Fate/Choice (Was Calvinism from Main List)

[meboriqua at aol.com]

Hello!

Amanda posted something on the main list that I really liked and 
thought that maybe we could continue the discussion here, because I 
know my response strays far from Harry.

Mike the Goat started an interesting thread about Calvinism (which I 
know nothing about) and Amanda said something to the effect of 
predestination being predestination no matter what our choices are.  
Oooh, is that tricky!  So even if I think that I can change my life by 
making choices for myself, according to her theory, whatever I chose 
was going to happen anyway.  Right?

Fate to me is an interesting thing.  Sometimes I say that certain 
things were meant to be because sometimes I believe it.  There are 
lessons I've learned in my life because I think I needed to learn 
them, even though I didn't enjoy them at the time (like my dad losing 
his business).  I don't know that I think everything has a purpose; 
there are some seemingly meaningless and cruel things that happen.  
Dos anyone else believe in Fate?

One thing I definitely believe (and I don't know how this relates to 
Fate, but I feel like it does) is "what goes around comes around".  As 
badly as you treat someone else, something bad will come back around 
to you.  Does anyone else feel the same way?

I'm neither philosophical nor religious, so if my language here sounds 
a bit, um, crude or badly worded, it's just that I'm trying to work 
this thread out.

I sure hope I get some responses on this one!

--jenny from ravenclaw, who already sees this as a great discussion 
topic for her Advisory when she sees her students in September 
************************************************