Does everything happen for a reason?

[AlienGirl]

Poll question: Does everything happen for a reason?

I'll admit it: I'm a tremendous cynic. I believe the vast majority of what happens in life is sheerly random, no purpose or reason, and no meaning beyond what we ascribe to it.

One thing I love about Xen is his optimism (yes, really!) and his steadfast belief that "everything happens for a reason, so it'll all work out in the end." I can't share his certainty that eventually things will get better (or at least make sense), but I can *make* myself trust that he believes it, and it may be right. That thought's gotten me through a lot of hard times.

Tucker

[hickman1937]

1. On a good day I agree with you.

On a bad day I agree with Lloyd in September when he's talking about why he puts up with Diane.

[Swede]

2. What is xen?

Never heard of this before.

[AlienGirl]

5. Xen is everythingsxen

He mostly posts in the Games group anymore.

Tucker

[everythingsxen]

8. This is a Xen.

This is Xen posting.

Post Xen, post.

:D

[everythingsxen]

10. Xen is also the name of the alien world in Half-Life

And thus the origin of my name and not the Bush song as most people think.

[greyl]

3. It's temporary psychological comfort to tell oneself that.

But it's ultimately faith-based faulty thinking. It doesn't really encourage searching for meaning in one's life circumstances, rather it gives the answer that a divine being is in control, so take it easy, and stop trying to figure out how the world came to be what it is.

I prefer the more empowering "Make the best of what you've got".

[Floogeldy]

4. Who is Xen?

?

[AlienGirl]

6. Everythingsxen

He doesn't post very often anymore. We need to get another computer hooked up so we can do our crazy Lounge stuff again.

Tucker

[everythingsxen]

9. Ich bin Xen

[LSdemocrat]

7. Depends on how broad your definition of "reason" is

If by "reason" you mean having a larger purpose, then no.

But if you mean by reason, happens due to some explanation, then yes.

BTW, I don't see the relation between the clauses of your friend's statement. Personally I think things do generally work out fine in the end, but I don't believe that everything that occurs has some larger purpose.

[DerekG]

11. Absolutely not

I still recall the insipid assertion--made by a New Ager (no surprise)--that the rise of Hitler was necessary, so that he and his twelve-year Third Reich could serve as the impetus for the end of anti-semitism.

How encouraging that it took a goddamn holocaust and world war to bring this about...

[In_The_Wind]

12. there are no coincidences

although it's difficult to see or know the reason at times

[datasuspect]

13. often the reason is pretty mundane

like "i the reason the glass is broken is because i dropped it on the floor."

the tendency of the human mind to invoke mysterious/spiritual/religious causes to things it doesn't understand still baffles me,

then again,

not too long ago, doctors didn't know anything about sepsis and they often conducted surgeries without washing their hands or within non-sterile environments.

[Wetzelbill]

14. not always

[bridgit]

15. Yes, it happens for a reason ~

http://www.imho.com/grae/chaos/chaos.html

while remaining integral; whatever else cannot be explained, with what are oft times less than a handful of means, does not per se matter imo

[JVS]

16. It all happens for a reason. And that reason is that life sucks

[bridgit]

17. but life doesn't suck...it stinks ~

now dracula :thumbsup: he sucks!

[JVS]

18. That movie stank!

[bridgit]

19. but life still "stinks" irrespective of your opinion...

without even referring to a fart in church or temple; in certain cases a mere matter of hours & things & food stuffs & people begin to decay...that is the point. brooks mentioned in an interview that someone on his production crew felt that the film should be called "life sucks" but brooks felt that to be too 'pigeon holed' when one considers that it has always stank form time to time on more than one level & therefore "life stinks" is thought to be recognizable throughout an entire time-line of human experience but you are clearly entitled to your very own opinion

:rofl:

[In_The_Wind]

21. I'm impressed

[applegrove]

20. Black & white. This reminds me of I heart Huckabees.

[AlienGirl]

22. kick for the am