Over the last couple of days I have been pondering over the words
Coincidence and fate.
I don't know which one to believe in, because all in all I am a religious and a scientific believer.
It is difficult for me to decide; that is why I am an agnostic.
Does anyone else find it difficult to believe in certain things? http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...ons/icon26.gif

The age old free will vs. predestination arguement. Personally I think there is a fair share of both in the world. I can't go too much into detail for the reason stated below.

Oh yeah, (for future notice, cuz it doesn't really apply to this thread, yet) tread lightly in the way of religious discussion. There is a moratorium on religious discussions in the forums for the time being. They can get rather heated.

there is a ban in religous discussion for reasons specified by firestormalpha...

but in regards to coincidence and fate, i would say a bit of both. im a moderate person and believe in both of them not to the extremes though.

i remember reading an article somewhere (i forgot where exactly). about two identical twins seperated at birth. nearly 30 years later, the two twins met in a spectacular reunion and guess what, both of them became firemen in different states. coincidence or fate? environment or genetics. its so hard to say.

i for say moderation in both depending on the situation.

[ 06-07-2004, 03:10 AM: Message edited by: Harkoliar ]

Interesting. Both Firestormalpha and Harkoliar does not consider fate and coincidence to be mutually exclusive.
Perhaps they are right. Consider Schrödingers Cat. We know the event has passed (destiny), but we do not know the effect (coincidence). In this case through a microscale/macroscale conversion we assume the cat shares fate with the atom and is neither alive nor dead, but "in between".

I find it difficult to believe in anything! I think one must continously question ones beliefs to avoid becoming a hypocrite.

[ 06-07-2004, 03:21 AM: Message edited by: mad=dog ]

I am a firm believer in coincidence and not fate. It might just be wishful thinking but I can't believe that we have no control over the events in our lives.

This is all interesting.....many people are in between....but as you can see there are a few people in the population that only believes in one thing.

Lauren,
Would you please in your own words define 'fate'? I am inclined to agree with Shadowhound though. Fate smacks of destiny and superstition though, which I am a firm non-believer in.

I believe in fate, to a point... Fate does not control our lives, none of us have 'destinies' set in stone, but I do believe that, for example, certain people were met to meet.

This is similar to this topic:

http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/cg...;f=10;t=019674

fixxed :D