Do you believe everything really happens for a reason?

What exactly does that mean anyway? Is it purely a religious idea? I could understand it being something in the religious person's beliefs about the world, but not in any other way.

"Everything happens for a reason" is an attempt to rationalize events which otherwise would seem to be mere happenstance, or unfair, or tragic, or without any sort of logical explanation. It covers natural disasters, stillbirths, victories, defeats...whatever. I believe man's higher brain seeks to find reason, purpose, rationality in things apparently lacking these qualities. And, yes, there is a strong strain of religion in this. But I know unbelievers who have sought the same thing. I am not an existentialist; I don't believe we all were thrown into a metaphysical fight for survival against forces beyond our control. Things happen...because they happen.

yet it still makes alot of sense, because if things didn't happen, then they...well...wouldn't happen!

No matter where you go, there you are.

I think a lot of things happen for a reason, but a lot of other things happen because they just happen. For instance dying happens. It is what it is... there is no changing it but people who say that there is a reason for someone dying are often making a religious connection. Like saying "God must have needed him."

So there are reasons why things happen but I'm not sure there is "reason" why things happen. It's a system and there is stuff going on that we can't understand nor should we really bother to. We can understand that an earthquake causes a tsunami but we can't understand the "reason" for the tsunami which killed hundreds of thousands of people.

I find that many events in my personal life happen for a reason. Sometimes I don't understand at the moment but it becomes clearer to me later. Many doors have opened for me when I finally closed the one behind me. There certainly is something to be said for unanswered prayers.

quote:

Originally posted by j_benz:
yet it still makes alot of sense, because if things didn't happen, then they...well...wouldn't happen!

LOL, I love this answer! Of course, I like the tapestry answer the best. I have many unsightly threads, but the whole thing together is beautiful.