I’m the same as you – I think we make our own paths, and have total control (almost) of how our lives turn out. But I do feel that if I’m a good person, more good things will happen (and vice versa). Kinda like a ‘what goes up, must come down’…kind of…
Sounds like you two had a good chat though!

I believe in free will. We have the choices to make but the choices we make will determine our ultimate fate. And I don’t really believe that just being a good person will get you good things. There are many good people who have terrible lives. And there are many terrible people who have amazing lives. But ultimately life is not what I’m concerned with. I’m concern with how I spend eternity.

But then again I guess that’s why I’m a pastor. 🙂

Karma, yes. But I think I am one of about 3 people in this world who doesn’t believe that everything happens for a reason. Shiz happens, and it’s up to us to sort out the pieces and derive meaning and purpose from it all.

I’m not sure if I 100% believe in karma, but I really hope that it exists. Does that make sense?

As far as destiny, I think there is an end point laid out for all of us, but the journey to get to that end point is up to us.

I’m not sure. I’d like to, but I’m also kind of skeptical when it comes to things like that. In a way I kind of think karma is not really someone else giving you what you deserve (good or bad) but yourself subconsciously doing it.

Primarily, I believe all things are possible – which, to me, means that karma and destiny are absolutely potentially possible, but also potentially not possible. I think there’s SOMETHING out there that interconnects all of us, but “fate,” “karma,” and “destiny” are all things that I think are too specific to define what it really is. That said, I have no problem trying to promote “good karma” by doing good unto others, and usually it pays off for me.

You should try arborio rice. You can get the creamy consistency of the alfredo sauce without having to add alfredo sauce. Short grain rice kicks ass.

I don’t know if I believe in karma. I’m so much more apt to believe in hard work and rewards. If you put your effort towards something, you can achieve it.

Is Nick Kristien’s brother or a sister’s husband?

I can’t say I believe in either. I believe people have a certain degree of control over things (and maybe that degree is quite large) but ultimately there are so many things that are out of our control. However, that doesn’t mean I think people should just sit back, let life happen to them and treat other people like crap. I believe in living with intention.

is nick single?!
please say yes.

I have a hard time getting behind the concept of karma, given the example of my best friend. She is probably the world’s most selfless individual: a vegetarian ivy league PhD grad who pledges quietly without ostentation to save the world, gives herself wholly to her family (including hosting a dying aunt while who was getting chemo while my bff was writing her discertation/still taking experiments for her research), and giving every spare moment (which are few) to her friends, family, and volunteering. The positivity that she expels does not warratn the heartache and bad luck she has endured throughout her lifetime. And that’s no exaggeration. I can say for myself, that I have had years of anguish/bad luck (pockets of bad luck that have turned for the better), but I cannot judge whetehr this is karmicly warranted… but for her? No. She deserves better karma, and I would hate for somebody to ever tell her to try harder to be good and good things will magically come to her.

i definitely believe in karma…if you give off good vibes and positive energy then that force will pull the same towards YOU. I don’t believe in destiny…you have the power to change everyday…the only ‘destiny’ i try to believe in is the hopeless romantic/sappy “you were made for me” type of thing. 🙂

That is tricky…I believe in kharma, but more as an end result to life. I don’t think you always “get what you deserve” right away. There are many people that are good and work hard for things and nothing the are trying to achieve ever really works out. I don’t believe in destiny. We are totally in control of our fate, but again it is more of an end result not an immediate thing. Free will plays a huge part of that. I do believe in soul mates, but I don’t necessarily believe that you find them here. I could go on and on. Have you ever seen “The Fountain”? Great movie and it definitely gets me thinking about this every time I watch it!

aw what a cutie your bro-in law is 😉
the meal is definitely college budget friendly!!! i am going through my savings account so rapidly now with senior week approaching. i will have to make this and buy some alfredo pronto!

i definitelyyyyyyyyy believe in KARMA! and destiny i am unsure of other than heaven

I believe we have free will, although sometimes things are just beyond our control.. However, If the definition of karma is you do good, you get good back.. you do bad, you’ll get bad back, then I definitely don’t believe in karma. For instance my Mom. She was an amazing, caring, giving person who suffered for 3 years with terminal cancer (after beating cancer once already) and her life was taken by it. I watched her lose the ability to walk, talk, and then breathe.. NOTHING she did in her life made her deserving of that fate, she should have had nothing but good karma coming her way and that’s not what happened. so many GOOD people are fated to terrible tragedies, and other HORRIBLE live out these great lives devoid of conflict and suffering. I don’t know… Good discussion!

I do believe in karma AND fate. At least, I think certain people are destined to be together..

As a culture, we are in a phase where it’s “en vogue” to overestimate our control over our own lives. “If I believe it, it will happen.” “If I want it, it will come.” “If I’m positive, I’ll have positive things happen to me.”

This is very “uncool” to say, but those are all lies. It is too bad that we are choosing to go on this path because we end up thinking people who are rich and powerful DESERVE that because they must have “wanted, believed, been positive, really tried.” This is not always true.

Unfortunately, this also leads to the belief that those who are disadvantaged are only poor/lonely/sick/ because they didn’t believe or try enough. That is vastly untrue. In a society that continues to create inequalities, it’s really destructive to believe that those at the bottom were just less deserving/getting their dose of “karma.”

I think we need to consider the implications of these beliefs. If you think you are where you are because you “deserved” it, what are you saying about those with less success? That they are less deserving?

I fear that this is a very, very selfish and classist way to see the world.