Do you believe in destiny?

It seems to be my lot in life … to not believe in destiny.

I expect that I will die at some point, but outside of that, I assume the rest is random or dependent upon my actions and the consequent reactions. So, no. Not at all.

No.

Yes. Mine is to catch all of the Pokemon.

Too bad this world isn’t made of fantasy fiction.

Not even a tiny little bit.

No.

Sort of depends on how you define destiny.

I do believe in some sort of fate. I think if you are a dick life will return the favor.

While not perfect I try my best to be kind and help everyone I can. I am kinda lost in life and helping seems like good goal.

It’s a good game but I prefer Dark Souls

Destiny is a “pre-determined course of events often conceived as a resistless power or agency; fate.” (from Merriam-Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, 1961 ed.)
No. There is no pre-determined course of life or fate.

We are born into situations with only our instincts to guide us, initially. What we do after that is completely up to each one of us. The effects of our actions and the constantly changing situation, however, are not completely predictable—even with history to guide us.

Nope.

There is an overall picture
but how we get there is up to us
so in that sense we create our own destiny

Consider a flower. It began as a seed nestled in the soil growing in two directions, one pressing deeper into the ground while the other pushes upwards. Leaves slowly unfold and the stem thickens reaching for the sun. A bud appears and bursts into a bloom that draws bees carrying pollen borrowed from an anther to its stigma to produce the next generation’s seed.

Is it destiny that brought the blossom? Was the combination of genes, the specific bee and the flower it visited before bringing the fertilizing powder predetermined? If our flower could look back over the history of its existence, it might seem that it was destined to be. However, a sentient seed seems unlikely to envision what would come from its existence.

It could not know if the soil would support life or a bird consume it before it began to grow or too little or too much rain would fall or someone’s foot crush the life from it. Which of these fates would be destined to befall it? It seems to me that life holds too many variables for destiny to be real.

Not really. Sometimes I will say ‘it wasn’t meant to be’ but I don’t really mean it.

I have slowly let go of,or abandoned almost all of my beliefs from childhood over my lifetime.

Destiny is actually a good example of a subject that I have been conflicted on, more than religion, or other things.

I would like to add, that destiny, and programming, have become somewhat intertwined for me…

I don’t like the “concept” of destiny…

It implies that I have no control over my life. Which, at least for most things, I think I have control.

But…

Sometimes, events happen that change my life. Sometimes, I can’t help but put an ”*” next to these certain events.

Sometimes, I try to do what makes me happy, and it feels like life fights me. Or pulls me to a direction I don’t like.

I have posted some q’s about animals being programs. If I am, something is wrong with my mental program. Why would I be programed to follow a course, without the want to do so?...

This is one of a few subjects, that blur my atheist beliefs into some sort of agnosticism.

Short answer to the q?

I don’t have a 100% answer. I am still in the introspective process, of trying to apply logic to the events, and path, my life has had…

I will report back, if I think I have a scientific explanation….

No, only in as much a nature has certain “rules” that must be followed.

No

Nope.

I’m not sure. If we are meant to be born to a certain person then once can argue that there is destiny in play. You life and how you perceive things will be persuaded by your up bringing and education and opportunities provided in the station of life that you were born too.
But then, there are those who may be born with special skills or no skills at all. That will also play a role on how your life proceeds.
And then there are those who can seem to break the barriers of the life they were born too. Was it destiny to be the type of person who could break through those barriers, or did those barriers provide that person with the will to fulfill their destiny?
So is it all design and we are fooling ourselves to believe we are constantly changing the rules? Or was it all chance, like a weed fighting to thrive inbetween a concrete block crack? Thriving to reproduce and make other weeds that will either survive and grow strong or just dry up in the sun?

In the end you can argue for both sides and I think come up with both being correct. We are destined to be born (those of us that survive) and we are destined to make choices that will lead to our eventual demise. Those are two things we cannot stop ourselves from happening.
But we make our own decisions in between.
Now how much of that is influenced by our interactions with others is another question.
It’s like asking, which came first the chicken or the egg. Do we make our destiny, or are we just following it along the path we were meant to take?
I just rather not ask. It too much of a headache. I just take each day as it comes and try to enjoy the good times as best I can.