I was talking with my classmate about religious beliefs when all of the sudden the issue of predestination came up. She keeps saying that she belives that she is predetermined to go to heaven. I, for one, find this argument quite illogical. Not that I'm imposing logic on religion which is really devoid of logic to begin with. Only that how can this person claim that he is predetermined to go to heaven no matter what he does when he doesn't even experienced heaven or dying for that instance.

Various religious beliefs have come up with the idea of predestination. This is where you a person is deemed bad or good even before he is born. Well, God knows everything right? So he knows whether you'll end up in heaven or hell. Is it true for you?

Discuss:
The truth in predestination
Whether you believe in it or not personally
WHy you believe or don't believe in it

i believe in science.

Personally, I'm not even entirely sure if heaven and hell exist.
If they do, then predetermination seems to be illogical, I agree. A person being chosen to go to one or the other before they are given the chance to prove themselves worthy of one place or another doesn't seem right, does it? And if a person is destined to go one place or another regardless of their actions in life, then there is no purpose and people should go ahead and kill themselves left and right.

We have discussed predestination in my English class when we were reading The Scarlet Letter. It came up because we were learning about Puritan beliefs and such.
I don't really believe that from birth that it's already decided if you're going to Heaven or Hell, but I do believe that some things are just meant to happen no matter what. But at the same time, I'd like to think that every single think we do has an impact and and affects our future.
It's a very confusing subject..destiny and all that. It really makes me think about reality and if what we see in the world is anything like the person standing next to us sees.
I guess I can blame my psychology teacher for filling my head with all sorts of interesting ideas about perspective and perception.

This reminds me of the Matrix...

I think...God knows what we are going to do, but the choice is still ours to make - we must make that choice in order for events to unfold. God gave us freedom of choice and reason, and why would He not let us utilize those talents? We do what we do because we were going to do it, but we chose HOW.

I'm wondering about other religious things also but this one I have sorted out. I think everything in my life is already predestined...it's just unknownst to me on what happens. Only God knows and since in my belief He made me He knows my entire life from beginning to end. So He's already determined where I'll go, I just need to make sure I do my best to live up to His expectations. XD Yes, we do make our own decisions...He just knows what they are already.

One's life/future is what they make it.

I don't believe in a heaven or a hell so I don't believe that you're "destined" to go to either place. Anyway, doesn't "God" forgive everyone for whatever "sins" they may have so wouldn't everyone end up in "heaven" anyways? I dunno, I thought I remembered reading something like that in a religious text before and thought it was kind of funny.

I believe in God as a non-denominational Christian. I don't believe in predetermination, predestination, any term you want to give it.

God knows everything, yes, everything in a scope that is impossible to comprehend. It's not such a stretch to think that God doesn't see time as a linear invention, but rather as a road with many paths that jut this way and that, and He can see down each lane to its end.

predestination is lost on me the same way that repenting abolishes all my sins no matter how great. If any red letter Christian out says they believe in repentance then they also must except that all the priests that molest there children will be in heaven after they ask Jesus for forgiveness. Another aspect that bothers me is that Puritans are given the right to do what ever they want to each other and themselves and still given passage to the gates of heaven. It is stated in the bible that works will not get you into heaven regardless of the intention, and yet selfless acts of kindness are rewarded, which would mean people like me are stuck in limbo while the likes of Adolf Hitler (who claimed Christianity ) are sitting in heaven right now cause they said they were sorry. Which brings up the saying

it is better to apologize later then ask for permission now"

.predestination is like many other ideologies, they give free roam to oppressive natured human beings who want all they can get whilst using god as a meat shield. Same goes for the catholic belief of killing in the name of god. people will always twist religion to suit there needs. all organized religions are bad ideas, only because of the claim " we are right and they are Wrong" jesus was my kind of guy if he infact was as he is depicted in "the good book"

I do not believe in God or predestination. I do not believe there are supernatural forces that govern the world. I do not believe anything exists after life.

I do not believe people will be rewarded for their good deeds or punished for their bad ones. I do not believe there is a higher justice.

I don't believe a damned thing about predestination.. at all.

As Stephen hawking said, b"I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road."

If there is a god (I'm more of an atheist, but i'm not going to be all GRR IM NOT MENTIONING ANYTHING ABOUT IT GRR I HATE RELIGION); I'm sure he wouldn't delve into predestination... you make yourself great. No outside forces. :3
If there was such a thing, would life really have a point? Would punishment have any ground or meaning if youre going to the same place, no matter what?

I do not think it is possible to predict anything in advance. there are so many things that could change the outcome, so there are infinite number of possibilities x3

That is totaly bogus, thats basicaly damning a person without even giving them a chance for redemtion.

It makes perfect sense to me.
Since God is an omniscient being, he should already know what you're going to do with your life, shouldn't he? Therefore, he can tell which one you're destined to go to before you're even born.

I don't believe in it mainly because I'm not religious.

But if I was - I probably would.
Because it was just further prove that God is all knowing.
But then of course it answer the question of 'If he knows what's going to happen, why doesn't he do something.'
And then you get talking about free will and choice and blah blah blah blah.

So no.
I do not believe in predestination; I believe we make our own purpose.

Well thankfully religion is based on faith, so logic isn't needed. If god is this big, all knowing all seeing dude, who's to say our fate isn't predetermined?

Of course, I don't believe in god, so...

Originally Posted by soup

Well thankfully religion is based on faith, so logic isn't needed. If god is this big, all knowing all seeing dude, who's to say our fate isn't predetermined?

Of course, I don't believe in god, so...

Religion can be highly logical. But I won't get into that here as it would probably go in the Debate forum.

Knowing an outcome is not the same as determining it. I know that if I press my hand against a boiling pot of water, I will burn it, but that doesn't mean I will actually do it.

see, while everyone is fighting over these things, i choose not to care.
i don't care where anyone goes when they die. whether they rot in the ground or walk around with god, it makes no difference in my life now. i'll find out when i find out. for now, i'm just going to enjoy my life.