Do you believe the universe tries to tell us things

[Astarthatshinesforyou]

And it tries to push us in another direction or gives hints of it?
Currently live abroad, but for a while it feels everything has been against us-not keen on the schools, had money struggles, now lots of ill health and people passing in the family.
I often wonder if it’s just telling us to give up, go back home.
Have you ever felt like this? Do you fight against it or leave things to fate?

I think that buddism is the closest religion that I have found to explain the universe.
Buddhists focus on inpermanence....change is inevitable...including death. The universe is in a state of constant change or impermanence. Change causes suffering. If we can embrace impermanence and change, even death then we can reduce suffering.

I am sorry for all those who have lost loved ones though. I don't think any religion can help with that tbh.

Of course it does. Things happen FOR you, not TO you.

Maybe at the life stage you currently are at, being where you are is causing problems from a practical point of view. Would it be easier if you made fundamental changes or lead to more problems further down the line?

Do you believe the universe tries to tell us things

Nope, not in any way at all.

I believe in coincidences, or more precisely, the fact that human brains tend towards seeing patterns that don't exist, and mistakenly link consequence with entirely unrelated cause, but the idea that the universe is not only aware of your individual existence, but actively communicates with you as if it somehow cares about your existence is nonsense.

We're a species of pointless, sentient beings inhabiting a rock that could be obliterated tomorrow and the Universe would carry on regardless. It really isn't any more complex than that, so I see no reason to try and add totally unnecessary complications that just pose more and more irreconcilable quandries.

If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, sometimes it is indeed just a bog standard duck.

That is so cool. Genuinely wish I was a theologian.

What's it trying to tell us..

I don’t really understand what people mean when they say “the universe” in this context as if it is a sentient thing. Seems like it is just a substitute for God, for people who are “spiritual” as opposed to religious.
Anyway, no I don’t think the universe is a sentient being that controls us or tries to communicate with us.

Don't think I've ever heard it described as cool before!! It's fascinating.. especially to an atheist like me. It's a huge mix of sociology, psychology, history, philosophy and the obvious theology. It has very little to do with practising faith though and I'm not qualified to talk about anyone's personal experience of prayer or what faith does for them. I don't think it "works" on a logical level or philosophical one, but that doesn't mean faith in itself is wrong as such.

In a word, no. You make choices based on a combination of situation and possibilities. I see no point in trying to make " the Universe" responsible for those choices.

No, because I recognise I am not the main character in a film.

Go into any MN thread related to criminal justice and sentencing, and sure as eggs is eggs, especially where and when it involves children, you'll find umpteen posters shouting and bawling about people being "evil", "born evil" and so on, yet nobody can provide any explanation whatsoever for this supposed malignant "power" that can seemingly compel people to behave in undesirable ways, and is apparently not just cause, but motive as well.

Drives me to distraction the incoherence of it.

I accept the perception that certain acts can fairly be described as "evil", but to suggest it exists as an independent force of nature is nonsense. I don't know why some people can't just accept that some other people chose do heinous things for no particular reason, or else they do them because of some underlying illness or dysfunction, but no, it's apparently down to this intangible, vague, inscrutable force known as "evil".

I think life is a struggle for a lot of people, and when you think you have one thing sorted, another issue / worry pops up to take your attention…

At what level do you teach theology? I’ve met Oxbridge theologians and they didn’t dismiss people’s faith so rudely.

I've often said there are really strange coincidences.i was repeated ly in the same place as my husband at the same time throughout our entire lives despite not living particularly close or being that closer in age or having any overlapping factors. It's a if we kept being put in each other's way. The crossovers are bizarre.
My cousin misses for a host of different banal reasons 3 different planes all of which were involved in accidents in quick succession many years ago, which considering the scarcity of air accidents on itself is remarkable. He then missed a fight which eh l would have had him at home in the middle of a an earthquake which completely devastated everything where he lived and killed many people.

So strange coincidinces probably, we only know about them because we have found out about the potential outcomes/ results. He knows what the results of catching his flights or arriving in time would have been, I know how I was always near my husband. Most of the time we are just unaware.
Is it a massage. I don't know. I doubt it, but it's fun to speculate!
The first people we speak to halfway around the world in holiday live a mile away from us and her brother is a teacher a Dds school. Strange world!!

I don’t believe in fate or a predetermined path. I’ve just had an experience that would have been a whole lot easier if I had. I quit my local but toxic job and did some agency work, found a place that wanted to keep me on a permanently but just had to get through an interview. For various reasons I didn’t get the job and was gutted. In the back of my mind I was aware that a new site was being developed even closer to home that would have a role in future. 2 weeks after being rejected that job came up and I’ve now got the job. After my initial rejection I started to look for everything wrong with that place and now I’m so incredibly glad I won’t be in that role in future. I believe that it was just good timing and good decisions that got me the new job and I guess the hirer could see that I wouldn’t have been happy long term in the agency role.

So many people have said “fate” when I’ve said about it or “what’s for you won’t pass” and I could have saved myself a hell of a lot of stress (and 6 other interviews) if I’d known where I would have ended up.

Which god?

What on earth are you talking about?
How can thinking the universe ir trying to tell you something is privilege??????
That is the stupidest thing I have read this year
As mentioned yesterday, privilege is another word that has completely lost it's meaning due to inappropriate use

No gods exist in any way, shape or form

Lots of gods have been written about - I was wondering which of these fictional characters pp was referring to.

I have no idea what people mean by this. The universe is not sentient - it can't tell you anything. It doesn't care about anyone or anything.
Perhaps you mean an invisible, benevolent being who is in control of everything and cares about his creation. I.e. God... That makes more sense to me.

No, it's utter bollocks.

And the "everything happens for a reason" nonsense is all very well when you're thinking about how you met your partner through a job you nearly didn't take, but a pretty awful sentiment if you experience something like a child dying or developing a severe illness.

You sound very certain of something that is impossible to prove.
I'll come right back at ya and say that atheism is a logical fallacy.

I think that when you are looking for a way out of something (ie potentially a move you now know was the wrong decision for you), it is much easier to write it off as the universe trying to tell you something. But when it actually comes down to it, when you have horrible news or the closest person to you dies young, you realise there’s no such thing as the universe giving you answers, it’s just cold and bitter unluck.
I do believe the reason you are asking this Op is because you want someone to tell you that it’s okay to take a wrong turn and change your mind and go back again. I had to do that myself once (moved abroad back home to native country and realised native country wasn’t what I thought it would be). No harm in packing up and coming back, do what your gut tells you.

The same could be said of religion and/or those who think a god speaks to them.

Yes. Listen to it. We did, left London and the tiny flats we rented. Best decision ever! Do what your gut tells you to do.