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Personally, I don't believe that our lives are predetermined. Every person forges their own destiny, although only God (or something higher – call it what you will) knows it in advance. As for having a grand purpose, I recommend the Japanese anime "Berserk"; it provides excellent food for thought.
Personally, I don't believe that our lives are predetermined. Every person forges their own destiny, although only God (or something higher, or whatever you want to call it) knows this in advance. As for having a great purpose, I recommend the Japanese anime "Berserk"; it provides good food for thought.
Yes, it is certainly true that a person creates their life (destiny) with their own hands... the catch is that in the end, everyone faces the same thing... isn't it a bit cliché that different people have an identical end??? I'm talking about death, of course...
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Ah, that... :) Well, death doesn't end with the grave. To be more precise, death is just the beginning (by the way, this is written in a Necromancer's signature).
I'm not saying that our lives are completely predetermined; I haven't changed my opinion since my first posts in the "Philosophy" thread. I believe that we are given choices; if we make the right choice, we move closer to our goal, and if not, we move away from it. The choices themselves don't depend on us; their resolution and, consequently, the next set of choices do. This is what I've been saying all along.
С Пути сбивают мелкие достижения, а изощрённые суждения скрывают смысл слов. И вот уже возникают "правильное" и "неправильное"... - Чжуан-цзы Сильванис
Ah, this... :) Well, death doesn't end with the grave. To be more precise, death is just the beginning (by the way, this is written in the Necromancer's signature).
Ooo... death is eternal, unlike life... you can be alive for a certain time, but dead - as long as you want... the thing is, death is not a metaphysical concept, but a definite one, and after death, my friends, we won't see each other, that's why I dismissed it so dismissively in the previous post, because being alive is more fun, although being dead is more peaceful...
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Actually, although I am a Christian (and in many ways, that's why; hell seems a bit too harsh for an all-forgiving God), I believe in reincarnation... It's strange, I admit, but please don't judge:). So, a person gradually moves towards some kind of ideal while being reincarnated; then, when they reach it, they move on to some new level; I don't even know what it is:).
С Пути сбивают мелкие достижения, а изощрённые суждения скрывают смысл слов. И вот уже возникают "правильное" и "неправильное"... - Чжуан-цзы Сильванис
I believe that we are presented with choices; if you make the right choice, you get closer to your goal, and if not, you move away from it. The choices don't depend on us; their resolution and, consequently, the next set of choices do. :) What I've said before. :)
That's absolutely true. And this applies to any goals in life.
I once had an original thought about the meaning of life and the world in general. But it sounds like the ramblings of a computer game enthusiast, so I'd better keep it to myself. :rolleyes: :D
Silvanis;54155Actually, even though I am a Christian (and in many ways because of it; hell is somehow too cruel for an all-forgiving God), I believe in reincarnation... Strange, of course, I admit, please don't kick me:). So—a person gradually moves toward some ideal while being reborn; then, when they reach it, they move to some new level; as for what kind—don't even ask:) I have no clue:) well, no one has ever taken away people's right to an opinion and their own word, and I honor that, which is why I respect your hypothesis... but I am a pragmatist; in order to believe in God (by the way, I am Orthodox, baptized), I need to see him (not know!!!, but see!!) or at least touch him... although I cannot deny that something higher undoubtedly exists... otherwise I simply cannot explain things like talent and luck...
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I have a similar story (I was baptized but remained a convinced atheist until the beginning of 11th grade) – all my prayers, in which I ask for something (but I never ask for the impossible!), come true... And in general, I can definitely say that prayer greatly improves my mental state...
But I can also say that if it weren't for these and some other, which I'm sorry, I won't mention, religious experiences – I would be an atheist. So, I perfectly understand and respect your position,
P.S. – and luck really is a mystical thing! There's this game – Sacred, and I always get great items, but no runes, while my younger brother gets the opposite: always runes, but no good items :) It's always very strange to play together :)
Added 3 minutes later Nowizard;54160
It wasn't God who came up with it. It's the devil's idea.
Yes, but God is all-powerful and infinitely stronger than the devil; therefore, hell exists with God's approval! It seems to me that many people CREATE hell for themselves in THIS life. They invent so many problems for themselves, they get worked up, and as a result, they are very unhappy... And the worst thing is that this tendency to withdraw from the light, from the world – into oneself and one's sorrows and hatred – has a tendency to intensify... Often, a person cannot resolve these invented problems without the help of someone else...
С Пути сбивают мелкие достижения, а изощрённые суждения скрывают смысл слов. И вот уже возникают "правильное" и "неправильное"... - Чжуан-цзы Сильванис
I have a similar story (I was baptized but remained a convinced atheist until the 11th grade) - all my prayers, in which I ask for something (but I never ask for the impossible!), come true... And in general, I can say that prayer greatly improves my mental state... But I can also say that if it weren't for these and some other, which I will refrain from mentioning, religious experiences - I would be an atheist. So I perfectly understand and respect your position,
P.S. - and luck really is a mystery! There's this game - Sacred, and I always get great items, but never runes, while my younger brother gets the opposite: he always gets runes. It's always very strange to play together:)
I don't understand??? - you, being an atheist, prayed???
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Well, everyone has the right to their opinion and to express it, and I respect that, so I respect your hypothesis too... but I'm a pragmatist, and to believe in God (by the way, I'm Orthodox, baptized), I need to see Him (not to understand!!!, but to see!!) or at least touch Him... although I can't deny that something higher definitely exists... otherwise, I simply can't explain things like talent and luck...
You've really gone too far :) Even SAINTS are BLINDED by just one glance at God! Throughout history, only Moses was allowed to have a PERSONAL conversation with Him. And when he returned, he radiated such a light that it was impossible to look at him!!! Even ANGELS cannot look at God! Seraphim are an exception, but it's not clear how they endure this... this... this... (it can't be expressed in words - just emotions). But there is plenty of evidence! I won't write anymore now (I want to sleep:)), but Silvanis, I think, understands what I'm talking about...;)
You're exaggerating! Even the HOLY are BLINDED by just a glimpse of God! Throughout history, only Moses was allowed to SPEAK with Him personally. And when he returned, he radiated such light that it was impossible to look at him!!! Even ANGELS cannot look at God! Seraphim are an exception, but it's unclear how they endure this... this... this... (it can't be expressed in words - just emotions). But there is plenty of evidence! I won't write about it now (I want to sleep:)), but Silvanis, I think, understands what I mean...;)
I don't want to insist, but please send me a private message on Medne about the evidence for the existence of God (but don't immediately start writing to me about the Turin Shroud, the Ark that "hid" somewhere on Mount Ararat, and about icons "emanating")... I'll be grateful in advance.
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I don't understand... you, being an atheist, were praying?
No, being an atheist, I didn't pray... some events happened first, which I simply don't feel comfortable talking about to people I don't know well, and then I started praying. Also, Lewis's writings pushed me towards religion; and in short, all of this changed me... For the better, I think :)
С Пути сбивают мелкие достижения, а изощрённые суждения скрывают смысл слов. И вот уже возникают "правильное" и "неправильное"... - Чжуан-цзы Сильванис
No, as an atheist, I didn't pray... it's just that some events happened first, which I simply feel uncomfortable talking about to people I don't know well, and then I started to pray. Also, at that time, Lewis's treatises pushed me towards religion; and in short, all of this changed me... For the better, I think :)
I believe you and even understand... as Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann said (if I'm not mistaken): "Everyone believes, because sometimes a person finds himself in such situations that he has nothing left but faith"...
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