If there is such a thing as free is it really “free”? And don’t you think destiny always wins out in the end? Destiny really exists, in fact I think destiny actually exists in our minds- you may know it by it’s more common name- your conscious. We all know what we should be doing- we all know what feels right and what feels wrong- whether we will listen to our conscious or not is our own choice- this is where the free will part comes in. You have the free will to not do what you know you should do and to do things that you know you should not.
Every time I have gone against my conscious, not left a relationship when I should’ve, done something careless or stupid, things not only derailed quickly but sometimes violently.Things turning violent may be an extreme example, but sometimes destiny does what it has to do to get you back on track. How many times have you heard a story about someone who came down with a terrible illness; an illness that derailed all their plans yet ended up leading them to a more suitable path?
“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” -John Lennon
You do not choose your destiny- it chooses you. It is an inherent sense of life purpose that we were all born with- but that’s not to say you don’t have to actively help it along to reach your full potential. I will give you an example. I have felt a strong urge to be a writer for a while now. This might even be considered my destiny- but what if I never tried to get my writing published- what if I never wrote anything at all- was being a writer still my destiny? What happens if you choose to ignore your calling?
When you do something you are passionate about, your love for what you’re doing radiates outwards and touches peoples lives in a positive way. When you ignore your passion, the potential for love and self-growth turn to fear and self-loathing. The love that could’ve ventured outward towards the general populace instead becomes envy and hatred turned not only outwards towards others but inwards towards yourself. It’s hard to live with yourself when you ignore your destiny and highest potential out of fear.
So yes you do have “free will,” but it usually comes at a high price; from my experience it just derails you from your truest path.
Check back soon for “Disproving Free Will: Part Two”
having grown up in an area awash with Calvinism i felt fortunate to have be Catholic. the church for all it’s faults affirmed you were the master of your soul and were given free will. didn’t realize the significance of that fully until i dated a woman who was raised in a Calvinist church and told me early on at the age of 7 felt she was predestined for damnation . later she became Catholic of course it could be liberating in freeing one from striving or from the responsibility of ones choices. choices or striving are a waste of time and effort if you know in the end you are destined to lose. like Norse or Arab fatalism. everything that happen to you good, bad or indifferent is the “will of God”, as to callings i think we are called to be many things, play many roles. father, sister, cousin. friend, daughter, teacher, supporter, ect. hopefully we are passionate about these callings too. ultimately we are called to be decent human beings. the art of Wagner or Picasso doesn’t change the fact that they were world class pricks, just awful men. werd
Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.
Albert Camus
Lots of interesting points- the one that really piqued my interest is your comment of some great and talented men also being not-so-nice men….interesting
there is the GREAT scene in Schindler’s List where a SS soldier sits at a piano and begins to play a lovely piece by Mozart while all around him his fellows are murdering men, women and children. the lesson? the production or appreciation of Great Art does not make one ethically good.
Interesting thoughts!
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