Do you believe that your life is in your control.. (paradise, hell)

[KMG1]

or that everything is out of your control? I'm having a discussion with a friend and he believes that we are not in control of what happens and that the decisions that we make are all preplanned (for a lack of better terms).

What is your take on this?

[ShepsMom]

Either i stay up all night and read some nonsense, so i wont be able to get up in the morning on time, go to work, make money, etc.. , or i just turn this thing off and go to sleep.

Wonder who is planning my decision??

[SeekerSA]

Originally Posted by KMG1

or that everything is out of your control? I'm having a discussion with a friend and he believes that we are not in control of what happens and that the decisions that we make are all preplanned (for a lack of better terms).

What is your take on this?

This is the extreme form of Calvinism and predestination vs. the Free-will debate. Called predeterminism or absolute sovereignty wrt to God.

This is just another way of answering how can a loving God send people to hell or why would a loving God kill His own son.

The wackos here believe even the brand of toothpaste you buy at the supermarket is predetermined, when you go top the lavatory (insert anything else you routinely do here)

Most of the folk I have met in this camp are pity party campers who look upon this life as "woe is meee" and there seems to be a common thread of illnesses which they glory in the suffering/persecution for their redemption one day in paradise.

Hope that helps

[Tricky D]

I believe that control is an illusion.
The only thing you can 'control' are the decisions you make in your lifetime, but you have no control in how these decisions pan out.

[Visvaldis]

Originally Posted by SeekerSA

Most of the folk I have met in this camp are pity party campers who look upon this life as "woe is meee" and there seems to be a common thread of illnesses which they glory in the suffering/persecution for their redemption one day in paradise.

Hope that helps

It seems that masochism is a christian trait.

[Jackyfrost01]

yup i do, no one makes your decisions for you but you. You choose do take that extra portion, you CHOOSE to take a shower instead of a bath, you CHOOSE to go get a Starbucks instead of just going to work directly. Its choices. And they are made by us. We aren't chess pieces, we're living creatures capable of independent thought.

[KMG1]

Originally Posted by Jackyfrost01

yup i do, no one makes your decisions for you but you. You choose do take that extra portion, you CHOOSE to take a shower instead of a bath, you CHOOSE to go get a Starbucks instead of just going to work directly. Its choices. And they are made by us. We aren't chess pieces, we're living creatures capable of independent thought.

Exactly! And as a Christian I believe that God gave us all free will.

[MontanaGuy]

I'm the only one who gets the credit or the blame for the good decisions as well as the stupid decisions I've made throughout my life because I am in control of my own behavior. There's a problem with thinking you're in total control though because any unexpected event can completely change your circumstances that you have absolutely no control over such as an accident, an illness, being laid off from your job, etc. We can try to make the best out of whatever happens but I think it's an illusion to believe that we're really in total control of our lives.

[SeekerSA]

Originally Posted by Visvaldis

It seems that masochism is a christian trait.

I disagree.

Like I said, these are an extreme fringe. There are many who take their knocks and get up and move on, learn from their mistakes if it was their fault. The camp I was alluding to take all circumstances and deflect "blame" either to God or the debbul. I know it sounds like most of what one reads here but it is not like all believers are here on CD and the Christian forums out there. The most lead real lives and you would not know them from a non believer in the street/workplace.

[tgnostic]

I'd think being at control would be being at control to risk, and then when the results ocme out we can realize negotiable worth for It. But if the situation is determinate the advantage of living this kind of (risky) life-style (when you don't know if you're by some people's atandards truly alive or not so often, for the good reputation) is to not regard the 'situation' as anything but a fulfilled promise from the Situation list (huh?).

I think there are always an inadequate serious list of situations for the self-caused status they Need. Situation lists always look pretty without the ethical content and with the resistence to being lead into necessity before contingency and contingency before necessity.