[ambientambien]

I've met Protestants and Catholics who believe that all that happens is pre-destined by the God of scripture. That everything that everybody ever has done or ever will do is already determined by their God. That He has set into motion ahead of time what will come to pass, including everything He does. What a lazy way of looking at things. And what an unimaginative God they have to only put on a play. All is scripted in their eyes yet we supposedly don't know what will come next. So the life of Jesus simply becomes a moot point. He was just here as an Avatar of the God of scripture to play out His scene and take the world into the next pre-destined Act of the play. Notifying people that there is a pre-written Book of Life that lists who will go to Heaven is just an unfolding in the play letting people know that the play will continue in the afterlife. So Jesus being here in a sense was just the Bible's God's way of letting Himself know that He has all the power and that in His play His followers have to know this as well. So with that being said, they believe that one doesn't have control over their own salvation according to the Holy Bible and the Book of Life. One is just supposed to trust that they are doing the right will of the God of scripture and hope that they don't get left out. If the future is pre-written by their God just try to imagine a life without choices and you'll be able to imagine judgement day.

[Ubgvuncd]

As a former Baptist, I agree with you, Minx. I had a science teacher (I went to a Baptist school) who told us that the Book of Life is already written and that God knows who will be "saved" and who won't. Talk about confusing: on the one hand, the Baptists (and I can only speak from experience from their point of view) are told that God knows what will happen in the future and that the B.o.L. is already written; on the other hand, they are told that Christ's death for our sins is God's gift for us to freely accept. Now, how can one "freely" accept a gift, if it's already written that one will either accept or reject the gift? Of course, no one I've ever talked to could give a straight answer on that one. (Their famous response was, "Don't question the Bible: that's the "devil" causing you to think that way!") So, if a person is predestined to go to heaven, then he/she doesn't need to accept Christ as his/her personal Savious because they're already going to heaven when they die. Confusing, isn't it?

[Paladin]

Well I think this is just another one of the Bible's contradictions. In the Old Testament we are told that God's gift to us is free will, and in the next Book we are told that everything is predestined. Which is the truth?

[farmarrl]

Predestination does not exclude it from being the result of free will. In other words, a given thing may be predestined (known by God), but it was your decision that led you down the path rather than your life being nothing but a chess game in which you are simply a piece being moved about.

[valiumnopresc]

I believe that God who is all powerful, you know all knowing, etc, then He/She/It does know all, past present and future. So in that way God does know who will be saved and who will not.
But that does not bespeak of predestination. It was explained to me as someone standing on a distant point and watching two cars approaching each other but from around a blind curve. You can see what is about to happen but can't do anything about it.
Kinda confusing. But the Indians call God Wanka Tanka it means the Great Mystery.

UncleMike

[Symnunidanimb]

Predestination is a idea that has been with me for a while. Sometimes when I am at my job site working away, I have thoughts that pass through my mind. I see myself confronted by someone. My experience at that point has never taken me to this person. Within a few days or a couple of weeks, I find myself in the situation that floated through my mind not too long ago. Did I create that, or was I being shown something in advance. Is this a form of predestination?

As a child I had always been drawn to something I could not put my finger on. I especailly felt it during times when I was alone with Nature. It can be described as some form of longing. It was in the air that I breathed.

As an adult, I had these same body and mind responses. My feelings have shifted somewhat and I contribute that to exposure to others understanding to the Spirits and Energies of the Earth and her Creatures. Was this feeling I had as a child the beginning of a thread that continued into my adult life. Or is this another for of predestination?

[GaryBulguihb]

It's possible for things to be predestined and your choice. Every choice you make in life influences yourself and others. Your options change as your choices take you down different paths and lead you to the choices others made on their paths. In a sense your response to different situations will change where your road ends. In a sense your destiny is set by the choices you make, for every choice a different end but it is an end based off your actions to others.

[appletango]

It's possible for things to be predestined and your choice. Every choice you make in life influences yourself and others. Your options change as your choices take you down different paths and lead you to the choices others made on their paths. In a sense your response to different situations will change where your road ends. In a sense your destiny is set by the choices you make, for every choice a different end but it is an end based off your actions to others.

The type of predestination I was writing about in my first post is that the Christian God makes all of your decisions for you ahead of time. Which means one is not a character of free will but automated by God. This of course also assumes that the God of scripture is not a Being of free will either because He has to make all decisions for people based on what is predestined for them so there is no leeway in His choices. He would have to choose what has already been determined for someone by Himself thus He would also be a controlled entity since He can't choose other than what has already been predetermined.

[Qahtwugc]

I understand your point, but I don't agree with it, is all.

[TheBest-Host]

He would have to choose what has already been determined for someone by Himself thus He would also be a controlled entity since He can't choose other than what has already been predetermined.

Sounds like a question asked of Sister Mary Elephant on a Cheech and Chong tape.

Is God so powerful that he can make a rock so big that he can't lift it?

[duexjepevef]

Predestination does not exclude it from being the result of free will. In other words, a given thing may be predestined (known by God), but it was your decision that led you down the path rather than your life being nothing but a chess game in which you are simply a piece being moved about.

I agree.

+ Rev. G

[exiceJetLip]

Sounds like a question asked of Sister Mary Elephant on a Cheech and Chong tape.

Is God so powerful that he can make a rock so big that he can't lift it?

OMG I remember the Sister Mary Elephant skit! (Ok, not part of the topic, but it just brought a smile to my face .)