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Question on Karma


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This is a question that came to mind after reading another thread on Karma.

 

Here is my question, I have seen/heard people say before since they believe in God and are Christains they do not believe in Karma. Ok, fine. Well, I'm a God believer and I do believe in Karma. I have seen/heard people who believe in God say, they do believe others will reap what they sow or what goes around comes around kind of thing. Well, to me, that is the same kind of thing as Karma.

 

I believe people can or will make their own Karma by having consequences for their actions. To me, that is with anything, and can apply to anyone.

 

Thoughts?

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The Collector

If you believe in Karma you are suggesting 6 million Jews had the Holocaust coming, that cancer or Aids are deserved, that disabled people must have done something bad in a previous life, ... it's a dubious and potentially offensive belief in my opinion.

 

'You reap what you sow' is often true, but it's not a universal law.

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I can see what you're saying. However, I guess its all in how someone views it too, I don't view it like that at all.

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IMO, don't say "People reap what they sow", and then say you don't believe in Karma, because to me I think its pretty much along the same lines. Its all about getting back what you give or have done to another.

 

Not only has it happeend to myself but I have seen it happen to others way to often to not belive it doesn't exsist. I think Karma can come in lighter forms depending on what it was a person had done. I don't think its so much a physical thing as it is a mind thing too. So saying someone's karma was cancer because of something they done to another is more extreme, I think they suffer their karma more in the mind.

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LOL, this reminds me of a co worker I used to know a few years back.

 

She believed in karma. Only good karma though. :D

 

In other words if you do something good for others, then you will get something good back. I can see that and agree with it. BUT, she did not believe in someone getting back "bad karma" for something they did that wasn't so good.

 

I don't get that at all, I wouldn't think you could believe in one with out the other. But hey, maybe thats just how she convinced herself.

 

 

Anyway, I think ALL people get back what they give. Be it good or not so good. Its not for me to say what a persons Karma might be though, because I don't know.

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The Collector
Meaning? :)

 

Meaning 'you reap what you sow' is a useful and often true idea, but there are far too many incidents of the good suffering and the evil getting away with it throughout history (slavery?) for it to be a universal law, which is what (this version of) Karmic Law would entail.

 

The idea that the rewards and punishment might not be obvious, and consist of mental suffering is again sometimes, even often, true IMO - but there are too many evil dictators that died peacefully in their sleep without ever questioning what they did was wrong, and too many innocent good people who nevertheless do not achieve mental happiness or satisfaction, and often quite the opposite.

 

It's very tempting to want to believe the universe is fair, that cosmic justice is meted out somehow, in this life or the next. But outside of the general 'virtue is it's own reward' maxim, I don't see it.

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Collector, do you believe we all live in a world without consequences?

 

Do you believe there are people who do get back the good things they give to others?

 

Just asking, not trying to start anything. :)

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The Collector
Collector, do you believe we all live in a world without consequences?

 

Do you believe there are people who do get back the good things they give to others?

 

Just asking, not trying to start anything. :)

 

Like I say, I think a lot of the time people do get punished and rewarded by their actions in this life. I think selfish people tend to be unhappier and good-natured people often lead richer lives. I just don't think there is a universal law of justice that ensures this always happens. That's why I am careful to use modifiers like 'a lot of the time,' 'tend to' and 'often,' and argue against any idea of 'Karma' that promises this is neatly enforced by the universe, however nice and fair that would be.

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people say before since they believe in God and are Christains they do not believe in Karma.

Growing up Catholic, they didn't talk about Karma but they sure did stress that "good people go to heaven" and "bad people burn in hell" -- for most, it's still about reward and punishment.

Maybe it's just that some are more comfortable calling it 'karma', or 'consequences', or saying 'we reap what we sow'?

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Growing up Catholic, they didn't talk about Karma but they sure did stress that "good people go to heaven" and "bad people burn in hell" -- for most, it's still about reward and punishment.

Maybe it's just that some are more comfortable calling it 'karma', or 'consequences', or saying 'we reap what we sow'?

 

 

Yeah...I agree. I think people can call it whatever they like, but to me it all basically boils down to the same thing.

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Yes, I do believe that you get back what you sow.

 

As an illustration of such, if I see someone looking lost or see a little old lady with a bag that looks too heavy, I try to help. I've had this returned by complete strangers many a time. If I look lost, strangers will help without me asking.

 

My mother had breast cancer a number of years ago. Previous to this happening, for decades, she fund raised for this cause. Through early screening, they caught her breast cancer in the early stages, removed it right away and since then, hasn't had a recurrence.

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Dark-N-Romantic

Karma, justice, getting what one deserves, paying someone back what they are owed, all of it is essentially the same concept and meaning. Whatever it is, it is something that works according the whim of a higher power, even if that higher power is the universe and nature itself.

 

 

DNR

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