The clustering illusion refers to the tendency toPeople need to find meaning and reason and pattern in their lives, even where there is none. I think this is why people like to say "everything happens for a reason." This phrase implies that God is actively piecing together every part of our lives for distinct purposes.
erroneously perceive small samples from random distributions as having
significant "streaks" or "clusters", caused by a human tendency to underpredict
the amount of variability likely to appear in a small sample of random or
semi-random data due to chance (Gilovich, T. (1991). How We Know What Isn't
So: The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life. New York: The Free
Press
I believe that God has orchestrated that some things happen for a reason, but not all, not by any means. I am cautious when I say this, because, as the scripture says, "And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things." (Doctrine and Covenants 59:21) However, I believe that God set up this world so it would operate by itself, using natural laws. This is how He has a hand in all things. I don't believe He has purposefully planned out every minute of every day for us, nor even necessarily the major events of our lives. Rather, I think that for the most part we make our decisions and then experience the natural results. I think we can learn something from some of the things that happen in our lives, but I don't think every aspect of our lives is designed by God to teach us something. Sometimes s*** just happens, as the saying goes.
It is repugnant to think that God designed the horrifying experiences some people face, just to teach them a lesson. Rather, I think that he has allowed these horrible things to happen because His plan includes Agency, the ability for people to act for themselves.
God will not forestall the exercise of agency by His children. Agency—ourAgain, I believe the victim can learn and become stronger from these experiences, but God did not orchestrate the offense. There might very well be no meaning or purpose in having been abused at all.
power to choose—is fundamental to the gospel plan that brings us to earth.
God does not intervene to forestall the consequences of some persons’ choices in
order to protect the well-being of other persons—even when they kill, injure or
oppress one another—for this would destroy His plan for our eternal
progress. He will bless us to endure the consequences of others’ choices,
but He will not prevent those choices.--Dallin H. Oaks in the Saturday Afternoon
Session179th Semiannual General Conference
I wonder, has any prophet ever said the trite phrase "everything happens for a reason?" I did a search on LDS.org This is what I got:
Your search for "everything happens for a reason" has returned 0 results in All Church Content.
I remember a talk I heard somewhere, maybe in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints General Conference, or maybe at Brigham Young University, where the speaker addressed this topic. He said something similar to what I am saying here. I am searching to find the talk but couldn't find it in time to post this. I will keep looking though.
Don't quote Ecclesiastes 3:1 to me. I will do it for you: "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." This does not equate with "everything happens for a reason," but states that everything will happen in its own due time. NOT that God is making everything happen.
Do I offend? I do not begrudge you your belief that everything happens for a reason, but I myself ain't buying it.
7 comments:
Some people are comforted in the thought that everything happens for a reason. To some people this means that God has his hand in the incident and to others it is just a plain old LIFE LESSON.
Today I sent an email to the wrong people on accident and the message recall option did not work. Is this a lesson God is trying to teach me? I think not. But did I learn a lesson? Hopefully... I've done this plenty of times before; however. This, I believe is a life lesson; just as getting cancer at a young age was a life lesson. I believe God did not have his hand in giving me cancer. Do I believe he could have stopped cancer from happening? Sure thing! I do not think this happened for a reason. I think it just happened. Did I learn from this experience? Yes. Am I a better person for experiencing it? Hopefully. Do I believe that God answered my prayers during the ordeal? Yes.
My mother believes that Heavenly Father has his hand in everything. It is quite cute actually. If she is able to merge onto the freeway without another car blocking her way, she says, Thank you Heavenly Father." I bet he loves it when my Mother thanks him for the little things that he probably had no hand in. I bet he blesses her all the more because she does.
Heavenly Father is a loving God who has sent us here to learn for ourselves. Life happens and he is here to help us through this life.
That said, does God have the power to cause bad things to happen? Yes. Just read the scriptures. I believe he caused these things so we can learn from mistakes made so we can be better people.
My two pesos...
Personally, I think my favorite blog post you have ever done. I have recently used the phrase "Everything happens for a reason" many times during this break up with Stephen. I will think twice about using that again. Very powerful Sis. Well done!
I agree. I wish everyone had this same understanding. If so, they might not get their belief/disbelief in God wrapped up in the thoughts like "how can a loving God allow such misery to take place". These things happen due to mankinds agency and the natural laws/consequences that follow. It does not mean that He doesn't love us. It actually means that He loves us enough to let us to have/use that agency.
Beautiful post, my eloquent friend. This is such an important truth that so many people fail to understand.
Thanks, ya'll. I enjoyed writing this very much.
I did correct a few mistakes since I wrote it. For example, I had written a sentence twice in the very beginning and accidentally attributed it to a book the first time, when it was I who came up with the thought.
I also said "It is repugnant to think that God designed the horrifying experiences some people face, just to teach them a lesson." Well as Matthew pointed out, God does indeed design horrifying experiences to teach people a lesson. He just doesn't cause someone to victimize another. My thinking was faulty on this. But I stand by the rest of it!
I agree that not everything that happens to some grand end. But I do believe that everything that happens was meant to happen. I believe that God's hand is involved in every natural law, so that everything that built up to this moment is God-ordained. I also believe that we are the ones that make meaning out of every moment. It's up to us to decide what purpose in the future we will make of the present. I believe we were given by God this power to make meaning of our lives.
- Chris
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