I recently watched The Adjustment Bureau for the 3rd time. This film stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt as two people mired in the struggle to define themselves and their purpose while other hands play with their path, and fate.

The basic premise of the movie is this: a higher power writes and re-writes the path we are on. When we veer from that pre-defined path, events take place that attempt to put us back on that path. These actions can manifest themselves as spilling coffee, making the wrong turn, missing the bus, losing your keys, etc. It can be any small detail that changes an immediate moment, but has ripples across time, and the rest of your life. The idea of free-thinking or free-will is presented as an illusion, that the higher power teases us with as a cover for what is really going.

I love the acting, the script, and the chemistry between the two leads. They present a wonderful topic in a down to earth way, using love (two people who are “meant” to be together) to discuss the idea of following a pre-determined path, or the ability of humans to create their own. Where is the line between our actions and a higher power’s actions?

I would like to open this topic up for discussion with 8 questions to get things going. I would love for people to chime in with responses, a personal story, anything that engages the readers here on this topic.

1. Do you believe in a pre-defined path or destiny?
2. How does this make you feel?
3. Do you believe we make our own path, with no plan from a higher power?
4. How did you come to this belief?
5. Were there any events that provided a life changing moment, perhaps completely changing your opinion and belief?
6. Is it ok to have a hybrid belief system?
7. What is belief?
8. What is fate?