep 10
...i still believe in the saying that goes "Do your best and god will do the rest"...the fruit of hardship is better and i have experienced it...it is very fulfilling..although, i agree that there are times that, life has its own way of directing us to where the abundant part is, we don't have to resist, but rather, we will just go with the flow....later, we will just realize what life has to offer for us which we never expected...
@zionsphere (673)
• United States
1 Sep 10
That is very true. There Are times when I feel that God really wants me to meet him halfway for certain things. It reminds me of the movie Where the Red Fern Grows. When the boy was told to meet God halfway, and he earned the money to buy his pups on his own, and then went to the town to get them too. That was his best effort, and God made those dogs the best hunting dogs in town.
