Do members believe in predestination? and if so, how? I do, and I'll outline the way in which I believe in it:-
Predestination, per se, sounds, to me, ridiculous.
Why should God go to all the trouble of creating everything, if we have no input in how we run our live? (For us theists) obviously, prima facie, that sounds most improbable.O.K, so how about if there IS predestination, but coupled with CHOICE. For a graphic example, (With Soul's invaluable computer know how), I've copied a picture, below, of a tree. Imagine a myriad of long roots, firmly embedded in the soil, leading up to the trunk of the tree; go up the trunk, and we have a plethora of branches sprouting out in all directions. On each of the branches, there a many twigs(each one having offshoots etc... ad infinitum).
OK, so now we can conceive the Idea of a 'Spirit' or 'soul', which starts at the bottom of the trunk, and travels up the trunk, during his/her lifetime on Earth.
The spirit (I'll call it 'me' from now on-for ease); I come to a branch - I now have two choices 1) carry on up the trunk, and forget the branch
2) go onto the branch
The choice I made was, perhaps at a stage in life when I had to make a life-changing decision(eg perhaps I was tempted to steal, whatever)and so although I made a CHOICE as to which 'path' to take, the predestination 'element' is viable; all the choices are there, each predestined, and available for me to choose.
Although I am not particulary interested in the folowing aspect, It could be argued that this whole 'tree' business is a viable explanation for fortune tellers, or clairvoyants(If you are open minded enough to accept the possibility that such people are not 'Con Men', and that there can never be anyone who could tell the future.
For those members who believe in, say, Palmistry, It explains the fact that when I(again for sake of ease, I will use I) read your palm, all I can see is the past, present TRENDS, and so, putting 2+3 togeather, I get to 'forecasting your future=5). BUT you can change your future at any point (by going down another branch of the tree), in which case the lines in your hand will change to reflect your change in character.
When I do palmistry (which is not so often these days), I take a ink imprint of the person's hand on tansparent paper; the next time I see the same person, I will do the same. By putting each of the 'prints' one ontop of each other, I can immediately tell a)what the change was (If there has been a change), and what the future has NOW changed in its aspects.
Well, I guess I've made a few wheels grind (It is always a difficult concept to 'put over' -especially when people make an instant judment (maybe subconsciously) as soon as they realize the subject matter is one they could not evisage accepting as a possibility.
I feel pretty hopefull that, in this forum, You will 'give it a read through' , and not condemn the concept out of hand.
I hope to receive feedback on this; and all I can say is 'PLEASE read it with an open mind'; that is all I ask.
Predestination, per se, sounds, to me, ridiculous.
Why should God go to all the trouble of creating everything, if we have no input in how we run our live? (For us theists) obviously, prima facie, that sounds most improbable.O.K, so how about if there IS predestination, but coupled with CHOICE. For a graphic example, (With Soul's invaluable computer know how), I've copied a picture, below, of a tree. Imagine a myriad of long roots, firmly embedded in the soil, leading up to the trunk of the tree; go up the trunk, and we have a plethora of branches sprouting out in all directions. On each of the branches, there a many twigs(each one having offshoots etc... ad infinitum).
OK, so now we can conceive the Idea of a 'Spirit' or 'soul', which starts at the bottom of the trunk, and travels up the trunk, during his/her lifetime on Earth.
The spirit (I'll call it 'me' from now on-for ease); I come to a branch - I now have two choices 1) carry on up the trunk, and forget the branch
2) go onto the branch
The choice I made was, perhaps at a stage in life when I had to make a life-changing decision(eg perhaps I was tempted to steal, whatever)and so although I made a CHOICE as to which 'path' to take, the predestination 'element' is viable; all the choices are there, each predestined, and available for me to choose.
Although I am not particulary interested in the folowing aspect, It could be argued that this whole 'tree' business is a viable explanation for fortune tellers, or clairvoyants(If you are open minded enough to accept the possibility that such people are not 'Con Men', and that there can never be anyone who could tell the future.
For those members who believe in, say, Palmistry, It explains the fact that when I(again for sake of ease, I will use I) read your palm, all I can see is the past, present TRENDS, and so, putting 2+3 togeather, I get to 'forecasting your future=5). BUT you can change your future at any point (by going down another branch of the tree), in which case the lines in your hand will change to reflect your change in character.
When I do palmistry (which is not so often these days), I take a ink imprint of the person's hand on tansparent paper; the next time I see the same person, I will do the same. By putting each of the 'prints' one ontop of each other, I can immediately tell a)what the change was (If there has been a change), and what the future has NOW changed in its aspects.
Well, I guess I've made a few wheels grind (It is always a difficult concept to 'put over' -especially when people make an instant judment (maybe subconsciously) as soon as they realize the subject matter is one they could not evisage accepting as a possibility.
I feel pretty hopefull that, in this forum, You will 'give it a read through' , and not condemn the concept out of hand.
I hope to receive feedback on this; and all I can say is 'PLEASE read it with an open mind'; that is all I ask.
