Impeach Bush, Why?

Much under the treatise of fate or predestination or omnipotence relies on the fact that life has been preordained and will happen accordingly.

But there is more, for a belief in fate or omnipotence also predisposes as belief in an after-life. An occurrence that underscores the esoteric ability to take a peek into what the future holds. A proclivity that even most non-believers will relish when the opportunity lends itself. And the results from such séances/readings/treatments are mostly similar: They all allay the human fear of the unknown by supposedly shedding light on the dark recesses of the future.

Fortunately, there are inconsistencies that highlights the fact that all is not so. In Astrology the words ‘the stars impel, they don’t compel’ are used interchangeably. In secular religion, Allah knows all, except when God does not then ‘he/she/it moves in mysterious ways.’ In mysticism, all predictions/readings are only recommendations and their outcomes dependent on how strong the protagonist believes in their truthiness.

The issue with human actions being preordained lies in the question of culpability and responsibility. If life if predestined, then nothing humans do is by natural intent. Even suicide would have been written as an event to take place at its allotted time. And in predestination there are no grey areas; it is or it is not. I mean, who would have replaced Judas Iscariot if he decided against betraying Jesus?

True freedom-of-choice implies the ability to use gathered knowledge, tested experiences and over-time moulded wisdom in deciding what course of action to take in a given situation. But having the ability to ask for numinous advice in making decisions predisposes a prescribed future and thus not freedom-of-choice. Therefore predestination cannot coexist with free-will for both conditions oppose each other in the possible strongest terms – If George W bush's life is preordained, then he cannot be judged for he is only acting out his destiny.

Secularly speaking, I find it rather unsettling that one’s life is regulated by unseen forces that manifest themselves in a number of differing energies or belief systems. I find solace in the fact that true free-will allows me the pleasure to be in control of my life and liable for my own actions; or inactions. I need to know that justice will be meted out, that others too, are responsible for their actions and that Governments will sooner or later have to give an account-of-their-actions to the people that elected them.

If predestination is allowed into the equation, the above scenario fuzzes into a logical nightmare.

In the end, the whole predestination problem revolves around the human propensity for not wanting to believe or accept that one is alone in the vast universe. Its as if our elevated thought processes, when confronted with many of life’s unexplainables, will comfortingly rationalise well constructed answers that give meaning and purpose to existence. And, of course, having the soothing thought that there is more to life after death adds much to settling the feelings of anxiety – As Nietzche so aptly put it: “In the consciousness of the truth he has perceived, man now sees everywhere only the awfulness or the absurdity of existence and loathing seizes him.”

I for one will to continue to exercise free-will without he intervention of predestination or fate. But if it is proved not to be so, I will rest easy knowing that I was only acting as per my preordained destiny; thus absolved from all culpability.