Is our years on earth predetermined irrespective of how much we try?

in philosophy •  6 years ago 

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As a philosopher, i am not one of those that subscribe to the idea of destiny. The reality behind how people generally conceptualise destiny is against logic and negate the idea of human freedom.

I have argued in one of my posts on Steemit that this idea, if followed strictly destroys the foundation on which the idea of heaven and hell is built. A man whose actions and ways of life have been predetermined should not be held responsible for that which he has been conditioned to do.

It is also possible that believers will try to rationalise this view by infusing freedom and destiny together and even back it up with the scriptures but they will be doing that to defend a God that is more than capable to defend Himself.

This writeup came up after i heard some people discussing about man having no power to influence 'God's time' (being the time to die). Their logic is that no matter how rich you are, if it is your time to leave planet earth9 you will leave even after spending all your fortune. They argue further that if a man is sick and needs money for surgery, if someone comes to his aid, then his time on earth is not up but if no one comes to his aid then it is his time to die.

So they logically assume that there is a predestined time for everybody to die irrespective of how we try to save ourselves from death.

This idea can be taken to mean to fatalism. Fatalism is commonly used to refer to an attitude of resignation in the face of some future event or events which are thought to be inevitable. Philosophers usually use the word to refer to the view that we are powerless to do anything other than what we actually do. source

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The first meaning above fits into what we are discussing. People believe so much in fate that whenever anything happens, they simply call it the will of the 'divine'.

This idea seems lame to me. Sometimes i wonder where we got this idea of 'his time'! Death no doubt is inevitable but this should not suggest we have apportioned years to spend on earth such that when someone dies because there is no money to pay for hospital bills therefore it is his time to die.

The idea suggests that 'God' made it so for the person to be helpless to save himself. It means even if the help is coming, there is a force that will stop that help from coming on the basis that it is 'his time' to die.

This idea strengthens the faith of the believers when same thing happens to a rich man. It gives them the idea that no matter the money you have, if it is time to die you will die. This in reality has nothing to do with this faith, it only shows the inevitability of death.

This idea made some believe they are helpless to di anything. Even when accident happens because of bad road, they will call it God's time.

Is it truly the case that there is such thing as 'God time'? Remember if it is so, it suggests even if someone has cancer or seriously sick without remedy, It means that sickness is only fulfilling 'God's time'! This perhaps questions the 'all good' status of the supreme Being.

What is your take on this?

Thanks for your time. I am @smyle the philosopher.

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To the question in your title, my Magic 8-Ball says:

Very doubtful

Hi! I'm a bot, and this answer was posted automatically. Check this post out for more information.

Everything that happen was destined to happen.. God has planned everything before even creating us..

That is hasty generalization! God cannot definitely plan everything and still condemn people to hell for that which He conditioned and which man has no power against!

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