Predestination Chapter 14

To what extent does God control our destiny ? Things like… Prosperity and decline? Fortune and misfortune in human life? Salvation and damnation? Even the rise and fall of nations? 2

Christianity Support Predestination "And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.“ Romans 8:30 Deny Predestination AFTER THE FALL: "And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart." Genesis 6:6 3

Islam Support Predestination "No soul can believe, except by the Will of God, and He (Allah) will place doubt on those who will not understand.” Quran 10:100 Deny Predestination “God changes not what is in a people, until they change what is in themselves.” Quran 13:11 4

Sikhism Support Predestination "All existence the theater of God’s play... All happens as by His will; Nothing by our power comes to pass.” Adi Granth, Majh M.5, (pg 103) Deny Predestination “By one’s own hands is one’s affairs set straight.” Adi Granth, Asa M.1 (pg ) 5

Hinduism Support Predestination “God’s power of wonder moves all things - puppets in a play of shadows - whirling them onwards on the stream of time.“ Bhagavad Gita 18:60 ‑ 61 Deny Predestination "I have given you words of vision… Ponder them in the silence of your soul, and then in freedom do you will." Bhagavad Gita 18:3 6

Buddhism Support Predestination "Any wrong or evil a man does, is born in himself… and this crushes the foolish man as a hard stone grinds the weaker stone.” Dhammapada 12:161 Deny Predestination "Make of yourself a light. Rely upon yourself: do not depend upon anyone else." Digha Nikaya 16, (TB pg. 10) 7

Predestination of God’s Will Absolute, Unique, Eternal, Unchanging Absolute, Unique, Eternal, Unchanging “Predestination” of God’s Will = Absolute For example: 1.Purpose of Creation 2.Providence of Restoration God’s Will 8 God

Absolute God’s Responsibility 95 ％ Human Responsibility 5 ％ Predestination of the Fulfillment of God’s Will is Conditional. God’s Will + Predestination of Fulfillment of God’s Will But, the fulfillment of God’s will: 9

Two Types Scriptures Verses that Support Predestination Focus on the predestination of God’s Will which is: Absolute Verses that Deny Predestination Focus on the fulfillment of God’s Will which is: Conditional 10

Qualifications of a Central Figure ① Central or Correlate history. ② Ancestry. ③ Inborn nature. ④ Character traits. ⑤ Providential time. 11

Accomplishment of God’s Will is Not Absolutely Predestined It Depends upon us fulfilling our responsibility Our Responsibility 5% 12 God’s Responsibility 95%

The Value of a Perfected Person 13

The Relationship between God and the Universe － ＋ Image (Map) Symbol (Flag) Man ＋ － God External Form mind ＋ － body ＋ － mind ＋ － body All Things Embody the Principle All Things 14 － ＋ External Form

Realizing the Ideal of Creation through Love God created the world in order to realize love. He created the universe so that He could rejoice over people and all things as they become one centering on His love and making a harmonious world of love. 15 CSG, pg. 90

The Original Ideal of Man Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? I Corinthians 3:16 16

Offering and keeping Precepts make the foundation necessary to build a great castle on. Endurance and Endeavor are the walls of the castle… Avatamsaka-sutra 6 (Teachings of Buddha, pg. 169) The Original Ideal of Man 17

"And when a man sees that the God in himself is the same God in all that is, he hurts not himself by hurting others: then he goes indeed to the highest Path." Bhagavad Gita 13:28 The Original Ideal of Man 18

We have indeed created man in the best of moulds. Koran 95:4 He (Allah)… breathed into him (man) something of His spirit. Koran 32:7-9 The Original Ideal of Man 19

... Our Soul is the image of the Transcendent God. Adi Granth, pg 868 The Original Ideal of Man 20

Mind Body God The Value of a Person Who has Fulfilled the Purpose of Creation Perfected Person: Divine Value Eternal Value Perfect First Mind Second Mind 21 Perfect True Person

Only One God Joy A B C A B C 22 Perfected Person: Unique Value The Value of a Person Who has Fulfilled the Purpose of Creation

Cosmos Spirit World Spirit Self Physical World Physical Self God Internal Character External Form 23 The Value of a Person Who has Fulfilled the Purpose of Creation Perfected Person: Cosmic Value

God MindBody Man ① Divine Value ② Eternal Value ③ Unique Value ④ Cosmic Value The Person Who has Fulfilled the Purpose of Creation 24

Swami Sivananda “What you are, is God’s gift to you. What you become, is your gift to God.” 25

Lessons Learned 26 Absoluteness of God’s will Absolute necessity of human beings to fulfill their responsibility Perfection of our individual character is based on our relationship with God.

27 Thank you !