do we really have control over what we do?

Question

i always wondered about this.
what is fate then? does it exist? if it does, why can't everything just happen by itself? and why do people get punish for what they do, then? like if a murderer kills someone, why do they get punished if it was just in the killer and victim's fate to kill and be killed?
sorry if i'm confusing you, and thanks for answering!

Answer 1

Wow ... good one!

We are responsible for our actions. If for no other reason than the welfare of those around us. There has to be a moral code to protect those in society with us. If there wasn't then the strongest, or most devious among us would rule (unfortunately, in some countries/areas this is the rule of the land).

The chaos comes in when you have people's choices collide. I want this to be the reality, but you want this to be the "real". If someone wants another sexually. They can try and woo them, or they can take a shortcut and rape them. We can clearly see that someone was violated in the latter case. Someone's choice for sex violated someone else (I know the arguments about rape being more about power than sex ... left for another debate). In the case of your murderer. Why should his choice to end someone's life be okay. Why should his reality be the right one. It's not. Everyone has at least a basic right to exist. Therefore, we punish those that take those rights into their own hands. No one has the right to impose anything on you that you don't allow. If they do, then it should be your right to scream as loud as you possibly can for justice. Fortunately, in most cases, you will at least be heard.

Is there fate? No, fate is just peoples' choices colliding.

Another option, there is a God that guides our fates.

Answer 2

I think that it really depends on your own point of view. Many people let an answer to such a question be influenced by religion, scientific discoveries, and what have you. I have met people who think that they have no control over themselves, that God is doing everything in their lives and making all the decisions for them. I think that is a little far fetched, but they are entitled to their belief. I myself think that we have control over our actions. As to the question ‘what is fate’ I think that fate is simply the when. When something happens can change everything. As for “like if a murderer kills someone, why do they get punished if it was just in the killer and victim's fate to kill and be killed?” I don’t think that one could use fate as an excuse for committing a crime. If one could, then the ‘fate defense’ would be popping up in court rooms around the world. I don’t think that you can justify killing someone by the basis of “well it was my fate”

Answer 3

I believe we do have a destiny. Something that we are destined to do on this planet while we are here. Whether it's to save a person, be kind to others, teach, counsel, rescue, save, etc. We are each destined to be something greater than ourselves no matter how small or big that something is.

But even though we all have a different destiny in life we also have control over what we say and do. Control over our behavior and how we treat others. We have control over shooting a person, molesting a child, or stealing a candy bar.

Karma and the law is what helps rebalance the damage we do with our control. Now I believe that we are powerless over people, places, and things, that we only have power over ourselves. So if I choose to take someones life I am responsible for my actions and have to face the consequences, as do we all. I don't believe it's in someones fate to die by the hands of another, I don't understand why bad things happen to good people. Some times they just do and we aren't meant to understand it all right now.

Answer 4

fate is something made for u by the almighty, and it depends on how u create it, its actually created by u, if everything would have written in the fate then wats the meaning of leading a human life it s better live a robots life, as u human being almighty has given u the power to change urfate with the help of ur good doings as well as bad doings, its something religious as well as scientific, u'll have to agree to this as we r not robots

Answer 5

Whether you believe in fate, God or any other life controlling force I believe that we as humans follow a certain pattern in life. We are men (women) and being such we follow the same pattern as our ancestors and our predeccessors follow the same examples of ourselves.

Answer 6

I think we are preordained to a certain out come . We have control over which avenue we take to reach that end. Punishment is a man made attempt to control that which we have no control over.

Answer 7

we are the only ones who have control over us, just as we have absolutely no control over any one else. unless it is a baby then that is a responsibility not a control issue