do you believe everything happens for a reason? - Comments

As a Christian, I believe that God has a plan for everyone. I do agree that it's partially up to us to strive for the things we are destined for, but I also have faith that if something is meant to be, it will happen, regardless of our actions. Because God is infinite, He doesn't need our help guiding our lives the way He chooses. /if it's not obvious, I'm horrible at explaining things.

i think people have a destiny but since no one can tell the future we feel like we control it even though we can't change anything because our whole lives lead up to dat sh*t.

I believe in the Domino Effect.

This happened because some thing else inadvertently or purposely caused some thing else to happen. There is no otherworldly reason. Only a reason that humans decide to give it.

I, personally, do not give reasons to every little thing. Because I believe most things are caused unintentionally by a human or the wind or what ever.

Not everything happens for a reason. Human beings are just good at pattern finding, and so it looks that way retrospectively. I don't beleive in any gods or other conscious forces controlling people's fates. That's why I'm a fantasy writer.

I think the best that can be said about predetermination is that cause and effect occur in such a way to make certain outcomes inevitable, and remove any real choice from people acting in some situations. That's all.

For what it's worth, I also don't think there is any intrinsic meaning of life. Nothing at all has a meaning unless you give it one. It's just that our unique biology as social, semi-altruistic organisms with intelligence drives us to concoct meanings in order to sustain relationships with the various stimuli we perceive.

v I don't think it defeats the purpose, necessarily, but I think it means more people should stop and think about how they're being affected. Not only by our own decisions, but the people that come in and out of our lives and the things that happen to us without our control. They don't always necessarily make a huge, noticeable change, or alter the course of our lives (though they do sometimes--I can attest to that from personal experience), but sometimes they do make very subtle changes--ones we may not even notice--that stay with us long-term.

Yes, I totally agree with that. The smallest, most insignificant choices or people or events could have the biggest impact on our lives. It's mind-boggling to think about. It almost gives me a sense of lost control over my own life, because I don't know how the smallest action will impact the rest of my life. We can choose what we do, but we can't choose how it affects our lives or the lives of people around us. Which kind of defeats the purpose of being able to choose what we do? Hm.

eight letters late - I suppose you're right on that. I guess what I meant to say, ultimately, was that every experience changes us in some way. Sometimes it's a very subtle way, like a thought we may never have had otherwise or just a split second where we almost changed our minds. It could be even the conscious decision NOT to change. But it changes us. And for some people it's for the better, and for some it's for the worse.

I guess what I meant by saying it's worth having done is that it makes enough of an impact so as to be a potential catalyst. Whether it starts or causes good things or bad things all depends on the person to which it happens.

You believe something is out there, but what? We have a purpose for being here, but what? I guess we can't ever really prove any answers to those questions, but you must believe something other than we have a general, unknown purpose and there is some mysterious being out there helping us out.

Do I believe in the universe? Maybe. I think somethings out there, but do I think it controls everything, I'm not sure. Do I believe in fate? No. Do I believe in destiny? No.

And I'll tell you why. I don't believe in them because I believe everyone has the power to change whatever they are doing and set their own course in life. I think some things are out there to help us or test us, but I don't think it's because of fate.

I also think that everything happening for a reason is a bunch of bullshit. Pardon my language. I think that we get thrown in random situations because that's where we decided to take ourselves.

I think we have a purpose in life, I mean, why else would we be here? To just walk around, party, drink, eat, and have sex? No. I think we have a certain quality that no one else has and that's what we're meant to do.

So to recap this; I believe something is out there. I believe we have a purpose for being here. I don't believe in destiny, fate, or that everything happens for a reason.

AmorarEsDeVivir, it 100% makes sense. I only disagree with what you said about how every experience we go through does something to us that is worth having done. I think we decide that ourselves. I think that if you are put in a situation, you can determine for yourself whether you gain something worthwhile from it or not. I think it's totally up to us.

I don't believe that everything happens for a reason in the sense that there is some kind of predetermined fate that causes things to happen in order to create a predetermined result.

I believe that everything that happens for a reason in the sense that every single experience we go through, person we meet, etc. does something to us that is worth having done, and we can find "reason" in it in the sense that we have changed because of it. The reason isn't, as I said, predetermined; it's almost retroactive in a way.

But, no, I don't think the "universe" is guiding us. Sometimes, it feels that way. Sometimes it feels as though the world is trying to make things work out as they should. And sometimes it's comforting to think that, if we let things go, life will steer us in the direction we're supposed to be going. But I think a lot of people tend to take it a step too far--instead of taking that thought for comfort, they take it as an excuse to not take charge of their own lives, because some other guiding force will do it for them.

I think even if the "universe" or God or some other force was trying to guide us, he/she/it wouldn't bother if we were just expecting him/her/it to do all the work without bothering to actually try to propel ourselves toward anything.

I'm terribly sorry if this didn't make any sense. =/

I don't believe in fate, so I share your sentiments on this.
& somehow, this is such a shocker to people I know because
they're quick to 'correct' me. Well, sorrrrryyyy I don't believe in something
that sounds ridiculous and serves as justification for some people's actions.
(I think that's what is irritating about it, really.)

But what is "the universe"? All the stars and planets come together to plan the fate of everything in existence? Or some mystical being floating around in the universe? And why do you think this way, that everything's been predetermined?

I'd like to think that things happen for a reason, but the more I think about it, they don't. Like you said, we do things and that's it. I mean, there could be a reason behind the things we do - like on purpose or accident - but I don't think that fate made it happen.

BUT JUPITER DOES CARE! IT'S WHAT MAKES THE WORLD GO AROUND AND THE SUN SHINE EVERYDAY! loljkjk

I don't share your feelings on this.
I think that everything is predetermined anyway, whether you like it or not.
Not by God, or whatever you want to believe in. It;s the universe, in the long run, that holds everything. Every alternate dimension, every person, every galaxy. And I believe that it holds not only time and space, but also the ability to dictate fate. In the universe's infite wisdom and being, you're life has been mapped out. Whether you know it or not, you're following its course and you can do nothing to change it.

But that's just me.