Destiny: An idea of the weak (A Philosophical Reflection)

Destiny: An idea of the weak

(A Philosophical Reflection)

Webster dictionary defines destiny as predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency. A power that is believed to control what happens in the future and things that someone will experience in the future.

Destiny in the concept of we Humans and Christians particularly could be understood as that which is the plan of God for our lives individually. It could be understood also as that which we are born to achieve. Destiny in itself is a predetermination while speaking from a philosophical point of view. It might then interest you to know that this essay is aimed at watering down the existence of destiny and upholding will power and self interest as qualities of a dasein.

It was the existentialist philosophers who were challenged the erstwhile position that essence precedes existence. For them, existence precedes essence. The former presupposes determinism while the later presupposes freedom. Man at birth was born tabula rasa which is an indication that man is a bundle of possibilities according to Sartre. This also tells why he insists on man being a being-for-itself. Man is a being that has the capability of making choices. Nietzsche crowned it all when he said that only the noble man that creates his Value and his World.

This can also be found in the line of our Christian belief of the account of creation. After creation, God gave man only one commands “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it” (Gen1:28). I really think that God does not have particular way for man to do that just as the notion of destiny might be pointing to. If what we think of destiny is actually real what do you think is the reason why God gave man such free hand? As Christians, the only tax we owe God is obedience to his commandments and love. How on earth did the notion of destiny come into existence become a problem?

I really think that if there were to be something as destiny, then the idea of heaven and hell is a contradiction. If man is destined to do a particular thing in life then what is the need for punishing him? It can also mean that our loving father actually has destined some of his children to be candidates for hell. Why did Christ actually give the disciples he called to follow him an option of either following or going about their business.

Destiny actually likens man to software produced by Microsoft. A software that has been programmed only to be used for either presentation purposes or just playing music. This is a humiliation and an insult to God and man. Man was born in a world filled with things to be done and not thing to be done.

Destiny is an idea of the weak man who has refused to explore the possibilities and the wonderful things that can be found in mother earth. The idea of destiny actually causes a feeling of a stereotyped mentality in man, so also talent. He believes that he is created for a purpose which theologically speaking God made man to love him, worship Him, and be with Him in the life to come.

The idea of personal interest stands out to be the modus operandi of a dasein. With personal interest and natural inclination we create and rule our world the way we want it which denotes our Christian identity. It is in that thing that we do and that which is of our interest that can be said to be our point of Summum Bonum (highest good) according to Kant. It is also in that, that we meet God. The idea of destiny should be committed to flame and any user of such word should be held culpable.

With personal interest we can leave that which may have been made known to us through some hungry diviners (which are actually encouraged by the belief in the reality of destiny) that is not fetching us any good to something worthwhile. It creates love in what we are doing and makes us strive for a higher good. This can tell us why Barrack Obama could say “Yes I can”, it can account for the reason why a blind man can actually go out into the society and help it despite his in capability. It can also tell you why Abraham Lincoln struggled for so long before becoming American president and finally why Senator Tony Iwobi struggled to be an Italian senator

Be free to make choices because in freedom we see Christ

Egudu Jonathan Ikechukwu