Due to a combination of luck, skill, modern technology, and money some consequences are avoidable… whereas others are not. Consider the man who smokes all his life and dies at 100+ not from a heart attack or cancer… but a fall. On the other hand there are those who hardly have a drink and end up with cirrhosis of the liver.
Consider the consequences in your life. Which have been avoidable whereas which have been unavoidable? What are the deciding factors between the two?
© 2026 – SoulSequel
34 responses to “Avoidable vs. unavoidable consequences?”
I would observe that a lot of time the “consequences” we are seeking to avoid . . . are learning, growing, taking responsibility/accountability for ourselves . . . or in some cases, just to avoid “feeling bad” (see my above post about barriers and fences).
Even if it were possible to idiot-proof the world . . . it is perhaps more foolish than wise to try. People will grow lazy and always be expecting someone else to look out for them. And then the ONE time someone else doesn’t watch out for them, “Shazam!”. They are “victimized”. (But by the negligence/foolishness of others . . . or of themselves?!!)
Even in a world where everything is safe-guarded and “caution-signed” and bubble-wrapped . . . that ONE thing that for whatever reason is not . . . still claims “it’s victims”.
(Which apparently includes not just the primary victim, but all those who’s ;emotions are “victimized” simply by hearing about it. There is a difference between empathizing . . . and being unable to control our own “victim” emotions, cumulatively triggered).
The name of the adventure is NOT “avoiding life”. You’re describing “life” — a set of controllable and uncontrollable interactions, all with consequences.
The key to a joyous and peaceful life is learning how to manage (control) ourselves in the midst of these things that are going to happen despite our trying to keep them from happening. The key is to know how to heal; how to learn; how to teach others to do the same.
Then regardless of whether we bumble into something with unpleasant consequence, or it falls out of the proverbial sky on us . . . life should NEVER be at the behest of fear or worry . . . as either victims ourselves, “proxy-victims”, or victims-in-fearful-waiting.
@griz Remember me saying that we are robots? Think of how our genes work? We know that our actions can affect not only who we are from a moral standpoint, but also everything to how we feel to what diseases we end up with. If we do X (let’s say exercise), we turn on genes A, B, C, which makes us healthier. Because we are healthier to begin with, genes D, E, F never turn on. Conversely if we do Y (let’s say drink in excess) we might turn OFF genes A, B, C while turning ON genes D, E, F that make us more susceptible to the influence and negative effects of alcohol and so on.
@Jear77
But key in all of this . . . is our choice!
What if “made in God’s image” mean we have something akin to God’s DNA in us (the Divine Nature of the Almighty; are “keyed” to Spiritual fellowship should we wish to exercise it; and like your example of physical exercise, finding excuse negates the process)?
And like our own physical genes, there are specific ways to activate that “latent” DNA in us? Usually a VERY specific way.
And then this “turns on” attributes and behaviors Gal 5:22-23; and over time turns off more and more of the attributes and behaviors of death.
The “do’s” of the Law become more and more appealing as more than just an ingratiation exercise . . . and the “don’t’s” become less and less appealing and less “punishments” than just natural consequence of a poor choice we have very great say in.
@griz yet there are those who do the OPPOSITE of everything that’s good for them. People who drink hard liquor, smoke, fight, gamble, eat in excess and none of their bad habits ever catch up to them.
@Jear77
Freedom is freedom.
And choice is choice.
And sooner or later we have to put aside the ways of a child where someone will swoop in and protect us from ourselves.
Key into this. There is a huge difference between just being protected from our processes leading to death . . . and being saved from our processes leading to death.
It sucks to be seeking that which we say we loathe; yet loathing that which we seek! Such a person certainly DOES need more than just protection from themselves.
They need a “saving” from themselves! This is what I found in Christ.
And you didn’t find it in religion.
So that is the “score” to date.
@griz so christ prescribed a diet and exercise plan?
@Jear77
For the spirit; once it’s been “saved” from being a lost soul.
@griz It’s body/ mind/ soul (spirit). The spirit and the soul are one in classical philosophical thought – indistinguishable from one another… but you’re saying it’s body, no mind (i.e. no thought processes, no subconscious, no unconscious, no id/ ego/ superego), soul once changed becomes a spirit
@Jear77
The problem with that is that I don’t think God subscribes to Human philosophical thought! We’re back to the same folly of trying to make God a function of us and our understanding.
Understanding is there to be had. As much as we’re currently capable of grasping.
What is so amazing about the way God has ordered what we call “reality”, is that we DO have the freedom of thought processes, subconscious, unconscious, id/ego/superego . . . and all of the blocks, triggers, prisons and stumble-points we might crave! We even have the freedom to be eventually totally separated and cut-off from God/Life. Even if such breaks the heart of God.
Consider, body/mind/spirit. But only “spirit” when we allow the Divine “DNA” to activate in us. If we’re still trying to do it as a rejected and isolated outpost of “Just me”, the best we can muster is body/mind/[lost] soul.
@griz well I don’t believe in a soul or spirit in any case. It can’t be proven.
But we know the brain is a complex thing, with layers like an onion in regards to showing its true nature. Could these layers upon layers be a defense mechanism to protect itself? If so, why would such be needed?
In regard to the soul as I said before, there is a drug that causes the exact same thing as a near death experience…
@Jear77
The Europeans didn’t believe in the Americas until someone bumped into it on their way to somewhere else! But their being unable to “prove it” by current knowledge, didn’t keep a myriad of cultures existing there! We need to guard that when we’re saying “No proof” we’re not just saying “I’m so arrogant”.
It’s a lot like the many Europeans who continued to insist “there was no proof” of the Americas even after artifacts and savages had been brought back. There were always “conspiracies” and excuses fabricated. They would cry “prove it to me” . . . but would not board a ship to go and see for themselves!
There’s no fool, like a persistent and arrogant fool.
Allegedly, Adam and Eve needed no protection, no layers, no games, no defenses against anything. Neither life nor the environment . . . or even against God’s Absolute Presence.
These all became “needed” because of the misuse of a gift.
Interesting that you would overlook everything I offered in that post about the mimicry of drugs/brain simulation . . . and come back to “a proof hinged on death”.
I clearly provided reference that brain stimulation can produce every indication of “burnt toast” without there being anything real (as per neurosurgeon Dr. Wilder Penfield’s landmark studies into mapping the epileptic brain). The same with “phantom pains” — the sensation of an itch on an amputated limb. The “feeling” (or worship thereof?) is not necessarily an indication of an actual reality. Just as a lack of feeling is not always valid indication a limb is gone. (Again, the issue is holding “feelings” as any kind of almighty indicator.)
So let’s retire this one, K?
Religion holds that “the proof” of these things of God’s Spirit . . . is in death. You yourself have echoed this, second-hand.
I assert through first-hand witness (and have repeated times!), that the proof is in life, and life more abundantly right here and now.
@griz I think you’re misunderstanding what people knew and when. Remember we’re looking at the world from the American-centered viewpoint, so we may not have the whole picture…
@Jear77
A bigger picture is there for those who might want to explore it. And I maintain that we benefit from exploring beyond our own borders, our own context . . . even our own comfort zone. I would also assert that an essential aspect of understanding the Bible cannot be had with just an American-centered perspective. (That’s why we study it, and the culture and times surrounding its writing).
We in the west are notorious in the world for an apparent inability to see beyond our own borders. And with the internet it’s something anyone can easily choose to do something about.
@griz but even that information is somewhat problematic. I know we (Americans) had war… but I VERY highly doubt that the idea behind it was to cause an entire populace to disappear from reality forever (i.e. genocide) as is what happened with the nation of Israel…
@Jear77
Other than me, have you ever really had a close friendship with anyone from a different culture? (The more different the better. Think European, Asian, Persian).
We are all Human (more or less!) with the same “operating system”. But “cultural idioms and blinders” are placed over top of this. We see “separations and differences” rather than the similarities that peace and unity and respect will need to be built upon.
We may have never gone to war with the overt intention of active ethnic cleansing. But we exercise our own unique forms of passive ethnic cleansing . . . just as a function of being human. We “know” the process.
So can we “relate” with it going too far? Yes, we have generally speaking, brought it into check (or swept it under the rug??) earlier, and good for us. But one misstep at a critical time could easily have had us going . . . where we would want to demonize others for going.
So is our “issue” with them . . . or with the veiled fear of how far we are perhaps capable of going?
That is not justifying the process of “going too far”. It is “unifying” under the banner of Human: leaving them “un-attacked” and open to further input from us . . . while giving ourselves a healthy dose of humility and “self-integration” in recognizing that given the right set of circumstances and contexts . . . we might just as easily be found in a similar place.
@griz irrespective of all that, we *know* better. God did not for some reason. Strange.
@Jear77
Again I allude to the notion of the child who is certain that they “know better” than the parents!
They are SO convinced that they do.
But they very rarely do. Most of their assertions fall into the category of “cutely naive”.
@griz So if a hypothetical were to go out at god’s command and commit genocide, there would be no legal consequences for our actions? The person in the court of law would tell the court that the law against such is naive?
@Jear77
Using the Biblical model, to whom does all life ultimately belong? I know that grates on our individuality and ego, but think of it from the context of all of Scripture.
And in a way, even science. We are all “results” of whatever . . . the “Big Bang” was. We are “of it”; so whenever the Universe decides to “reclaim us” (individually or as a race), that is it’s “”right””. But again, ego and the “importance of the individual” rails at this.
I’m neither blind to, nor dismissing the very few Biblical instances where the eradication of a culture was mandated by God. In a way it balances against the cultures (like the Ninevehites) that were no in covenant with God but who he sent prophets to and blessed for wise decisions “unto life”.
Let’s not forget that he protected and gave his blessings to Hagar and Ishmael, the start of the Islamic cultures. And their wise men came to celebrate Christ’s birth even when His “Covenant People” mostly overlooked it.
All life is God’s. It started from an “exaltation” of . . . something . . . beyond our understanding into this obscure corner of reality. And even science recognizes in it’s own way that “all life will return” from whence it came some day.
Our task, is to learn to manage our ego, our feelings, our “flesh” that want’s US to be the new “almighty”; even if just in our own minds!
@griz that avoided the subject nicely. Let’s make this more personal. You are commanded by god to eradicate a culture, to commit genocide. Do you obey? If so, what will your defense be in a court of law?
@Jear77
There’s a difference between a dodge, and just not jumping through the hoops you want jumped through!
I covered as best as I’m currently able to, the rare issues when God did degree the eradication of a culture.
If “something” commanded me to eradicate even a single person . . . I would be asking why the God of Life would be asking me to do such a thing. I would probably make use of every spiritual exercise I know to make sure this was not just the voice of my ego or of the Destroyer (who btw is in intimate relationship with our ego until we learn how to not be pwned by it. This is why “flesh opposes Spirit”)
I probably could if I it was clear this was God’s will. But it would have to be DAMN clear, like nothing else in life had ever been clearer!
And then I would not have a concern for whatever physical jurisprudence might have in store for me.
Of greater concern would be God’s view on what I did. Was it truly “of Him” . . . or just of my ego masquerading as Him? Most urges to end a life, come from the latter.
Which actually ties in very nicely with the idea of having to count our ego as “loss” to truly accept the Salvation of God through Christ. And then backed up by the promise that anything we might sacrifice for God’s greater glory, will never be counted as loss in the fullness of time.
If we invite Christ to be “King” but then still hold out little thrones for “king me” to sit on . . . we’re not really serious in our invite for Him to be Lord and King of our lives, are we?
@griz the point is he did such machinations in the past. And the further point is the bible says “I change not.” Remember Abraham with is son Issac? He commanded entire nations to be wiped out… many of the lives which were based off of the fact that he had saved others – the progeny of those who were saved out of Sodom and Gomorrah. Let Abraham know the entire story of what would happen. But like an asshole he did not. He commands his own son to die for a select few who will eventually end up in heaven. These examples are among the reasons why there is an ultimate checkmate against the concept of faith in the god of the bible I will always have.
@Jear77
You would make great advances if you were to stop worshiping “the letter that kills” as if it is God!
Is it so inconceivable that the revelation of God would make a quantum leap with God-manifest-in-flesh?
Or an even greater leap with the provision of the Holy Spirit to EVERY willing child of God in a way far superior to the limited “visitations” of the OT?
Remember that as “fully God and fully Man”, Jesus was doing this himself even if he allowed a glimpse in the Garden of his flesh showing trepidation. No matter how “all-powerful” we might hold God to be (me perhaps moreso than you), there was still personal cost as per PhP 2:3-11.
Consider too . . . does the child TRULY understand the sacrifices and costs a parent joyfully absorbs out of love for that child? Their fancying that they do, is just callow.
@griz Interesting… yet god demands us A) follow the letter and the spirit of the law perfectly [which he knows we cannot do] OR B) accept his son. Yet when we throw back the selfsame standards in god’s face he shrinks back from it or requires that we don’t see the problems with what he’s asking of us or how he treated people in the past. That’s the very image of the perfect Hypocrite. You see the reason why I embraced by hypocrisy is that in doing so it allows me to be whatever I want to be; I simply have ceased to care what my actions, words look like to others. If it gets me enemies or people to not like me, I really don’t care. God’s very nature attempts to reject the very concept of hypocrisy, even though it’s apparent in everything he does; this disconnect between his words and actions is his very nature.
@Jear77
It’s more religion that pushes “letter-of-the-law” obedience. All the better to condemn you with and aggrandize themselves for a rote obedience of the word without ever participating with the Spirit of it.
This by all and every account . . . would seem to be what brings you to the place of rejection you are in today.
And for follow up, remember that what is in the past is in the past. Particularly a past pre-Christ. And this could equally apply to a present that still tries to religiously relate to God as if the Holy Spirit is not now with us for the purpose of fellowship, instruction, power etc.
@griz You fail to see how even in the new testament how this hypocrisy continued. The parable of the 10 wise and 10 foolish maidens. If faith is something that is a such a deep and overwhelming “need” in a person’s life why shouldn’t it be transferable, instead of selfishly hoarded by the ones who still had it? He preached love… yet he obliterated 2 people who only told a lie. Were that going on today, there’d be few dishonest people… and absolutely no politicians who claimed to be christian, because they can’t help but lie. Judas was the most important man to god’s plan of salvation, yet the bible clearly states that he’s damned, instead of being praised as the one who let it happen. God wants followers, yet couldn’t even allow Jesus to appear to those who crucified him and let his resurrection be recorded (I’m sure the doctors of the day would have gladly verified it was the same man they crucified.) God outright rejected someone who wanted to purchase the power, when it would have given another follower when they were desperately needed, and would have spread the word, when elsewhere in the new testament it states it doesn’t matter why a person preaches. And these are off the top of my head without doing any research
@Jear77
It not working the way we’d like or easily understand (ie, for our own glory) is not an indication of hypocrisy!
We are simply dealing with something (the faith OF God, not our faith IN God) that is not transferable. Just as marital bliss, peace, joy, friendship is not transferable. I cannot be a friend to someone else, for you.
You have to do it.
Just as you cannot judge and condemn God for things reported but which are not a part of your witness. Just as you cannot be blessed for the many things my fellowship with the Spirit has yielded, on my witness. (But you can still wonder what process is at work in my life to have yielded so many blessings, and the power to not be fearful of or “triggered” by even considerable trial and trauma!).
Consider that Jesus was revealed . . . to those who were already in process with him. And to those who were craving process with him.
Those who had just crucified him did not have this or crave this. They were frightened, and looking for ways to protect the religious constructs they felt were their lord, king, and savior.
And if someone wanted to purchase something of spiritual power or consequence from me, I would probably walk away and let them deal with whatever internal process of their trying to “own God” might come. (BTW, YOU’RE not trying to “own God” . . . are you ???)
Even with brief exposure to God’s word, it should be clear that God is not playing a game of numbers, but one of quality. It’s not how many friends (or “likes”) one has . . . as how many of them are real true friends you can count on in a pinch.
Or can count on them to field great expenditure for your benefit and say “No problem, forget about it”.
You are hunting for excuses. It’s consuming all time and energy that might otherwise be spent looking for answer.
@griz that’s the key word: GAME- and one you finally see… but not as a problem, ironically enough. I refuse to play. I sideline myself from both teams (when, in reality there should be so many more… how many teams does the average sport have: football, baseball, basketball, hockey?), so my actions will not be used for either side. I cannot, will not, and must not participate in something like that. So no, sorry.
@Jear77
Actually it was “game of numbers” I said: and clearly stated that this was NOT what God is about.
You would benefit greatly from mastering the desire to just extract and insert, what your feel you need to. It’s done with people, with experiences, with feelings and fears, with religion, with the Bible . . .
Game-players think everyone else is playing games. They are not prepared for anyone that is not — and indeed cannot understand (or fathom??) anyone or anything that is not.
A game can be a good analogy or allegory. But not a good owning mindset.
Don’t just seek to play a different kind of game. Look for an experience beyond just playing.
This is relationship. This fellowship. The people always wanting to play games with everyone around them can never truly know this.
The playing back and forth with each other can come and be a wholesome thing AFTER fellowship is established and properly attended to. But starting on a stance of intending to play games with another . . . forever excludes true fellowship with them.
We are forever excluded from access to God’s Spirit . . . if we start with a stance that either we or He are in it just to play games with the other.
There comes a point where we have to give up role of game-player . . . and certainly abolish any delusions of being The GameMaster.
@griz watch your linguistics/ grammar please! the way I read it was “not a game of numbers, but one [a game] of quality” … otherwise “one” has no reference with which to pin itself to….
In either case… I see a very clear case in the bible whereby it lays out as a game with 2 players: god and the devil, with the forces playing with the people as pawns on a chess board. As you have pointed out before, it’s impossible to understand fully such a being. So you wouldn’t even know if you were being manipulated for its own machinations at day’s end, would you?
@Jear77
It’s the difference perhaps between the freedom to use “game” as analogy or allegory; and it being the only frame within which all things happen!
OK, it is not ONE of quanity, but ONE of quality.
Which is preferable? Cranking out a plethora of kids and hoping at least ONE turns out well? Or just having one and expending the effort and love to make sure they turn out well?
Yea, the allegory of a game is there. Phrased this way perhaps, because we are creature who dearly (desperately??) LOVE our games. But what if this is only the very beginning of a germ of understanding of all that is afoot?
The only way a child can know for sure their parent isn’t manipulating them, is after years of fellowship with them; and emerging with the freedom to go and do and be who they choose to be.
The “fear that they might be toxic” will very effectively poison the relationship . . . even if there was no toxicity there.
Which then invites introspection on a “presumption of poison” mindset: how does one come to be “owned” by such a thing that they would presume it is all around them and perhaps the only reality there is?
You asked in another post what there was we needed to be “saved” from. . . .
@griz yet again either god made a mistake in creating the universe such as it is whereby an evil force/ being would be able to tempt adam and eve or he deliberately set things up to fail, which is in stark opposition to his so called perfection. I think it’s the latter. He WANTED things to fail, wanted to cast Adam and Even from the garden of Eden to begin with, DESIRED imperfection of sin – and the control that he would get out of it, THUS he created a being he knew would turn on him so we would be put in AND allowed for it to happen so mankind would have no choice: a rock and a hard place, in which he had to provide salvation in the form of his son. If that’s NOT game play, I don’t know what is! This is not love… this is NOTHING but a game of control, the move of someone who wants those who follow him to have Stockholm syndrome, nothing more. Had he wanted to he could have destroyed lucifer from the get go… or simply decided not to create him to begin with. Or he failed to see the threat, the potentiality of the war in heaven, nor the leader of them desiring to overthrow him … which is not the type of a god you say you serve. You see, Adam and Eve (nor any of their children… that is if they were sexually aware, mature enough to produce them before the fall) were innocent enough that they didn’t need feel the need to question god’s authority… or disobey it out of curiosity or thirst for knowledge, without the impetus of actual temptation.
Unavoidable; being diagnosed with diabetes about 30 years ago.
Avoidable; dying from complications of diabetes within a few months,.. by actively taking control of my insulin management…and having the wisdom to have loved a woman who cares more about my own welfare than I do myself.
most of my injuries have been avoidable, although they all happened so fast i didnt know they were coming. but then again the choices that put me in those places and positions were clear enough…
now the deciding factors are whether or not i am proactive… i feel like i cant make up for past mistakes. but i can do better now. i quit smoking 11 years ago – yay me! will this make a difference on the life span i altered at the time? we will see. but i wont be starting up again now. im working on physical health issues as best i can so now its up to me… keep up the routine or suffer for it. these are my consequences now.