Destiny, or fate

Do you believe in fate/destiny?

To answer that, we need to set some ground rules… First, let’s define what we understand by destiny, or fate, and chance.

Destiny, fate, and chance

According to Wikipedia:

Destiny, sometimes also called fate (from Latin fatum ‘decree, prediction, destiny, fate’), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual.

Destiny, Wikipedia

This imply a belief in some higher power, which can be personal or impersonal. This force is dictating the course of the universe. For example, some religions believe that this higher power is composed by a group of gods (polytheism). Others believe it to be a single god (monotheism). Alternatively, for other religions (or philosophical traditions) it involves no god at all (nontheism). Nevertheless, this impersonal force is there.

The opposite idea, not having any predetermined future, would need one to believe in random chance. That is, the future is being written as it goes, there’s no one or no higher force controlling it. Chaos is reigning.

Given these definitions, my answer is yes, I believe in fate, or destiny. At the very least, I believe in cause and effect. That the future is already written one way or another, even if not readily accessible to us.

Divination in the bible

Now, the real question is, are we humans capable of seeing into the future? To this, I will just say that we have been trying to do so for millennia. I want to explore one of these traditions.

For example, casting lots was a common way to try to understand the will of God. This divination practice was part of the biblical tradition. It may not be openly acknowledged today, though. It was implicitly accepted that God would talk through several divination tools.

³³ The lot is cast into the lap,

but its every decision is from the LORD.

Proverbs 16:33, World English Bible British Edition

Early Israel had three ways to obtain oracles from God: the Urim, dreams, and prophets. We don’t know exactly how the Urim and Thummin worked. They were probably some method of divination, like the casting of lots or rolling of dices.

⁶ When Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD didn’t answer him by dreams, by Urim, or by prophets. 

1 Samuel 28:6, World English Bible British Edition

When the apostles wanted to know who God would choose to replace Judas, they cast lots.

²³ They put forward two: Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴ They prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen ²⁵ to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas fell away, that he might go to his own place.” ²⁶ They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was counted with the eleven apostles.

Acts 1:23-26, World English Bible British Edition

All this to say that I don’t mind about using some divination tools if the person believes in them. Connect with your higher power the way that makes more sense to you. I did a post on Tarot a while ago, and found it very entertaining. Have fun and happy looking into your destiny!