Can you change Fate?

[Jade Tigress]

Do you believe in fate, or destiny? Are you set on a certain track in life? Can it be changed? Or are you *destined* to your fate in an unchangeable way. By that I mean, we can try to make changes in our lives, we can be proactive and do this, or do that. But will destiny always bring us back to our fate by determining the success, or failure, of those attempts?

 

[Blindside]

Fate? What a depressing concept, no thanks, I prefer self-determination.

Lamont

 

[TonyMac]

Yes! You can absolutely change fate. I believe that's what physical, emotional, psycological and spiritual growth are all about.

 

[mantis]

Do you believe in fate, or destiny? Are you set on a certain track in life? Can it be changed? Or are you *destined* to your fate in an unchangeable way. By that I mean, we can try to make changes in our lives, we can be proactive and do this, or do that. But will destiny always bring us back to our fate by determining the success, or failure, of those attempts?

this is a very interesting question. I just do not know how to answer!
I am going to split this topic into 2 concepts:
1. destiny which is what God has determined for us. I would guess the only way to change this is by asking God to do it.
2. destiny in a sense that it is God's knowledge of what's going to happen in the future. Since God is all-knowing then this is mere knowledge and there is nothing He determined here. He just knows what's going to happen.

Now does that mean that we just sit here and take our destiny? that's not the correct. First we were created with will, the mind, and capabilities to make our own choices. We may be overwhelmed by factors out of our control but that does not mean that we sit there and do nothing.
A second thought even though destiny has been determined by God that does not mean that He wants us to sit there and take it. If this was the case then why is there judgment? if you have no control over your actions then judgment does not make sense. does it?
my 2 cents

 

[stickarts]

Thats a tough one!
technically speaking I think the meaning of fate is something beyond your control so you couldn't change something that is truely beyond your control.
I think we have the power of freedom of choice which gives us a tremendous amount of power to alter the course of our lives.
So my answer is: both!
I think some things are inevidable, however, we can drastically alter the course of our lives through our decision making.

 

[Kacey]

Interesting question. I'm going to start with a definition from Merriam Webster's website:

Main Entry: 1fate
Pronunciation: 'fAt
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin fatum, literally, what has been spoken, from neuter of fatus, past participle of fari to speak -- more at [SIZE=-1]BAN[/SIZE]
1 : the will or principle or determining cause by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as they do : [SIZE=-1]DESTINY[/SIZE]
2 a : an inevitable and often adverse outcome, condition, or end b : [SIZE=-1]DISASTER[/SIZE]; especially : [SIZE=-1]DEATH[/SIZE]
3 a : final outcome b : the expected result of normal development <prospective fate of embryonic cells> c : the circumstances that befall someone or something <did not know the fate of her former classmates>
4 plural, capitalized : the three goddesses who determine the course of human life in classical mythology
synonyms [SIZE=-1]FATE[/SIZE], [SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]DESTINY[/SIZE], [SIZE=-1]LOT[/SIZE], [SIZE=-1]PORTION[/SIZE], [SIZE=-1]DOOM[/SIZE][/SIZE] mean a predetermined state or end. [SIZE=-1]FATE[/SIZE] implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome <the fate of the submarine is unknown>. [SIZE=-1]DESTINY[/SIZE] implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end <the country's destiny to be a model of liberty to the world>. [SIZE=-1]LOT[/SIZE] and [SIZE=-1]PORTION[/SIZE] imply a distribution by fate or destiny, [SIZE=-1]LOT[/SIZE] suggesting blind chance <it was her lot to die childless>, [SIZE=-1]PORTION[/SIZE] implying the apportioning of good and evil <remorse was his daily portion>. [SIZE=-1]DOOM[/SIZE] distinctly implies a grim or calamitous fate <if the rebellion fails, his doom is certain>.

var healthlineSearchTerm = "fate"; var healthlineHost = 'www.healthline.com';

Now, there are a lot of parts to this definition, so I'm going to go through them by the numbers.

1 : the will or principle or determining cause by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as they do : [SIZE=-1]DESTINY[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]

In the sense given here, of destiny - then yes, I think I do believe in fate. There is a larger web of interaction between events than most people realize, and all of those together weave into the greater fabric of society. Each of us, individually and collectively, contribute to and create those events.

2 a : an inevitable and often adverse outcome, condition, or end b : [SIZE=-1]DISASTER[/SIZE]; especially : [SIZE=-1]DEATH[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]

In this case... not so much. I do not think that outcomes are inevitable; else, there would be no free will, and that I don't believe at all.

3 a : final outcome b : the expected result of normal development <prospective fate of embryonic cells> c : the circumstances that befall someone or something <did not know the fate of her former classmates>

This one is an entirely different usage and I have no problems with it.

4 plural, capitalized : the three goddesses who determine the course of human life in classical mythology

Do I think that the Fates exist, the way the ancient Greeks and Romans did? Not so much... but as I said before, the concept of a complicated fabric of interwoven events that lead to the fabric of society does exist, at least in my opinion.

The synonyms given above would vary along with the opinions given for each definition.

Very interesting topic - thanks!
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[Bigshadow]

I don't believe in fate. The influences on our lives are much like the ripples of falling raindrops on a pond. Some of them we create and others are created by circumstance. There are only two things that are our fate... Taxes and death.

 

[Gemini]

I don't believe in fate or destiny. There is only on sure fate. We will die. But during our lives, I think such things are fabrications that we set in our minds so we can have great reasons to succeed or excuses to fail. Though Kacey is absolutely right, we are all intertwined and actions from others will impact us, but do not steer us. We seldom reach the goal that we set out for ourselves. We will all have disappointments and setbacks. We will all find ourselves at the right place at the right time at one or more times in our lives. What we do with those is entirey up to us. We are all accountable for our actions and our reactions throughout. Though we cannot control everything in our lives, the choices we make determine our course. Nothing is it predestined.

 

[Elayna]

"To fate or not to fate that is the question."
~elayna.

I guess i would have to say....I dont believe in the textbook definition of Fate.
I believe, that, we have an ending to our journey that has many different possibilities. All which are seen and known by God.
I believe, in general, that is like have a dice.
There are 6 different posssibilites, and which ever one you get depends on the way you roll, probability and so on. I think that the choices you make during your life determine how you will end up. Free will. But I also think that to a certain extent, you are pre-destined to do certain things. I dont think that you have no control over your destiny or fate. If you couldnt change the outcome of your life, then what would be the point to living? I mean when your 13 and your realize, oh wait, no matter what i do, im still going to hell. Then why not just get it over with now. Why go through all the pain of life, and all the joys for that matter?
So I say...that you are "fated" to die, but it is the decisions you make throughout your life that will help determine how you die. Take care of yourself and you most likely wont die of a heart attack. Dont go down dark allys and you wont die from a mugging.
I know i probably sound all over the place and like i cant decided between one or the other.
But i believe in "fate" showing you to your true love, and just things being "meant to be".
But I also believe, that we are free creatures and if we kick and scream enough, Fate is nothing but a word.
Anyhooo, hope i made sense. LOL.
(me and my rambiling again.)
TTYL

 

[Jade Tigress]

Interesting thoughts on this. Keep 'em coming.

 

[Cryozombie]

I dont know.

I've tried changing my circumstances by grabbing hold of them, and wrestling them to the ground to no avail.

I've tried changing my circumstances by relaxing and flowing with them like water.

The first one left me in the same place, tired and used up.

The second one left me in the same place, cold and wet.

I'd like to say we have ultimate control. But I dont see it.​

 

[matt.m]

You know I think that free will and personal decision making have a tremendous amount to do with what happens to you.

It wasn't fate for me to be disabled at 21, it just happened like that from some of the things that happened to me while in the Marines

 

[Andy Moynihan]

It would seem that I frequently find myself encountering viewpoints held by a segment of society that I would politely refer to as overcivilized. They hold that in some mythical "modern world", humankind should not wish to command or exercise power over others, even if only to safeguard themselves. But whether or not humankind should, or should not, wish to , is irrelevant because all that matters is that humankind DOES, and so to my eyes it is foolish and a waste of time to try to tell a person they should not wish to exercise what power they have when the same time would be far better spent teaching them how to use it wisely and well.

I suppose what sets me apart is that what certain groups view as "progressive", "Intellectual", or "Philosophical" thinking, I view as simple cosmic arrogance: In addition to the example above I'm unable to understand how it is that humankind in general keeps deluding itself that by holding up a few colored signs, shouting chants of protest, or writing flowery poetry, propagandist film, or intellectually bankrupt newspieces, that THEY can change the destiny of the world. The world will right ITSELF when it must, and while free will does exist, yet we still each play out the parts Fate has written for us to that end, because doing whatever that is to us, feels like the only "right" thing for us to do. We have been the same and done the same things and been driven by the same human drives since as many millenia back as there have been humans, and so I cannot follow whatever logic it is that appears to make some among our generation feel that somehow THEY are the first to have discovered the right way humans should be *shrug*.

To wish the world were different is a waste of time because the world is what it *is*, just as it always has been and always will be.

 

[Ping898]

I believe that anything in life can be changed. I think that some people have a destiny, but that they have to choose to accept it. I am a catholic and one of the fundamental beliefs of catholics is the belief of free will, that said I think that every life has a purpose, but I also think that your purpose in life cna change over time. I also think that if it is meant to be it will be, which sounds a lot like fate, but I see it as meaning that although I can make choices and change things in my life, that if something comes around that seems like a once in a lifetime thing, but I don't do it, then the opportunity will present itself again if I was meant to take advantage of it.

 

[Jade Tigress]

I dont know.

I've tried changing my circumstances by grabbing hold of them, and wrestling them to the ground to no avail.

I've tried changing my circumstances by relaxing and flowing with them like water.

The first one left me in the same place, tired and used up.

The second one left me in the same place, cold and wet.

I'd like to say we have ultimate control. But I dont see it.​

I've had the same experience which is why I asked. Hence, my statement in the OP:

we can try to make changes in our lives, we can be proactive and do this, or do that. But will destiny always bring us back to our fate by determining the success, or failure, of those attempts?

(and no jokes about how lame it is to quote yourself)

I also find certain "themes" to run in my life. A series of repeated circumstances that are completely out of my control but always revolve around the same issues.

 

[michaeledward]

In keeping with the copyright policy .... I provide this link ...


http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rush/freewill_20119963.html

and a short excerpt ...

A planet of playthings
We dance on the strings
Of powers we cannot perceive
The stars arent aligned ---
Or the gods are malign
Blame is better to give than receive

But seriously, in America, if you are born in the middle class, you will most likely die in the middle class; if you are born in the lower class, you will die in the lower class. So, while individuals can change, they most often do not change. So, isn't the net result the same?

 

[MRE]

These are interesting thoughts on a topic that, in my opinion, is impossible to answer. Saying that we have control over our own destiny is assuming that we have control over our own choices. How do we know for sure that even those choices, that we seem to think are spur of the moment, are not being guided by the collective intelligence, or were not scripted eons ago by an all powerful being. There is no way to scientifically or philosophically prove this, so I decide to ignore the possibility and assume that I am the master of my future. Not because I know its right, but because its alot more exciting to me.

So bbblllll (tongue wagging and spit flying everywhere) to fate, the collective intelligence, or the universal script trying to control me. I bet they didn't know I was going to do that! Or did they?

 

[Bigshadow]

But seriously, in America, if you are born in the middle class, you will most likely die in the middle class; if you are born in the lower class, you will die in the lower class. So, while individuals can change, they most often do not change. So, isn't the net result the same?

Much like it is our destiny to be a human. There isn't much we can do about it. IMHO, it is all relative.

 

[rutherford]

My take of this is that we determine and agree to our fate ourselves. Some essential part of us does this outside of time and physical existence.

Everything that happens does so exactly the way it is meant to happen. There are no coincidences. It can not be changed, and you can be sure there is a lesson in it for you and for those whom your life touches.

 

[crushing]

Fate? What a depressing concept, no thanks, I prefer self-determination.

Lamont

Your fate is that you shall forever be doomed to self-determination! Good luck with that!



I'm with Lamont on this.

Luck is emphasized because I put that right in with fate.