I used to believe that everyone played a part, that there was a part for everyone to play.
If things are meant to happen, anything, any bad thing that happens people always say "well that was meant to happen," or "God meant for that to happen". Doesn't that mean that we played our parts to get to that role? so if we get to a point that was "meant to happen" it was pre-determined by God, right?
but, what if someone who is following there role, and then decides they don't like the outcome? if they don't follow the path that is laid out for them what does that mean and they decide to follow there own path, does that change the whole reality that is? If someone defies all odds, and goes against everything that is set in front of them, what does that mean?
now the argument, "well, maybe that is the path they were supposed to follow" comes into play, and by the wording that i have laid out then it can be taken that way but i can't think of any other way to explain it. if someone denies the path that God has laid out for them, is that going against God? i'm not saying that he has already decided who is getting into Heaven and who is going to Hell. but what i do think is happening is that God has set up a path for us and has determined our destination, but we must follow the path, and we can do whatever we want on the path and that is what determines whether or not we get into Heaven or Hell.
But when someone denies the path altogether, when they break away from the path laid out for them and go against God's will, what happens then? Does that mean we are all just puppets set up to obey our master (God) and follow what he has already determined where we are going. or are we just here, with our path and no God there supporting us, on the set path that we are given?
now what about criminals and murderers and the like? that's easy, that this only applies to Christians in general. I'm not saying that God doesn't love everyone or that he doesn't give us all chances, we just have to believe in God for him to give us that path to where we are to follow.
I just read this whole story back to me and it sounds a bit confusing (and a little bit contradictory) but i stand by my statement.