Mystery and Fates

Seated alone at a table for six at KFC, I began pondering about the mysteries of fate. Having heard the familiar “…mystery of our faith…” line (or something like that) from a mass in Laguna, I mistook the last word and imagined it being spelled differently and so it stuck in my mind. Is there really such a thing as “fate”? Why is it so mysterious that we want to know what it has in store for us?

I know of 3 people who have their fortune’s read at least once a year. Two of my sisters do it on the week of their birthday and RJ does it when the year is almost over. All of them exclaim that it is solely for fun, and I have always doubted this. If you have been doing this every year for x number of years and at a significant point in your life (as opposed to having it read at a carnival you just happen to be in), then you are provoking yourself into believing it.

Of course, it goes without saying that I do not believe in fate. Rather I believe in the laws of physics, specifically the part where an action begets an opposite and equal reaction. This governs most of my subconscious decision-making processes as well as eggs me to understand why things are what they are. So far, it’s worked well and logically. Why don’t I have a high paying job of importance is because studying was not one of my priorities back in college. Why my car is dirty is because I didn’t clean it. Why I got into a fender bender recently is because the other guy was an idiot.

However, I’ll admit that there are some things that are seemingly outside of this phenomenon. A great illustration would be a poker game that I recently won. I won not because of my superior skills because going into the river card, I had the slimmest chances in hell of getting out of that sticky situation, but then luck intervened and gave me the very card (the last remaining one) that I needed in the end. So how do I explain this? Not luck, but by probabilities and statistics. I may not know exactly how and the prevailing formula at play, but I do know that given enough chances, you are bound to hit that jackpot.

Which brings me to my next topic, still conveniently applicable to the scene earlier today and that is the existence of (a) God. So I believe in a supreme being but also opine that all these humans have mucked up how we should regard it/him/her through the various religions that they have organized. Watching the “Ten Commandments” over the holy week, I can’t help but wonder why there is (a) God for the Israelites and yet another for the Egyptians. Of course, the Israelites (and succeeding Christian and Islamic religions) offer that there is just one of it/him/her but are quite clear that they seem to own that one being rather than share it with all the other religions.

No, will not delve into the details because I don’t care about religions. But don’t ask me about my own personal beliefs because I can’t explain it as well. This is the only thing that keeps me in check from calling myself an atheist, my non-comprehension of a lot of things. I leave myself that little detail which is the existence of a supreme and omniscient being. Let’s just say that it keeps me sane and prevents me from questioning everything around myself. (Example of which is defining why there is life on this rock and none anywhere else in the known reaches of the universe) 12 years of Catholic education and all that.

So let’s summarize, first I do not believe in fate. Second is my defiance of religions despite my acknowledgment of (a) God.

So again, I’ve bored you with all this gibberish. The effect of boredom, too much caffeine and a pack of cigarettes. I have neither the will to convince you nor the decency to offer my own explanation about my loose topic which makes this post a rant. Oh well, so sue me.