Everything Happens For A Reason

So...I've figured out how to make a deterministic quote, a free will quote.

I'm sure you've heard of the saying: "everything happens for a reason". I happen to agree, but not with the popular interpretation of it.

The quote is intended to mean that it's all part of the master plan, for the greater good, to teach you a lesson, etc.
If we were to put this into perspective: you got dumped because there must be someone out there who's better for you/that person wasn't "the one".

I look at the quote & infer that there's a purpose to everything. Not a divine purpose, or a cosmic purpose, but simply that there's a purpose for it. Something "happens" because someone has willed for it to happen. There was a cause, and this is an effect. Similarly, if we put this one into perspective, using the previous example: you got dumped because the person wanted to dump you. End of story.

That's it. Maybe my way's pessimistic...or maybe it's real. Maybe there is no grand agenda that "god" has planned out for us. Things happen for a reason...but that reason isn't to serve YOUR purpose - it's to serve the purpose of the person who made it happen. Do you see where I'm going with this?

I think that we need to quit with the ego-centric inflation that we give ourselves by comforting ourselves when we say that it serves us or was meant to teach us a lesson.

It doesn't work that way, it never has, and it never will. Sometimes, we're just shit out of luck.

This sort of goes to show how easy it is to see a quote & interpret it as how everyone else has always interpreted it. Perspective plays a huge role in understanding (or lack of it). You should always be able to break down maxims(no, not the magazine, you nasty) thrown at you.

It also goes to show that in the grand scheme of things, not every thing is a lesson or even should be. I don't know about you...but I'd be pretty angry if I potentially lost the greatest person I've ever met because god/alpha/the universe/the cosmos wanted me to learn a lesson.

But then again, maybe it's just me.

Peace,
-knowledge

The American Terrorist

First off, I'm really sorry to anyone who was waiting on my weekly drop. I've been really busy. I originally had another topic planned, but I changed it up after seeing a movie tonight.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I just finished watching "Crossing Over" and my mind = blown.

It deals with the issue of deportation, and more importantly, self-identification with a country as a minority. For example: I'm Filipino, but not very Filipino by any means. My closest friend's aren't Filipino, and unlike most of my race, I prefer not to stick with my race - I like a little diversity. Am I Filipino, or Canadian?

I'm digressing - so that's enough about me, let's get into a part of the movie that had my mind going off in different tangents:

A Middle-Eastern muslim girl shared her perspective about 9/11 to her class. Her stance was: (in a nutshell) "As a muslim, I can understand why they felt the need to be heard - but I can't agree with the way they went about it." She was then shamed by her whole class. It jumps to a scene where she's having supper with her parents and her two siblings. They hear a knock on the door. Guess who? It's the FBI, and they've got a warrant (and here I am thinking that my doormat was fool-proof...) They've been tipped off that she's a potential terrorist. They go into her room and find paper with writings about suicide; It's her school notes about whether suicide is moral, but now It's a diary for how she justifies strapping bombs to herself. They search her computer and find her debating on a Muslim forum about whole concept of the Jihad; As a conscious Muslim, she feels the need to be educated on her Religion, as well as take in different view points. That forum is now irrefutable evidence that she's a suicide bomber.

Let's keep in mind that she got to America when she was 3, can't speak her native language, and is 15 years old. Aside from the fact that she's a devout Muslim, she's about as American as it can get (...or can't. Zagga-zing!)

Her parents and her are actually illegal immigrants, so she now has 3 options:

- Risk deportation of the whole family

- Another option which she obviously wouldn't pick (sorry, I can't remember it)

- Voluntary departure with a parent, while the other parent stays with her 2 citizen siblings (that were born there).

This is where I went nuts. Now, assuming that she wasn't a terrorist before...what if she becomes one? I know I'd certainly be angry if a country promised me "freedom of speech & thought", yet deported me for it.

If she wasn't a terrorist before, then maybe she is now. Initially, she could understand 1)where the 9/11 bombers were coming from...but 2) she couldn't support what they did. Having her life completely messed up a country that she sought freedom in may have just provided her with a reason to identify with both parts.

If she became a suicide bomber in an attempt to get even with the government...who's fault would it be? Hers, or theirs? Was she innately a terrorist all along because she could understand where they were coming from? Or did the American government trigger it with their paranoia? If she were to come back in a decade or so and commit some act of terrorism, then did the government bring it upon themselves? Or maybe a couple more years spent living as a devout Muslim coupled with her open-mindedness would have made her do it anyways...

These are all just questions to consider. It had me thinking for a while about destiny, free will, and causality.

Keep in mind that this movie's like Crash. This is just one of the characters in the movie. It's a good watch - I'd recommend it. It tackles the subject of immigration, it's loopholes, and the things people have to do to reap the benefits of a developed or even relatively "free" society.

My life's been made easier just because I happened to be "born Canadian" - and believe me, it's something that I'm proud of.

Peace,

- knowledge