Also true CoffeeOwl. I was simply taking the general definition of Karma stated by some of the lesser-read. But Karma as any other idea is left up for interpretation. I related my belief to a general ideal concept of Karma, but that is not to ssay any one definition is above any other universally.

quote:

Originally posted by Nihilis:
If you say so. Only you can determine what you 'are' and what you 'aren't.'

I am woman. Hear me ROAR

I find this topic rather fascinating. I have been studying Wicca (I now consider myself Wiccan, but it is not 'set in stone') The definition of fate is: destiny: an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future.
I am not sure if your idea of it quite fits in with this definition... There is an interesting argument that is posed in a book I once read on philosophy. Which goes like this:

(This argument is more based on the Christian faith)
You ask a person if they believe in God. They usually respond yes. You ask them whether they believe God is all-knowing and all-powerful. They usually respond yes. If God is all-knowing, then he knows the future, right? This verifies that the idea of fate is true. This in turn makes the idea of free will an illusion. If one believes in fate, than free will is but an illusion and we are pretty much living as robots, slaves to time. *shrugs* I think it is an interesting argument. There are a couple counterarguments, few people I talk to know them, though.

I personally do not believe in fate, but there are things that influence the future (what that occurs in the present doesn't affect the future?) such as the idea of astrology, but that is getting a little off topic. I am glad to see you questioning things, it is the best way (besides sensory perception) to learn... at least, that is what I believe.

quote:

This argument is more based on the Christian faith)
You ask a person if they believe in God. They usually respond yes. You ask them whether they believe God is all-knowing and all-powerful. They usually respond yes. If God is all-knowing, then he knows the future, right? This verifies that the idea of fate is true. This in turn makes the idea of free will an illusion. If one believes in fate, than free will is but an illusion and we are pretty much living as robots, slaves to time. *shrugs* I think it is an interesting argument. There are a couple counterarguments, few people I talk to know them, though.

This again is contingent upon the definition of what one attributes to a deity in all of its measure and power.

As I personally do not believe in God I find no one all knowing thus no one to know the future, leaving the possibility of an unpredictable (not inevitable) future. I like the idea of seeing the future as presented in the movie Next. The guy can see the future as it will happen with the way things are going at that moment. But since he might not like what he sees, he'll do something different to avoid that series of events, thus destroying the "future he saw", making his own. I once believed in predetermined destiny, but as of late I'm inclined to believe in free will. As you agreed, every event in the present affects the future, as we've seen the past has affected our present we've learned consequence. The only foresight of the future can be made of logical predictions based on present trends and hypothetical evens. But as this is open to human analysis it is imperfect. But useful. On that note of foresight, I'm starting a thread on precognition dreams (Deja vu) that I almost made a part of this thread. I believe it expansive and worthy enough of its own thread as not to diverge from this topic here.

A god doesn't necessarily have to be omniscient, omnipotent, or omnipresent; a god can be anything. Based off of the narrative description that you gave me of "God," I still think that 'God' largely depends upon the definition that you attribute to it. If you describe god as what was previously alluded to, then there is no reason that god does not exist according to the standard that was given.

The multiverse is said to be the summation of all things, making it omnipresent; the collection of biological and artificial sentience that resides within the multiverse equates omniscience; the aggregation of power within the multiverse equals omnipotence, so God can exist by that standard.

Individually humans can be viewed as the cells that form God; God like a circle is no greater than the sum of its parts.

quote:

Originally posted by Akuma:
(This argument is more based on the Christian faith)
You ask a person if they believe in God. They usually respond yes. You ask them whether they believe God is all-knowing and all-powerful. They usually respond yes. If God is all-knowing, then he knows the future, right? This verifies that the idea of fate is true. This in turn makes the idea of free will an illusion. If one believes in fate, than free will is but an illusion and we are pretty much living as robots, slaves to time. *shrugs*

If we stick to the Christian version of God and see fate as something that can change with your every step (action and reaction version), then what would be the problem for all all-knowing God to know all possible scenarios of the future for every individual? You would be shaping your fate with your free will, and God would know where you are heading no matter what choice you made.

I think that if the stereotypical characteristics that are often associated with the Abrahamic God were true, then the likelihood of humans possessing free will in an autonomous sense would be impractical at best. But yet again, this largely depends upon the faulty interpretation and definition that people attribute to God.

A free will in an autonomous sense would mean that you could exist independently from environment if you wanted. Wouldn't happen no matter how the concept of God is interpreted.

I'm speaking in terms of the actions in which one would take...it would be virtually meaningless if what people attributed to God was true.

Ah. Good thing God does not care.

Or if it does, it's a good thing that we are incognizant of what it is exactly that is on God's mind.

And some people wonder why I can't believe in a God...

God is a tooth pick