Beliefs on Fate

[Skadi]

In another thread I got on the topic of fate, destiny, ect.

Im curious to know people of various religions views on the subject.

As a German Pagan I believe that a mans fate is fixed.The story is that, on the night of your birth the three Nords visit you and weave the string of your fate. A man cannot escape their fate, the only control how they meet that fate, and that is what is realy important.

This was actually the hardest thing for me to accept when I became a Germanic pagan, as I though it meant we have no free will. However im interested to know other peoples beliefs on fate.

 

[benjohnson]

In another thread I got on the topic of fate, destiny, ect.

Im curious to know people of various religions views on the subject.

As a German Pagan I believe that a mans fate is fixed.The story is that, on the night of your birth the three Nords visit you and weave the string of your fate. A man cannot escape their fate, the only control how they meet that fate, and that is what is realy important.

This was actually the hardest thing for me to accept when I became a Germanic pagan, as I though it meant we have no free will. However im interested to know other peoples beliefs on fate.

As a scientist, I’m almost certain that our brain is ‘recursively’ complex enough to house a mind with free will.

As a Lutheran, we have free will - how much, and if that includes faith in God, is quite complex with us leaning to God for faith and our own will to deny faith. My running joke is that you know you have free will only when you’re contemplating free will.

 

[Elostirion]

It seems that certain events and scenarios, like you seem to describe, could be an accurate reflection. Especially in a mechanistic concept (which yours is not haha).
Clearly, at least by your short explanation, fate does not contradict free will, since what matters is how we deal with it.
Seems reasonable to me.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

In another thread I got on the topic of fate, destiny, ect.

Im curious to know people of various religions views on the subject.

As a German Pagan I believe that a mans fate is fixed.The story is that, on the night of your birth the three Nords visit you and weave the string of your fate. A man cannot escape their fate, the only control how they meet that fate, and that is what is realy important.

This was actually the hardest thing for me to accept when I became a Germanic pagan, as I though it meant we have no free will. However im interested to know other peoples beliefs on fate.

I guess I need clarification on this point. And perhaps a definition of fate.

A man cannot escape their fate, the only control how they meet that fate, and that is what is realy important.

 

[Servant19]

In the Baha’i religion, the analogy of a Persian carpet is used.

Fate would have it that we are all given a specific “framework” for a carpet to be made. The quality and beauty of the weaving upon that framework is determined by each individual’s free will. Some are given a small carpet framework, some are given a large carpet framework, but the beauty created and the lustre of the small carpet may far outweigh the beauty and lustre of the big carpet. Free will is used to “adorn” our lot in life …

Abdu’l-Baha states in Some Answered Questions:

***Fate is of two kinds: one is decreed, and the other is conditional or impending. The decreed fate is that which cannot change or be altered, and conditional fate is that which may occur. So, for this lamp, the decreed fate is that the oil burns and will be consumed; therefore, its eventual extinction is a decree which it is impossible to alter or to change because it is a decreed fate. In the same way, in the body of man a power of life has been created, and as soon as it is destroyed and ended, the body will certainly be decomposed, so when the oil in this lamp is burnt and finished, the lamp will undoubtedly become extinguished.

But conditional fate may be likened to this: while there is still oil, a violent wind blows on the lamp, which extinguishes it. This is a conditional fate. It is wise to avoid it, to protect oneself from it, to be cautious and circumspect. But the decreed fate, which is like the finishing of the oil in the lamp, cannot be altered, changed nor delayed. It must happen; it is inevitable that the lamp will become extinguished. ***