Fate: you can call it what you want

       I've been thinking over this idea of "fate." And in reality, humanity gives many different names to something that is generally one concept. For example; destiny, purpose, calling, or fate. Any of those options will do. 

       We were discussing this very concept in class and I was inclined to think about it further when my pastor brought it up at church. He said something along the lines of, "If you are worried about who is going to win the presidential election, don't. God already destined it." And my only problem with this statement is that it can imply that nobody needs to vote. One of the biggest discussions we had about the subject was when someone said how they didn't understand how anyone could believe in, both, fate and freewill. The statement my pastor made can be taken as if freewill isn't necessary, but in reality, I think that it is because of freewill that fate can happen. If no one voted then we could say that no one would be president (atleast we could say it wouldn't still be a democracy, but that's a whole other story.) I think that God knows our thoughts, therefore surely knows the choices we will make. And because of this, there is this fate or destiny or whatever, that is known by Him just not by us. So the next president of the united States is already known, just not by us. And its our exact freewill and vote that makes it happen.

       Philosopher, Friedrich Schiller, once said, "Fate hath no voice but the heart's impulse." He was speaking about the disbelief in fate, but despite that, I actually agree with him in a way. It is our heart's desires that direct our choices and it is those very choices that He knows and inevitably makes up the intricate puzzle of fate. We don't know where our fate starts or ends, so how could it ever sway our freewill? It seems as if the only thing that arrives us at our fate, without fail, is following the deepest impulses of our hearts.