Answer

If the universe (and therefore the Earth and of course, us) are created by an evolutionary process, humanity exists as an accident. As an anomaly. We are organic beings created against the odds of nature with no purpose other than to continue the evolutionary line.

I personally would like to prefer that I have a purpose in life other than populating a planet.

If the universe was created by a divine creator, humanity is no longer the product of chance, but a wondrous and artistic creation.
Ask anyone who studies the inner workings of the body. We can only stretch to say we understand all of its unique processes and how they work. This amazes me to think that chance could put together such a wonderful, self-preserving machine with the capability of expressed thought and free will.

It is my belief that we all are made with intent. With a purpose. I will not push religion into this, but what other purpose can there be? What other higher calling collects so many followers? Before the uncharted jungles of South America were explored, there were entire nations rooted on the worship of their god or gods. These people, no matter primitive and tribal they were, still saw a need for a supreme deity.

Answer

To correct the first post, which said: "If [we] are created by an evolutionary process, .. [we] are organic beings created against the odds of nature"

In fact, this is untrue. Evolutionary theory would predict that our existence is entirely constsent with the laws of nature. The odds of predicting that humans would evolve a million years ago are massive, yes: but that some form of life would evolve would be inevitable.

But to address the question: can co-incidence exist? The laws of probability say that it must. What are the odds of going on holiday to a city on another country and meeting somebody you know? A million to one, maybe? If ten million people travel every year to foreign cities, then you would expect ten people to meet people they know.

Co-incidence is just something that happens which is improbable. Things which are a little improbable (it turns out you went to school with your new girlfriend's sister), you can expect to happen to lots of people every day. Things which are more improbable (you find a book in a charity shop which your grandfather wrote his name in at school), you would still expect to happen - but to a smaller number of people, with less frequency.

Co-incidence is a fact of life. But with world-wide mass media, the most surprising events get reported more widely, and thus appear to be happening more frequently. They aren't, though.

There is no evidence that any higher power exists, or exercises any kind of control over us. If it does, and it pre-ordains events, then one must question the morality which gives rise to floods, earthquakes, torture, and other horrible events which happen regularly in the world in which we live.

The things which happen in the world happen in about the same rate which you would expect if events were totally random. If there's a controller hiding somewhere, then they are hiding very well: we certainly cannot see the effect they have.

Answer

Everything is divinely planned by God the Father. It is called the sovereignty of God. One verse for Christians in this realm is Rom.8:28, there are more.

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Answer

From my study of comparative Religion I have determined that the story of a supreme Judge is no different from the story of Santa Clause or the Tooth Fairy.

It is pure theological sentimentalism to suggest that a person's life is governed by a supernatural Judge. This higher power unfairly places one baby in the home of an affluent family while dumping the other in the home of pauper. This higher power places one soul in a beautiful and wholesome body while punishing the other with the hellish imprisonment in a diseased and deformed body.

Religious leaders use God and Satan as a system of punishment and reward for what they determine to be Goodness or Sin, in order to subjugate their gullible followers.

People use the words written by other men as proof of their religious theologies but never can they produce the realistic evidence as proof.

Science is also the words written by men but the truth of their words can be tested and proven with tangible evidence.

Religious fanatics said that the earth was flat and that the sun and planets orbited the earth but science proved them wrong. Many scientists of the past and present have faced vicious acts of religious persecution for challenging the validity of religious data.

You have to create your own destiny through unprejudiced knowledge and intelligence.

Answer

I believe the Bible does teach that God plans our lives to a certain extent, but I also believe He gives us free will to make our own choices. If He didn't, why would the Bible say things like "Choose you this day whom ye will serve" (Joshua 24:15) This still does not leave any room for "coincidence," howeveR.

There ARE NO COINCIDENCES everyting happens for a reason . God has our lives perfectly laid out, every little bitty aspect , no matter how small or how large, it is all planned. Sometimes we don't understand , but when we get to the other side of eternity ,we may find answers. In the mean time , sit back , enjoy the ride and let God do the rest.

Answer

To correct the first post, which said: "If [we] are created by an evolutionary process, .. [we] are organic beings created against the odds of nature"

In fact, this is unreue. Evolutionary theory would predict that our existence is entirely constsent with the laws of nature. The odds of predicting that humans would evolve a million years ago are massive, yes: but that some form of life would evolve would be inevitable.

But to address the question: can co-incidence exist? The laws of probability say that it must. What are the odds of going on holiday to a city on another country and meeting somebody you know? A million to one, maybe? If ten million people travel every year to foreign cities, then you would expect ten people to meet people they know.

Co-incidence is just something that happens which is improbable. Things which are a little improbable (it turns out you went to school with your new girlfriend's sister), you can expect to happen to lots of people every day. Things which are more improbable (you find a book in a charity shop which your grandfather wrote his name in at school), you would still expect to happen - but to a smaller number of people, with less frequency.

Co-incidence is a fact of life. But with world-wide mass media, the most surprising events get reported more widely, and thus appear to be happening more frequently. They aren't, though.

There is no evidence that any higher power exists, or excerises any kind of control over us. If it does, then it is an evil, malicous power, which delights in ripping babies from their mothers arms during floods, earthquakes and so forth. Take a look at the newspaper today, and then decide: were all those things pre-ordained? Then what do you think of the morals of the thing making the plans?

The things which happen in the world happen in about the same rate which you would expect if events were totally random. If there's a controller hiding somwhere, then they are hiding very well: we certainly cannot see the effect they have.

Answer:

One pastor put it well: "You have a lot more questions to answer if you believe in evolution than if you believe God created everything". The world wants us to believe that God is impersonal and doesn't care about us. The Bible gives us the answer that He is interested in the smallest detail of our lives, Psalm 37. It is easier to turn away from a God who doesn't care than it is to turn away from a loving God. That is why the world wants to give out this philosophy.

People who disbelieve in God and His creation have to believe that or face the reality of making a choice to come to Him. Everyone believes in something whether they admit it or not. It makes a lot more sense to believe in God than not to given all the evidence that He did create us. Just look up at a starry sky and the argument that chance did this is ludicrous. But those who don't believe are blinded by the enemy. That is why we Christians have to be out there witnessing, not hiding.

Attempt at answering question and response to above answer:

People who disbelieve in God or any God for that matter are not blinded by 'the' or 'an' enemy. This is narrow minded and suggests that just because someone isn't a Christian they are tainted or influenced by evil. Every person on this earth is entitled to think and feel how they want to, and believe in what they want; after all, religion is just someones opinion. The way in which someone thinks or feels in turn demonstrates that person's morals, ethics or one could say - that person's beliefs - whether it be spiritual/religious or not.

What truly defines someone is how they act toward others. A person doesn't have to sit on a pew in a church to learn that, and if they did, well no one should think less of them for it. But no one has the right to say that someone should just accept something because someone else said it was true. Science is the art of proving that 'someone didn't just say it - it is actually true and here is the proof'. Evolution is proof that humans and all creatures didn't just accept things as they were - they migrated, endured, fought, adapted, survived - and shaped and changed to do it. We don't seem to be here by chance or coincidence for the very reasons that evolution prove: it was a tough battle. This is all the more reason to believe in one's self (and a God if it makes you feel better) as well as believing in the endless possibilities that yourself can achieve for the better of man (or woman) kind - because it can only and should, only get better.

As the person mentioned earlier coincidence is an improbability but it does happen - people think something is a fluke because something happened which they didn't expect to happen. But because we neither asked nor expected ourselves to be here we can't really say it is a coincidence that we are here, or that we are here by chance either because that would suggest that we were just lucky and I don't think it was all just luck that got us this far. This is not because I think that some magical being is responsible and that they planned it all (because that in itself is sort of a science experiment on 'their' part anyway isn't it?!), but because of the evolutionary reasons I mentioned earlier.

Sometimes the repetition of daily life and the expectations society places on people and the expectations that people place on society make everything seem boring, controlled, annoying and pointless. This means that people should start listening to themselves a little more and listening to what they really want to do with their lives (so long as it doesn't hurt or disrespect the people around you). I don't think life is mapped out for anyone personally because if it was then we would all be born with an itinerary - and what would be the fun in that?

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