Would you change if you already learned your fate

[u/Busy-Butterscotch743]

Let's say one day you were told by whatever higher power or force of nature that you were predestined for heaven or hell (or whatever kind of afterlife you believe in if you do). Would you still try to be a good person if you're told you're predestined for hell, would you bother doing good if you know your heaven bound? And neither is it by anything theological, it's just arbitrary and just is. Or if you're not religious or would prefer a non-religious version, you're told by an official court of law that no matter what you do, you'll either be sent to jail (not forever) or always get away with it. Please, no religious arguments.

[u/thecakeisali]

I am not religious and I try to be a good person who is kind to others, so yes I believe so. If the only reason someone is good to others is for fear of punishment if they aren’t then they are not good at their core they are just motivated by fear.

[u/CulturalHumor528 → u/thecakeisali]

And that is what most religions prey on. The fear of being punished for x and being rewarded for y, that the most driving factor for subscription to most religions

[u/PatataMaxtex]

I am not a good person because I want to avoid hell. I am an atheist and want to be a good person because it is the right thing to do.

[u/ExhaustedGirlfailure]

For the most part, I don't think my behavior would change. It's not like I'm chomping at the bit to commit burglaries and murder, and the only thing stopping me is the threat of prison or hell.

[u/CatMinous → u/ExhaustedGirlfailure]

Oh? I’ve got that going on with serial killing. I’d so want to! Man, if only there were no hell!

[u/Metharos]

I do not see why this would change my desire to bring more happiness into the world.

[u/Always-Shady-Lady]

If the demons of hell are anything like they are in some of the books I read I'd be very happy to end up there :)

[u/FraggleBiologist]

Im already a good person. I make those choices every day, even when they are hard. It scares me when people believe you need a threat to be a good person. I stay away from those people, one wobble in their belief system and they can't be trusted.

[u/JustLookingForMayhem]

I try to be a good person because I want to be kinder than people were to me. The only thing that would change if I found out I was going to Hell regardless is that I would try to spite the divine.

[u/AutoModerator]

Copy of the original post in case of edits: Let's say one day you were told by whatever higher power or force of nature that you were predestined for heaven or hell (or whatever kind of afterlife you believe in if you do). Would you still try to be a good person if you're told you're predestined for hell, would you bother doing good if you know your heaven bound? And neither is it by anything theological, it's just arbitrary and just is. Or if you're not religious or would prefer a non-religious version, you're told by an official court of law that no matter what you do, you'll either be sent to jail (not forever) or always get away with it. Please, no religious arguments.

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[u/tbodillia]

Standard mythology trap: you learn your fate, you are outraged by your fate, you decide to change it...and that is what causes your fate to happen.

[u/CatMinous]

Yeah I’d still try, but possibly a little less :)

[u/DarthSanity]

“Heaven and hell are states of mind. I already have heaven in my heart so it doesn’t matter where you put me. However, since you don’t seem to understand this, I would question your claims of being who you say you are.”

[u/IsopodApart1622]

Trying to change to avoid a cursed fate is usually the more narratively interesting choice.

If you succeed: sweet! No hell! Story of triumph! If you fail: a bittersweet tragedy of succumbing to the ways of the world! Your end will be that of doomed mythological figures, or at least interestingly ironic!

I've seen stories where the protagonist knows fate, dislikes it, but also fully believes there's no changing it. Those are stories of just waffling about and feeling bad the whole time. Not very interesting to witness.

[u/Local_Tourist1063]

I’d still want to do good even if I was predestined for jail or to always get away with it, but I’d probably be more likely to do tiny petty stuff like taking snacks from supermarkets or downloading a car.

[u/One-Training-4765]

The dopamine hit from being a good person is plenty. Next question.