"Insha'Allah" in the bible.

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
-James 4:13-15


This is exactly what the muslim exclamation Insha'Allah means, i.e - "God willing".

Insha'Allah is said when speaking about plans and events expected to occur in the future. The phrase also acknowledges submission to God, with the speaker putting him or herself into God's hands. Muslims believe that everything is maktub (lit.: written) and so whatever it is one wishes to do, will only occur if it is within God's plan. This does not take away from the concept of free will. One's use of Insha'Allah indicates not one's desire to succeed in an endeavor, but rather that the endeavor one embarks on will be within God's will, which might be interpreted as that which is best for Humanity, the Earth, and all of Allah's creation. It indicates one's desire for being in tune with God's plan for the cosmos. For example, if one's submission to God's will might be accomplished with great difficulty, one invokes God's blessing, and even more the fact it is in tune with God's will as the primary focus before one attempts to achieve it, otherwise one wishes their endeavor to fail.

wiki

The teaching that Gods will is done is also mentioned in the Lords prayer and Jesus' prayer before his arrest. How many of us, whether Muslim or Christian, are like those people in James was addressing in Chapter 4:13-15? Are we consciously mindful that God is in control of all earthly matters and that His will alone is carried out in everyday matters?

Something to ponder over.

reply to post by sk0rpi0n

Are we consciously mindful that God is in control of all earthly matters and that His will alone is carried out in everyday matters?

i am aware of god's control. but you have to see both sides. all the evil and bad things are determined by god, too.

reply to post by sk0rpi0n


Hocus Pocus hey presto.

I just pulled god out of a hat.

I bet that's in the bible?

Should be, it's a neat trick...

Originally posted by icepack
reply to post by sk0rpi0n

 

Are we consciously mindful that God is in control of all earthly matters and that His will alone is carried out in everyday matters?

i am aware of god's control. but you have to see both sides. all the evil and bad things are determined by god, too.

So if he determines everything than there is no free will?

reply to post by boncho

do humans decide when they get hurt or die in accidents ? when they fall in love ? when they get sick ? when they are lucky ? when they have bad luck ?

btw, i wouldn't say "he", because god is non-human without a gender.

reply to post by boncho

So if he determines everything than there is no free will?

Human free will might prompt one to say "I'm going to go to such and such a city and make a whole load of money "
The truth is that God determines whether or not the man even makes it to such a city... or how much money he makes.... or whether or not he may even keep the money.

Which is why its wise to hope that what you will is in line with what God wills. I know it sounds like a theology lesson, but its what it is.

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n
reply to post by boncho

 

So if he determines everything than there is no free will?

Human free will might prompt one to say "I'm going to go to such and such a city and make a whole load of money "
The truth is that God determines whether or not the man even makes it to such a city... or how much money he makes.... or whether or not he may even keep the money.

Which is why its wise to hope that what you will is in line with what God wills. I know it sounds like a theology lesson, but its what it is.

edit on 1-12-2012 by sk0rpi0n because: (no reason given)

The reason I bring it up though, is if God created good and evil, and has everything mapped out, then there is no free will. And a person going to heaven or hell is already predetermined, which means, God is pretty evil, there is no good, he created evil and controls all of it. And we're just a bunch of ants that he is holding a magnifying glass to...

reply to post by sk0rpi0n

The truth is that God determines whether or not the man even makes it to such a city... or how much money he makes.... or whether or not he may even keep the money.

my believe goes further. what about the idea to go to another city ? isn't this inspiration or intuition ?

reply to post by boncho

The reason I bring it up though, is if God created good and evil, and has everything mapped out, then there is no free will. And a person going to heaven or hell is already predetermined, which means, God is pretty evil, there is no good, he created evil and controls all of it. And we're just a bunch of ants that he is holding a magnifying glass to...

God simply knows the destiny of every man.
A person who ends up in hell will do so by his own deeds and thoughts, not because he was manipulated into doing so.

reply to post by boncho

And a person going to heaven or hell is already predetermined

like the saying, there is no light without a shadow. imo, good and evil have no meaning after death. doing good things or bad things is only relevant for this material form of existence.

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n
reply to post by boncho

 

The reason I bring it up though, is if God created good and evil, and has everything mapped out, then there is no free will. And a person going to heaven or hell is already predetermined, which means, God is pretty evil, there is no good, he created evil and controls all of it. And we're just a bunch of ants that he is holding a magnifying glass to...

God simply knows the destiny of every man.
A person who ends up in hell will do so by his own deeds and thoughts, not because he was manipulated into doing so.

Yes, the hell god created. Which if it weren't for him, there would not be, because he is the grand architect. He basically created good and evil. Which would make him evil. Seeing as he could have just created good...

reply to post by icepack

my believe goes further. what about the idea to go to another city ? isn't this inspiration or intuition ?

The motivation to go to a different city could depend on the person.
If he fully trusts in himself that he will make it there and achieve what he set out for, he is at risk of seeing his carefully planned journey ruined.

Think of the Hinderburg, the Titanic, the Columbia shuttle explosion.

"Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
-James 4:13-15"

To me that statement infers we have no free will. That we somehow act because God wills it so. I dont think thats the case. I'm free to what I want any old time!

Originally posted by icepack
reply to post by boncho

 

And a person going to heaven or hell is already predetermined

like the saying, there is no light without a shadow. imo, good and evil have no meaning after death. doing good things or bad things is only relevant for this material form of existence.

Which makes the idea of heaven and hell irrelevant then no?

reply to post by boncho

Yes, the hell god created. Which if it weren't for him, there would not be, because he is the grand architect. He basically created good and evil. Which would make him evil. Seeing as he could have just created good...

God created good and also gave humans free will to choose what they want to do with their lives and the lives of others.
Sometimes, people let their desires and lusts dictate how they use their "free will". This is how killers, rapists, child abusers, thieves etc are created. At the same time there are people who who let their good intentions dictate how they use their "free will"... which explains how there are people who do good.

So now think of all the serial killers, rapists, child abusers, thieves etc. in the prisons of your country. All those prisoners are there for a reason. The prisons built by your people and rulers... the grand architects of your society.
a) Is your government evil for imprisoning people who simply exercised their precious free will to kill, steal and hurt others?
b) Are the evil ones in prison simply part of a system that punishes sin crime, as defined by the law of your land?

reply to post by sk0rpi0n


Your argument is not even close to being similar.

God created good and also gave humans free will to choose what they want to do with their lives and the lives of others.

But he created evil, so if he just didn't create evil then there would not be any issues.

So now think of all the serial killers, rapists, child abusers, thieves etc. in the prisons of your country. All those prisoners are there for a reason. The prisons built by your people and rulers... the grand architects of your society.

And sometimes the reasons are ludicrous. Now we are entering politics, which is not just nor good nor anything else. It is simply politics. And why is it religious arguments are always pulling the rapist, child murderers card as soon as prison is mentioned? There are plenty of people there that did no harm to someone else, or, in the case of religious context, were victims of horrific stuff in their early childhood that grew into the people that violated them.

And god did this to test their free will? Why so easy for some, so hard for others?

a) Is your government evil for imprisoning people who simply exercised their precious free will to kill, steal and hurt others?
b) Or are the evil ones in prison simply part of a system that punishes sin crime, as defined by the law if your land?

As I said, justice has progressed and with that many people are in jail that cause no harm to others. But yes, the government has created some prisoners by simply enacting laws. And, the conditioning of being in those places can turn people into actual habitual criminals simply by them spending time there.

I'd like to see the entire population go there and then get stats on how they turn out after. Mind you, many deserve or need to be there, but surely not at the rate the US incarcerates.

But like I said, completely irrelevant being that the Gov did not create good or evil in the inherent trait aspect. They create good and evil out of public perception and laws.

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
-James 4:13-15

What is your life? 'You' are just a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

'You' is a thought. A thought is just a wisp of mist that appears in the nothingness, the emptiness, and then vanishes and is replaced by another thought that is just a wisp of mist appearing in the nothingness.
The nothingness is forming.

It just happens and no one is doing it.
Nothing is happening.

Originally posted by boncho

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n
reply to post by boncho

 

The reason I bring it up though, is if God created good and evil, and has everything mapped out, then there is no free will. And a person going to heaven or hell is already predetermined, which means, God is pretty evil, there is no good, he created evil and controls all of it. And we're just a bunch of ants that he is holding a magnifying glass to...

God simply knows the destiny of every man.
A person who ends up in hell will do so by his own deeds and thoughts, not because he was manipulated into doing so.

Yes, the hell god created. Which if it weren't for him, there would not be, because he is the grand architect. He basically created good and evil. Which would make him evil. Seeing as he could have just created good...

he dint create evil, evil is a product of free will, when the will is not in alignment to will of God then evil is born. He lets evil affect a person because it can bring a greater Good but only if the person accepts and aligns his/her will to God's.

reply to post by boncho

Which makes the idea of heaven and hell irrelevant then no?

maybe not. it could be a extension of the material form of existence. saying, if you are determined to have a lot of bad luck in life, it just will continue in the afterlife. bad luck forever, sort of speak.
i personally don't believe in eternal torturing and punishing, because there is simple not enough energy to keep such a torment running for eternity.

reply to post by logical7

he didnt create evil, evil is a product of free will, ...

what do you think about this bible quote ?

Isaiah 45:7
I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.