Have you seen Karma happen?

[pedroims]

For me it is more about reaping what we sow. If I make enemies they I come back and harm me. If I cheat on my wife she may divorce me.

I don't see it as divine retribution or anything like that. It is more like a parent telling their child not to play in the street because they could get hit by a car. If that child does get hit by a car it is not because the parent wants to punish them or anything like that. In fact that is the last thing any parent wants for their child.

So yes we reap what we sew but I thinks it is just more a fact of life than any type of karma or divine retribution.

As a follower of Jesus I believe that God gives us direction to try and keep us out of trouble. Just like a parent and a child.

And that is what Karma means, understanding the consequence of our actions, it is a law that goes beyond this life, as it is written: Galatians 6:8-9

For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

 

[96tbird]

Anybody else surprised at how many P&W guys believe in karma? I am pretty sure those concepts do not go hand in hand...

I am with 3234718. Life is full of random instances that people attribute to karma or miracles. If you believe in the concept of miracles or karma then those things happen, if you don't believe then they are just random instances.

Concepts similar to karma are part of most theologies, when those theologies use the word karma, they're actually just borrowing the term.

Since there are three (at least) recognized karma concepts, hence three accepted definitions, it's an easy word to co-opt into vernacular.

Let's face it, in the west it's just another buzz word.

 

[Tituscrow]

For me it is more about reaping what we sow. If I make enemies they I come back and harm me. If I cheat on my wife she may divorce me.

I don't see it as divine retribution or anything like that. It is more like a parent telling their child not to play in the street because they could get hit by a car. If that child does get hit by a car it is not because the parent wants to punish them or anything like that. In fact that is the last thing any parent wants for their child.

So yes we reap what we sew but I thinks it is just more a fact of life than any type of karma or divine retribution.

As a follower of Jesus I believe that God gives us direction to try and keep us out of trouble. Just like a parent and a child.

Here we go again...take your nonsensical ramblings over to the Lobby you crazy old loon

 

[slobake]

Here we go again...take your nonsensical ramblings over to the Lobby you crazy old loon

That is Mr. Crazy Old Loon to you buddy.
Seriously though I did think my attempt at an explanation was non-religous until I got into the God wanting the best for us part.
We do reap what we sow in this life and that would happen with or without God. I believe it is just a fact of life.
For instance, If I am always mouthing off and challenging everyone here for no good reason expept to win agruements no one is going to take me seriously. That is not karma that is just human nature.
I want to make sure that you sir do not think that I see you in that way. Neither one of us are perfect little angels but we are not trolls either.

 

[slobake]

Let's try to keep the Jesus stuff out of the conversation. There are special forums you can babble on about that.

I hear you, my apologies.

 

[Tituscrow]

That is Mr. Crazy Old Loon to you buddy.

Seriously though I did think my attempt at an explanation was non-religous until I got into the God wanting the best for us part.

We do reap what we sow in this life and that would happen with our without God. I believe it is just a fact of life.

For instance, If I am always mouthing off and challenging everyone here for no good reason expept to win agruements no one is going to take me seriously. That is not karma that is just human nature.

I want to make sure that you sir do not think that I see you in that way. Neither one of us are perfect little angels but we are not trolls either.

What about those people who are just mean sonsabitches their entire lives, and never suffer any comeuppance? How do they 'reap what they sow'?

If this 'karma' of what you speak exists, then why is it so selective?

For me, that's yet another nail in the coffin of an absurd ideology.

And for the pedants here, I'm not talking about any after-life style comeuppance, I'm talking about the 'what-goes-around-comes-around-in-THIS-life' school of thought.

 

[slobake]

What about those people who are just mean sonsabitches their entire lives, and never suffer any comeuppance? How do they 'reap what they sow'?

If this 'karma' of what you speak exists, then why is it so selective?

For me, that's yet another nail in the coffin of an absurd ideology.

And for the pedants here, I'm not talking about any after-life style comeuppance, I'm talking about the 'what-goes-around-comes-around-in-THIS-life' school of thought.

I think what people like that reap is the fact that they are mean an miserable. Not the fact that someone that they screwed will get retribution or anything like that.
I don't that is what is commonly held as karma these days. I don't believe in that.
You are correct some people get away with all kinds of shenanigans all their lives. They may get over on people and have a lot of possessions, power and even fame. Still I contend that none of that will make them happy. That is the reaping part I speak of.

 

[BassyBill]

People who believe in stuff like Karma are going to feel pretty let down when life experience kicks them up straight up the ass - is that Karma?

 

[slobake]

People who believe in dumb stuff like Karma are going to feel pretty let down when life experience kicks them up straight up the ass - is that Karma?

That is a great point. All of us good, bad and everything in between people have tough times in our lives. I think how we react to those times reflects on how we have lived our lives and has nothing to do with Karma.
Do I lash out angrily and blame other people? If that is how I have dealt with things that is what I am going to do when life kicks me in the keester.
Do I withdraw and get depressed? That is usually how I react, but is stay in that place less and less as I grow. I hope I never react to tough times by just staying in my lonely, depressed self-pity. That is why I practice dealing with life in what I see as a healthy, rational way even though it takes me a while to get there sometimes. It is practice for when the fecal matter really hits the rotating cooling device.
All this has nothing to do with karma.

 

[edpal]

What about those people who are just mean sonsabitches their entire lives, and never suffer any comeuppance? How do they 'reap what they sow'?

If this 'karma' of what you speak exists, then why is it so selective?

For me, that's yet another nail in the coffin of an absurd ideology.

And for the pedants here, I'm not talking about any after-life style comeuppance, I'm talking about the 'what-goes-around-comes-around-in-THIS-life' school of thought.

That's why this thread is so circular, different people are operating under a different ideology/belief of when meaningful life ends. It's like two people arguing about the distance to be traveled when they haven't agree on the destination.

If the final destination is "last breath" as you seem to believe(sorry if I have presumed wrong) then yes, karma would seem to be very selective and inconsistent, a total dice roll.

However if there is something meanful beyond "last breath" karma could turn out to be extremely consistent and only subjectively selective.

 

[BassyBill]

That is a great point. All of us good, bad and everything in between people have tough times in our lives. I think how we react to those times reflects on how we have lived our lives and has nothing to do with Karma.
Do I lash out angrily and blame other people? If that is how I have dealt with things that is what I am goint to do.
Do I withdraw and get depressed? That is usually how I react, but so far I don't stay in that place. I hope I never get to that point. That is why I practice dealing with life in what I see as a healthy, rational way even though it takes me a while to get there sometimes. It is practice for when the fecal matter really hits the rotating cooling device.
All this has nothing to do with karma.

Hey, don't take me too seriously.

My real thoughts go like this:

Sometimes, the choices we make affect us - for good, or for bad.
Sometimes, they don't. We can just drop lucky or unlucky.

No supernatural explanations involving Karma or anything else are necessary to understand this.

 

[slobake]

Hey, don't take me too seriously.

Take you seriously? Only if it has to do with football.

 

[edpal]

People who believe in stuff like Karma are going to feel pretty let down when life experience kicks them up straight up the ass - is that Karma?

No, karma doesn't come into play with a passive or innocent victim of chance, circumstance or the actions of others. The concept of karma is the one who actively acts (commission) in a harmful way to others will ultimately receive an equal amount of harm.

Not really being a student of karma theory I'm not sure how acts of omission would be handled.

I'm thinking in-this-life events that seem like karmic comeuppance are just us focusing on a level of retribution we think a particular party is due. We'll never get that so-so for what they did - oh cool, karma just took care of it for me. High Fives all around.

 

[machine gewehr]

define 'better life'.

You are right, there is no "better life" in this, but...

2 people made me change the way I am. Both times I was completely helpless.

First time, I was 14 and was being bullied by two kids. The smaller one was twice my size. You can imagine that getting beaten every day for a year leaves one with scars for a life time. That year, I learned that I can't even trust my family.

The other time was during my military service. First time I trusted someone only to be let down to a complete devastation after 14 years. I honestly don't know how to recover from that, if I ever will. I'll never trust any one in my entire life again, I know that much.


What I mean by better life is, If these 2 traumatic events didn't happen, I could have been a normal person that can enjoy a sunset. Instead of enjoying a sunset I check behind me if there's some one sneaking up on me while thinking about how I'll never feel the same, trust anyone and probably never going to have a family of my own.

And knowing 2 of these people are relatively happy right now is making me crazy. (I didn't check how they were doing, I learned by consequences it's a small world after all.)

In around 2008, one of my good friends (and her boyfriend) was killed by a drunk driver.


The man responsible, released on bail, was killed by a drunk driver a few weeks later.

I'm so sorry for your friends, not for the killers.



Lots of good points in this thread, it's been a good read. **** happens, Karma or not. Sometimes the events seem random, sometimes seems like they're connected somehow and all you can do is live with it.

 

[fraublugher]

Looking both ways before crossing the street now includes looking behind you.

 

[slobake]

You are right, there is no "better life" in this, but...

2 people made me change the way I am. Both times I was completely helpless.

First time, I was 14 and was being bullied by two kids. The smaller one was twice my size. You can imagine that getting beaten every day for a year leaves one with scars for a life time. That year, I learned that I can't even trust my family.

The other time was during my military service. First time I trusted someone only to be let down to a complete devastation after 14 years. I honestly don't know how to recover from that, if I ever will. I'll never trust any one in my entire life again, I know that much.


What I mean by better life is, If these 2 traumatic events didn't happen, I could have been a normal person that can enjoy a sunset. Instead of enjoying a sunset I check behind me if there's some one sneaking up on me while thinking about how I'll never feel the same, trust anyone and probably never going to have a family of my own.

And knowing 2 of these people are relatively happy right now is making me crazy. (I didn't check how they were doing, I learned by consequences it's a small world after all.

I'm sorry to hear about this. When I think about the stuff some of us go through when we are young, it's a wonder we are sane at all.

 

[tastybasslines]

This is PERFECT. This is what seeing "karma happen" really is. LOL

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[metron]

Priceless!

 

[bachlover]

Made my day!

 

[machine gewehr]

I believe.