Life Pre-Determined or Are We In Charge of Our Destiny?

[shimmyshimmyya]

I'm really interested in what everyone thinks about this.

Lately, I've been going through what I would call a "quarter-life crisis". I feel very lost right now and confused about what I want out of life and my future.

I look back at my life so far and see that it's filled with a lot of regret. Things I wish I did and said. And vice-versa. I see a lot of wasted opportunity.

I'm always thinking that has to be more to life than this. Whatever "this" is.

I go back and forth. I believe that your life is pre-determined, that whatever choice you make (or don't make) is meant to be. You make think you have control but it's all apart of Life's Plan. My friend thinks that everyone is in charge of their own destiny and whatever happens is because of your choice.

What do you think?

 

[Beauty Mark]

I think it's a mix of our control and random occurrences or luck. Frankly, I don't like the idea of a "destiny" or "fate", because I reject the idea that certain people are destined to have atrocities happen to them. I don't believe that life plans for some people to be raped/molested/tortured/abused.

I think, though, you can prepare yourself only so much for the outcome of your life. You are affected by others, who will change your path. I'm thinking right now of people who have excellent applications to colleges and yet get rejected. They may have done all the "right" things, but they still were reliant on someone else.

 

[Ruby_Woo]

I don't believe in luck, though I will sometimes use the term, I truly do not believe in it. I do not belive we come to this earth with a life pre-determined. I believe I have free will, completely.

I am where I am because of my choices, though some things can seem bad, I can always look back where the choice I made was wrong, or bad judgement call. I feel that people who are weak, or do not like to take responsability use "fate" a lot.

If we left everything up to fate, nothing would happen. We happen, we make the choices, we do it.

I believe in God, and rely on him for guidence, and sanity, but I know when he gave me free will, that its was true. Not an illusion of free will, just pure free will, I choose what to do , and when to do it.

Ultimatly, we are responsible for where we end up.

Existentialism.

 

[xxManBeaterxx]

I do believe that our destiny is pre-determined. The people we meet, the parents who we choose, the choices we make, or even the choices we let others make for us... shape and mold our lives, good and bad.

But I also believe that the mind has power over all things that are in your conceivable realm and i believe the mind has power over destiny as well.

Don't think of your past as a regret or failure, think of it as a step towards your goal in life, whether its success, happiness, or a family. You can mope all you want and rant as much as you like about the path that was laid in front of you, but it wont change anything.

About wasted opportunities.. Life is how you take it.. and if you take it with a sour look, you will get sour soup.

Where do you start you ask? With one goal.

One big huge huge goal.

 

[Willa]

I think everything happens for a reason.
Just an example here of something that happened to me and my sister last night.

We went to a concert that was 2h30 hours away in car from our town, got stuck in the traffic, had to be there for 7pm and we were rushing, got lost in the city, my sister had to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes... It seamed like we could never make it.

We finally got there, went to get our tickets, went AGAIN to the bathroom, went to check our places and had to go back to the car to eat a little. And then BAMMMMMMMM!!!! I turn the corner and who is in front of me? One of the singer of the group, coming from nowhere with 2 bodyguards, 3 inches away from my face, I almost tripped on him because I didnt see who was coming after the corner...

The fact is, to meet them you had to pay about 350$.

I'm telling you, everything happens for a reason

 

[NutMeg]

I don't believe in destiny. I completely believe in free will and the power of our actions. The idea of life being pre-destined seems so boring to me. Why bother if it's all going to turn out the same anyway? Why take joy in life if my feelings, choices, ideas, none of it makes a difference?

I believe that I have a level of power in my own life, but sometimes there are things bigger than me which I cannot control. Random events, or the combined actions of many... Basically sometimes shit happens.

 

[carandru]

I believe in a little of both, I guess.

I think that everyone on this earth has a purpose they are supposed to fulfill and a large group of blessings/good things that they are supposed to receive. This is all laid out for you when you are born, and if you made all the "right" decisions you would follow on this path.

I also think that you have free will and can make your own decisions. These decisions, however, can take you farther along your path or farther away from it. You can block or delay the good things that you are supposed to receive and the mission that you were meant to accomplish.

Now that's doesn't meant you won't be happy or have a good life if you don't fulfill your destiny. I just think you will be happiest if you do. But I also think you do need to get out there and make a few mistakes and fall off your path here and there in order to learn and grow as a person. And to really appreciate it when you do find your calling.

 

[xsnowwhite]

I think everything happens for a reason. I think some things are chosen but you do have control for the most part, but whatever happens will eventually have happened for a reason.

 

[Zantedge]

I don't believe life is predetermined or that "everything happens for a reason". I think there are definitely things out of our control, but for the most part it is up to us to make decisions.

At least, that's the simple version of my answer.

 

[M.A.C. head.]

It's both.

That's why a man who ate right his whole life, got plenty of exercise can be disfigured, crippled, or killed in a car crash.

There are an infinite amount of examples. The best we can do is do right by ourselves and our loved ones, and be the very best we can be. That's the only thing we have control over.

 

[FullWroth]

My personal belief is that while certain things are meant to be, the manner in which they happen is ultimately up to you. You might be fated to meet someone and fall in love, but when and how you do it, and whether or not it lasts, that's in your hands. To me, "fate" is kind of like a series of interwoven threads. You can either let the threads go where they're going, or you can tug on them and tie them to different threads. Some threads are so tightly woven that you can't move them much, while others are hanging loose and waiting for you to pick where they go.

 

[ms.marymac]

A little of both. When I have friends or family members go through a tough situation, I tell them things happen for a reason, if anything to teach you a lesson, or to help you learn about yourself, like carandru said. You can take these lessons and use them to enrich your life, in order to acheive goals. Sometimes it's hard to imagine that someone would choose their demise if they were say, crossing the street and were hit by a car. Things like that make me believe that there are somethings we just cannot control.

 

[rosasola1]

I believe with all my being that everyone is made with a specific destiny. I believe that everyone has complete free will given by God for the purpose of Him not wanting to have little robots to love him, he wanted everyone to choose to love Him... it's more real. I made the decision to no longer live my life by my own will anymore ... because my own decisions always seemed to get me in trouble. Once I accepted God as my creator, I accepted His will for my life and since then, there has been nothing but growth, blessing, and joy in my life ever since. I remember that lost feeling, that void inside... I promise, that it goes away after you find God... It is literally like magic... I have no other way of explaining it.

I like to say that I have the best, most qualified "life planner and guide" lol

GOD!

I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable so if anyone would like to continue this discussion in private, Message me!!

I'd love it

 

[rosasola1]

and about the bad things that happen to us... God has no desire for his people to suffer... but as a result of our own pushing Him aside and only running to Him when we are in need of something...because we decide to live by our own will, because we have removed Him from our gov, out of our schools, out of our lives... he really has such limited jurisdiction that he can't just jump in and save us if when everything is going good, we completely ignore Him. We don't give Him permission to take care of us...

 

[ratmist]

I'm with Tycho. Chompy amoral universe all the way.

 

[Beauty Mark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosasola1 and about the bad things that happen to us... God has no desire for his people to suffer... but as a result of our own pushing Him aside and only running to Him when we are in need of something...because we decide to live by our own will, because we have removed Him from our gov, out of our schools, out of our lives... he really has such limited jurisdiction that he can't just jump in and save us if when everything is going good, we completely ignore Him. We don't give Him permission to take care of us...

But what about nuns who get raped? Or children or babies? I'm not convinced their lack of faith has anything to do with turning their backs on God.

 

[*Stargazer*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark I think it's a mix of our control and random occurrences or luck. Frankly, I don't like the idea of a "destiny" or "fate", because I reject the idea that certain people are destined to have atrocities happen to them. I don't believe that life plans for some people to be raped/molested/tortured/abused. I think, though, you can prepare yourself only so much for the outcome of your life. You are affected by others, who will change your path. I'm thinking right now of people who have excellent applications to colleges and yet get rejected. They may have done all the "right" things, but they still were reliant on someone else.

A MILLION TIMES, YES!

 

[*Stargazer*]

How can a supposed all powerful being have "limited jurisdiction?"

 

[rosasola1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark But what about nuns who get raped? Or children or babies? I'm not convinced their lack of faith has anything to do with turning their backs on God.

I know this answer sucks.... but it really is sooo much more complicated than I can ever try explaining on here.

you ask a very very valid and good question...

the truth is... people hurt people, having God gets us through those situations... and I can say from personal experience that we get stronger, and smarter after.


(I don't want to be attacked for trying to offer a diff point of view... so if that's going to happen, I will deff stop posting and will ask mods to delete my posts.)

Thanks

 

[rosasola1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Stargazer* How can a supposed all powerful being have "limited jurisdiction?"

because WE don't allow Him into our lives.... He isn't a dictator who will push his way into our lives... who wants to love that?

Free will... double edged sword.

We choose to accept God in a world were His presence is being less and less welcomed.

We choose to do our own thing..

We choose to live against everything He stands for.

We. choose.