Everything happens for a reason

Poetic Justice

Poetic Justice

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BS

What are you talking about?

What reason?

Who's reason?
 
It's just a platitude people say to make themselves feel better.

I would more beleive in "Good things can come from bad situations".
 
Poetic Justice said:
BS

What are you talking about?

What reason?

Who's reason?
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Sometimes we don't see any purpose or reason while going through certain things in life but from a different perspective at a later time it all makes sense.

Over time enough people have witnessed events that led them to say 'everything happens for a reason'.

You call it BS.

Ok.
 
In the common usage I've seen, it is a coping mechanism to reduce stress. That's hardly something to sneeze at, life takes everyone for a rough ride at times; however, when the phrase becomes a crutch undervaluing rational exploration, then it's a dependency issue that undercuts one's potential strength and response ability (I.e, egocentric mysticism).

On a more philosophical note, it can be a call for rational exploration and, particularly in the Western hemisphere vis-a-vis science, reductionism. Both are useful tools with powerful effects.

Nonetheless, I personally prefer, like Ralph Emerson, to think that every wall is a door. It has a more determined and active fragrance.
 
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I wish life were that simple...
I'd love nothing more than to take even less responsibility for my wants and needs and pains and failures and obligations.
 
Usually the reason something happens is because something caused it to happen. #realtalk
 
If everything doesn't happen for a meaningful purpose (if that's what you mean by reason), then it's all for nothing.

Radiant Shadow said:
I personally prefer, like Ralph Emerson, to think that every wall is a door.
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Yeah, so every "meaningless" event could be an opportunity. And perhaps the opportunity presenting itself is the reason for its occurrence.
 
Poetic Justice said:
BS

What are you talking about?

What reason?

Who's reason?
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I've been mulling over this thread a lot trying to figure out how to answer this. And before I do, I must first say this. I love your avatar pic! It is beyond epically awesome. And where is the quote in your signature from? Or is it a general expression?

As been suggested by others, I think most use this expression as a crutch or coping mechanism for dealing with life's stressors.

However, on another level, there is a profoundness in those words.

I believe the precise events in my life helped to shape not so much who I am or will become, but in what I do and will do. In this knowing, it does not crutch my life's pains as the past still haunts me, but it allows me to embrace it to bring about a better tomorrow.

Who's reason? Mine and mine alone. As it is yours and yours alone, and theirs and theirs alone. However, on a spiritual level, I will not discount the Universe having a role. As I've said in another thread, the Universe presents us with the opportunities, it is up to us to choose what to do with it.
 
Paladin-X said:
And where is the quote in your signature from? Or is it a general expression?
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I made it up. I'm a smart guy ;) Although I'm not discounting the possibility that I heard it somewhere and it just stook in my head

What bothers me about this saying is that whenever I ask someone who says this what it is they mean, they can't answer.

Me: What reason?
Idiot: erm....
Me: Who's reason?
Idiot: erm...

Some things happen for a reason.

I brush my teeth so my teeth will be clean = My reason

My dog gets struck by lightning = Nobodys reason. How can you say this happens for a reason and then clam up when I ask you who's reason it is?

Surely if you believe things happen for a reason then you must have an idea what that reason is or who's reason it is.

Actions have consequences. Some good, some bad. that doesn't mean that every possible action, despite having consequences, has an intentional consequence.

Once and only once have I recieved a satisfactory answer to this question. Someone said "things happen for a reason". My hackles raised and I questioned her about it. She said "I don't really believe that, I just tell myself it whenever something bad happens to help me see the good in it"

Not only is this fine in my opinion. It is an extremely good attitude. But to believe it? Blargh!
 
I don't believe that everything happens for a reason, but I do believe that everything that happens IS a reason (that could potentially lead to who knows what in the future).

You can't answer "what reason" or "who's reason", because they haven't been formed yet.

As for those calling it BS or saying that people just use it as a crutch, perhaps they are just using their judgments as a crutch to prevent them from delving into the quote and figuring out the essence of what it actually freaking means.
 
I thought it was usually people who believe in a deity which has complete control over the universe who say this. Their god/goddess causes all the shitty things that happen in life for a reason that is simply beyond our comprehension.

I think it would be difficult to explain destiny without such a being.
 
I think we can divide this question into two tiers.

1. Do events occur because of some sort of deterministic factor?

This is asking whether or not there is a physical reason for why things happen, meaning aside.

And additionally,

2. In addition to #1, is there a purpose behind events that occur?
 
Ah you are questioning the essence of faith. The religious, specifically Christians, would say God. What is His reason? Well they would say that it is not their place to question His will. But you already know those reasons. Now that I think about it, you are questioning something more. You are questioning the meaning/connection to someone's understanding of something. Blind faith or parrot talk is not good enough.

Let me ask you this, why do you believe there is not a reason?

There is no such thing as random. Random is a word used to describe an occurrence or series of occurrences of which we do not yet understand. Much like magic or theologically explained miracles. There is cause and effect in everything. Who or what reason? Some can be explained, some have yet to be. One would have to understand the universe from the beginning of time to truly understand how an event came to be. In the meantime, all we can do is interpret and rationalize as move along through a rather insignificant existence in the grand scheme of things.
 
niffer said:
As for those calling it BS or saying that people just use it as a crutch, perhaps they are just using their judgments as a crutch to prevent them from delving into the quote and figuring out the essence of what it actually freaking means.
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Why do you believe it is not a crutch?

I have witnessed those that use it as a crutch and those that use it with meaning, even if they do not understand the meaning or the meaning of the quote. When I say crutch, it is for those who rationalize how they've done something bad. It is a coping mechanism for some who've had bad things happen to them. I politely request that you detach your feelings from the words, at least when I say them (I can't speak for others) as there is no judgment in the sense of good or bad, right or wrong applied. I merely observe what is and is not.
 
Paladin-X said:
Why do you believe it is not a crutch?

I have witnessed those that use it as a crutch and those that use it with meaning, even if they do not understand the meaning or the meaning of the quote. When I say crutch, it is for those who rationalize how they've done something bad. It is a coping mechanism for some who've had bad things happen to them. I politely request that you detach your feelings from the words, at least when I say them (I can't speak for others) as there is no judgment in the sense of good or bad, right or wrong applied. I merely observe what is and is not.
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Crutch or coping mechanism implies that the user is broken or cannot cope without it, and is inferior in this regard to the person who has these thoughts about them.
 
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