Fate vs Free Will

[morrison]

When you Google that, the first line you will see is:

Are we victims of inescapable fate, or do we really have the power to create our own destiny?

This thought has, and will continue to plague mankind for a long time. Why? Do we have any control at all really? I'm not just talking about our bad habits. But that certainly falls under the umbrella. Do we really make our own decisions? Are they predefined by psychological and sociologically factors? Who our parents are? Our siblings? Where we are born, and grow up? What type of food we eat?

How real are we?
:huh:

[Waves 2]

Fate vs Free Will

How real are we? Check this out.
Now, THIS is really fascinating - it's rather dazzling to see it presented this way.


















I CERTAINLY THOUGHT THIS WAS ENLIGHTENING. BEYOND OUR SUN ... IT'S A BIG UNIVERSE.




2jm5nU6ONU6JriH0oECzWtZd8bTF577V09D3n5fWVCjwsMtJKm BkvGVraLHx7_3uzKCBaaX_u1ThNMbA--&bodyPart=6&YY=47457&y5beta=yes&y5beta=yes&order=d own&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b&Idx=5" alt="" />

ANTARES IS THE 15TH BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE SKY.
IT IS MORE THAN 1000 LIGHT YEARS AWAY.
NOW HOW BIG ARE YOU?
------------------------------------------------------------------


NOW TRY TO WRAP YOUR MIND AROUND THIS.........


THIS IS A HUBBLE TELESCOPE ULTRA DEEP FIELD INFRARED VIEW OF COUNTLESS
"ENTIRE" GALAXIES BILLIONS OF LIGHT-YEARS AWAY.



BELOW IS A CLOSE UP OF ONE OF THE DARKEST REGIONS OF THE PHOTO ABOVE.



HUMBLING, ISN'T IT?

[Guest]

Fate vs Free Will

not sure , still trying to work it out. I know im a real pain in my partners ass when I go af!! Is that real enough? Are we only real when we impact on other people ??

[magic]

Fate vs Free Will

The topamax has taken over my mind. I haven't a clue.

magic xx

[cassy]

Fate vs Free Will

i totally believe change is possible but for me i dont believe in relying on my will power alone. i need to rely on the power of prayer and have witnessed some amazing changes in myself and others.
Life means change and growth...fear i believe prevents change in our lives...thats the gospel message too....change and hope.
we have to live one day at a time..Jesus reminds us that 2each day has enough troubles of its own"Matthew 6.34"
i believe that those of us affected by alcoholism and other addictions should not view our situation as hopeless.
i try and keep the christian approach in my mind of living as good as i can today in preparation for living tomorrow. This doesnt mean i am without the temptations and weakness,s including the booze issue but it helps me to know change is possible and more importantly that in the eyes of God I am good enough.

Uncontrolled fear is the enemy within that destroys inner peace( i read that line in a great book titled do not be afraid by Michael Buckley.


So for me i dont buy into the idea of "being a victim of inescapable fate""...certainly not if we pray for guidance and change in our lives..

Of course change doesnt happen overnight on the booze issue generally speaking so i journey on in hope.

Just talking aloud my personal experience and in no way am i trying to "preach" just sharing my personal thoughts with you guys and of course welcome with interest others perspectives.

Regards Cassy....

[louise]

Fate vs Free Will

Morrison, You always ask the really thought provoking hard questions. I used to think about these things a lot. But the older I get the less I feel I know about anything. Lately, the topa is not helping at all. This morning I opened the paper and there was a picture of a very young woman with a brand new baby, just born. She was on the phone in her hospital bed, making arrangements for her husbands funeral. He was killed 2 days ago in Iraq. Then I read all of yesterdays posts about/to Rachel. Recently, what I really want to do is buy a vw camper, go to the woods, sit and look at the night sky with my cup of tea and not think at all. And just pray to a god I'm not sure I believe in for all of us. Maybe when I come back I'll have a better answer. You have a beautiful mind Morrison.

[imatree]

Fate vs Free Will

:huh:

[tea]

Fate vs Free Will

Oooh Morr, why oh why do you make me actually use my brain - on a Saturday night of all days............ Will get back to you maybe by Tuesday - lol.

Lorna x

[Flip]

Fate vs Free Will

I for one don't believe in fate or destiny of any sort. I've been having this debate with a number of people lately. I think it's just pot luck in terms of the universal questions and within the given constraints of our small and pathetic lives we have total control over how we react to the random things that happen and we can have a small influence in that way. WE chose what we do and how we react.

I have this argument in my head all the time as it relates to AA. It says that we are powerless over alcohol, yet I say if I give away my power I can not fight this problem. I need to know that I have that control, that decision making power. THere is nothing to hand it over to - it becomes a no brainer - it gives us permission to say " hey, I am powerless over my drinking (or anything else) and stop making meaningful decisions.

For example, I chose not to drink now. Nobody else has control or power over me to do that. This can be applied to anything in our lives.

I have to go now as I'm going for a ride but I would love to continue this discussion later.

[Java]

Fate vs Free Will

Nice. I would have to agree with flip on this one. I dont like thinking I am powerless over anything, and I definitely agree that we make our own decisions, and those decisions inpact our lives and how they flow...

Some things may hold mor influence over those decision...like becoming addicted to something, but thta is the way our bodies and minds react to certain substances...we make decisions to stear away from those substances when we see it is causeing strain in our lives.

[magic]

Fate vs Free Will

Power

I am powerless over alcohol.

I am so bloody addicted to it that if i have one drink, I will have downed so much Scotch with in the hour that I will be comatose.

Will power has nothing to do with it. I can have plans up my ying yang. If I have that first drink I become powerless.

My body, my brain and therefore "I" am powerless over the effects that alcohol has on me.

I have a "higher power" who is neither God, Budda nor Allah. She has worked miracles time and time again. My "higher power" is with me always. She is the sun, the moon, the evening stars and the 3 week old kitten sleeping in my bottom drawer. I am in awe of my "higher power" and I am alive today because of her.

No one makes decisions for me, but me. No one else holds my personal power! I decide not to have that first drink. I decide to end the toxic relationships. I decide to enter rehab. go back to school, make this post.

I do not attend AA meetings now,but I did and I have read the Big Book.
I do recommend AA others to see if it works for them. It has an awesome track record.

It's like anything else, you take what you need and leave the rest.

:schmokin: I love this guy!

Blessings,

magic xx

[Guest]

Fate vs Free Will

I believe we have the power to create our own destiny, however you can be put into a situation that is so poor that it is almost impossible to overcome it....that the fight is so hard that you just simply haven't the strength to come out of it. Say...for example you have 5 children growing up in extreme poverty...1 overcomes it and puts themselves through college. The other 4 remain in poverty for life. They simply could not see the light at the end of the tunnel...didn't have the strength, the personality, the will power, etc...that the one child did. There is no reason...they were all raised the same...some just have the desire and some do not. You have to really WANT it. MORE than anything. I mean more than anything.

[MDBiker]

Fate vs Free Will

Fate versus Free Will
This question is very complex, and as a Christian, my answer is related to my faith. If anyone would be offended by this or does not want to read about God or what I believe as a Christian, stop here and move on down to the next post. I will never even know it.
:l
God Bless

We make decisions every day which have power over the direction of our lives. If I decide to be an asbestos abatement technician, it is not fate that I die from the asbestos. Making the choice to work in the asbestos was a decision of free will and might very well lead to death. This is a choice of free will. I believe God has given us free will to make these choices in our lives. We chose what we do and what we believe; and, all of this, works together in Gods plan. We have free will to decide what we will do with our lives. The tricky part to me is; God has a plan. Being omnipotent He knows what decisions we will make. We have the free will to do as we please, but God already knows what decision we will make; and all works together to the end. So we have free will to do as we please and we exercise it daily. God is all seeing, so he knew what decisions we would make before we existed. He is he beginning and the end. He knows every hair on our head. He knows our heart. But he doesn?t change any of it. As a Christian I believe Jesus Christ died for my sins. All of my sins were forgiven 2000 years ago. How many of my sins were in the future when Jesus paid for them? All of them. He paid for all sins, past, present, and future. God knows what decisions we will make and what sins were paid for. I believe it is impossible for anyone to add to or take away from Gods Plan. I can only have faith that my name has been written in the book of life since the beginning of time. Is that Fate? Destiny? Predestination? Whatever it is called, I believe we make our own decisions to reach God?s goal.

Bear

[Guest]

Fate vs Free Will

Morrison, everytime I think I have this figured out, I don't! Maybe I should listen to Anthony Robbins and trust Jesus. that way I think I may have it all covered.
Smiles
Mar

[rachel28]

Fate vs Free Will

hi morrison, u have kept my brain rattling over this since i 1st read it,me bein me im still very undecided, i dont really think there is 1 answer to this,but it really does get the brain trying to fire up, i could blame fate for the shit heap my life has ended up, BUT that i think would be an excuse, i freely CHOOSE a lot of stupid things on the way, i havent been dealt a very good hand, but i didnt,have to keep the hand i was dealt, , i ll b thinking about this 1 some more,

it s kept me away from the beer all night, and the brain is ticking over, thanks morrison, im so glad u r back, xxxxxx