do you believe in...

[LabBreeder]

God gave us free will. That's how Adam and Eve fell from grace...free will. The apple was eaten even though God said don't do it. However, I believe God knew that would happen (because of free will) thus the human race expounded upon and with each new member born there were more chances of free will leading to bad things (war, famine, murder, adultery, etc). On the other hand, with each person born there was also an equal chance of free will leading to good things (cures for diseases, random acts of kindess, etc). Therefore (IMO), God was evening the odds of our lives taking the right courses by having both good and evil in the world. Everything goes according to a grand plan. God knew us before we were born. He knows what we are thinking and he ultimately knows what we will do because we are his children. Free will is in all of us, but because we are of God he knows where our free will will take us with each situation.
Look at the definition of fate - The supposed force, principle, or power that predetermines events. The inevitable events predestined by this force. -- It seems that "fate" is God leading us in one direction or another regardless (or perhaps, in spite of) our free will. For those that don't believe in fate...and think that with each action you are making your own decisions (be they good or bad) you are...at least partially...correct. You are making your own decisions BUT are any decisions truly ours to make? Sure, you decide yes or no, but what about the action/event or person that made you want to make that decision in the first place? How do you know that the action/event/ or person wasn't predestined to happen/occur/ or speak to you in order to help you make the yes or no decision that you made?

It's far to difficult to really explain, IMO, but I've tried. I am not trying to change anyone's mind, rather expand your thoughts of the possibilities (should you choose to think about this).

 

[AndrewF]

I think God has a plan for everyone. He has everything planned out very carefully...including bad things. I think bad things happen to teach us lessons. But I also believe that our lives are partly in our hands. I think God has control, but He will let go at times and let us teach ourselves lessons.
I also believe in "what goes around comes around". If you spend your life being a jerk, that's going to bite you in the butt eventually.

I'm a Christian and don't believe in "what goes around, comes around" in the Hindu or Pagan beliefs...I believe that if you do something bad, God is going to say, "I'm going to make something bad happen to you to teach you a lesson." You get a dose of your own medicine.

I'm reminded (strangely enough) of the story of Job (I'm pretty sure it was him)....the one who Satan basically ran through the mill to test his faith. This, of course begs the question is it God or Satan doing these bad things to you.

**note, this was just an interesting little aside which I though fit in with what you had to say**

And now, for a humorous quote relating to the subject - Taken from "Bruce Almighty":
"Smite me, oh mighty Smiter!!!"

 

[BigDog2191]

I'm a Christian and don't believe in "what goes around, comes around" in the Hindu or Pagan beliefs...I believe that if you do something bad, God is going to say, "I'm going to make something bad happen to you to teach you a lesson." You get a dose of your own medicine.

What goes around, comes around is not something that can only be applied to Christianity - it's a general term. I don't understand what you mean you don't believe it in the way Hindus or Pagans believe... it's the same thing.

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

What goes around, comes around is not something that can only be applied to Christianity - it's a general term. I don't understand what you mean you don't believe it in the way Hindus or Pagans believe... it's the same thing.

No, it's not.

IMO, God controls "what goes around, comes around". If someone spends their life being an ass, God is going to plan something out to teach them a lesson. As a Christian, I believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour.
In the Hindu belief, it means that "the good and evil a person does will return either in this life or in a later one." In the Pagan belief, it means that "whatever negative or positive energies one sends out will come back to the sender in like kind."

 

[jess2416]

And yet a great deal of Christian dogma holds with predestination . . . that's always been one of the questions that got me into trouble with church people . . .

And I always thought that little drama with Abraham - the one where he was commanded to sacrifice his son - showed a great deal of cruelty and jealousy. Not attributes worthy of worship by any means.

Predestination gets me in trouble all the time

I dont know if I believe in "fate"

I have a very warped (not in a bad way) belief system....

 

[BigDog2191]

No, it's not.

IMO, God controls "what goes around, comes around". If someone spends their life being an ass, God is going to plan something out to teach them a lesson. As a Christian, I believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour.
In the Hindu belief, it means that "the good and evil a person does will return either in this life or in a later one." In the Pagan belief, it means that "whatever negative or positive energies one sends out will come back to the sender in like kind."

First of all, you're a bit off on Hindus. They believe in kharma which is the SAME thing.

It's all the same thing just used in different terminology due to beliefs. If you dish it out, you better be able to take it later on. Same thing.

 

[jess2416]

No, it's not.

IMO, God controls "what goes around, comes around". If someone spends their life being an ass, God is going to plan something out to teach them a lesson. As a Christian, I believe in Jesus Christ, the Saviour.
In the Hindu belief, it means that "the good and evil a person does will return either in this life or in a later one." In the Pagan belief, it means that "whatever negative or positive energies one sends out will come back to the sender in like kind."

If God does control that, then doesnt that mean we do NOT have "Free Will" and that whatever he has predestioned (sp) us to do it will happen ???

 

[gaddylovesdogs]

First of all, you're a bit off on Hindus. They believe in kharma which is the SAME thing.

It's all the same thing just used in different terminology due to beliefs. If you dish it out, you better be able to take it later on. Same thing.

It varies a bit. Yes, it all BASICALLY means the same thing, but there are differences in each definition.

If God does control that, then doesnt that mean we do NOT have "Free Will" and that whatever he has predestioned (sp) us to do it will happen ???

I believe that God has control over our lives, but we have a certain extent of control. As I said before, God will let go of the wheel and let us get into messes.

 

[BigDog2191]

It varies a bit. Yes, it all BASICALLY means the same thing, but there are differences in each definition.



I believe that God has control over our lives, but we have a certain extent of control. As I said before, God will let go of the wheel and let us get into messes.

That's not free will. That's partially free will - and God supposedly put us on this Earth so that we can choose Him freely. Your thoughts sound Calvanistic.

 

[jess2416]

I believe that God has control over our lives, but we have a certain extent of control. As I said before, God will let go of the wheel and let us get into messes.

Yes, BUT if he has control over our lives whether a huge part or a tiny part, then we do NOT have Free Will, the only way to have Free Will, is to be in control of our lifes without any outside sources

 

[Denaluvscorgis]

I'm a Christian and don't believe in "what goes around, comes around" in the Hindu or Pagan beliefs...I believe that if you do something bad, God is going to say, "I'm going to make something bad happen to you to teach you a lesson." You get a dose of your own medicine.

You know Gaddy....that's true....I initially said that I don't think that "bad things happen". I meant that I don't think that bad things will follow us around....bad luck and such. I do think, however that if we do something bad....making a bad decision that we will quite probably have something happen in turn to teach us a lesson. I've had that happen to me many many times!

 

[Snark]

I tend to think of fate as a fortuitous coincidence (usually something good) and when something bad happens, it's just bad luck (or the result of a lousy or ill-informed or just plain stupid decision). I have no problem believing in God or a higher power (and, I must admit, I don't like thinking of him/her/it as a vengeful being); I just have a problem in believing man's interpretation of what God wants/does/believes, since that interpretation does seem to change with the times and political climate...

 

[Amy-o]

thanks again for all of your interesting replies. most of you talk about your beliefs with reference to religion. im not really religious, so i believe in fate and other things because i want to basically lol, i'm not actually sure why. maybe it makes life seem less scary if there is fate. it does for me in a way anyway.