Karma

Its not just the evil people thriving though that convinces me that that paradigm of karma is broken. Nasty, petty and small people frequently succeed in life. Shit floats to the top. Every had a boss or a supervisor that was petty or narcissistic? Ever seen someone move ahead based on someone else's work or ideas? It happens all the time and selling a line that some immeasurable "force" is out there wrecking psychic havoc on that person's soul is not comforting and does not balance things out.

If it helps you sleep at night, by all means, knock yourself out and have a heaping slice of karma-cake. For me, I think you make your own luck and make your own destiny. You don't always get what you deserve, but you also don't always give what you owe. I don't need a psuedo-religious construct to convince me to live a good, kind and positive life. Originally Posted by enderwiggin

Strictly my beliefs:

I think the rational you apply is to absolutist and confining. It's strict definitions and repercussions don't allow room for other factors - I think it's a common flaw that both religious radicals and hard nosed non-believers are equally guilty of.

I don't think anyone has gone through life with continuous bad behavior, without it effecting them. Being in a position of power or wealth doesn't mean they have healthy relationships or are even remotely happy. Power and wealth is not a gift of Good Karma because they have nothing to do with authentic happiness. People hide their suffering. Those who actively like making others miserable in general like to display "look how much better I am then you". You'll likely never see how ugly their lives really are.

It's not a matter of scientific principals that work like math, it's good common sense. If you're awful to the world, you'll never have good relationships with friends, relatives or intimates, or find a peaceful place in life.

As far as "bad things happen to good people" we cannot control the actions of bad people, and so their actions have nothing to do with us. There is a lack of free will there, as life evolves and you choose your steps, your path unfortunately colliding with an asshole.

And worst of all, and most horrifying to the human mind, is the radical free factor that is totally random. Horrible freak accidents, a result of random chance, do occur. In part you could argue fate - your leaving two hours late because you couldn't find you keys put you in a certain place at a certain time, as a result of being tired the night before, because your running late on a deadline that etc....

The human mind has a hard time grasping the concept that things can happen without cause. If things move, it's because something moved it. It's basic principal of how our cognitive mind is built to examine the universe around us. The idea that something completely random and destructive may happen, despite being a wonderful person, leaves people feeling powerless and frightened. To some accepting that would make the world a mysterious alien place.

[quote=discreetgent;32703]If there were scientific proof that karma exist then the initial post would be moot. QUOTE] True dat. You can not disprove, I'm God. Does that make me so?

I'm not sure it would really need to be Godless religion. There is no reason that karma cannot exist within a the confines of a religion. Originally Posted by discreetgent

It either exist or it doesn't. I was merely pointing out (or trying to ) that it just seemed to be another form of a belief system.
Albeit a more individualistic one. Not exclusive to but at least moreso.

To me karma either supplements randomness or takes credit for hard work....or lack of, depending on the karma of course.

Strictly my beliefs:

I think the rational you apply is to absolutist and confining. It's strict definitions and repercussions don't allow room for other factors - I think it's a common flaw that both religious radicals and hard nosed non-believers are equally guilty of.

I don't think anyone has gone through life with continuous bad behavior, without it effecting them. Being in a position of power or wealth doesn't mean they have healthy relationships or are even remotely happy. Power and wealth is not a gift of Good Karma because they have nothing to do with authentic happiness. People hide their suffering. Those who actively like making others miserable in general like to display "look how much better I am then you". You'll likely never see how ugly their lives really are.

It's not a matter of scientific principals that work like math, it's good common sense. If you're awful to the world, you'll never have good relationships with friends, relatives or intimates, or find a peaceful place in life.

As far as "bad things happen to good people" we cannot control the actions of bad people, and so their actions have nothing to do with us. There is a lack of free will there, as life evolves and you choose your steps, your path unfortunately colliding with an asshole.

And worst of all, and most horrifying to the human mind, is the radical free factor that is totally random. Horrible freak accidents, a result of random chance, do occur. In part you could argue fate - your leaving two hours late because you couldn't find you keys put you in a certain place at a certain time, as a result of being tired the night before, because your running late on a deadline that etc....

The human mind has a hard time grasping the concept that things can happen without cause. If things move, it's because something moved it. It's basic principal of how our cognitive mind is built to examine the universe around us. The idea that something completely random and destructive may happen, despite being a wonderful person, leaves people feeling powerless and frightened. To some accepting that would make the world a mysterious alien place. Originally Posted by Lauren Summerhill

Interesting. But isn't the underlying idea behind karma that if the universe is pushed upon, the universe will push back? Whether you call it force or energy or just raw belief, you're are still tacitly acknowledging that there is an external power that will exert its will back upon you depending on the nature of your actions.

It seems to me you're saying that karma works, unless its doesn't. The universe will find balance, unless something random happens and in that case it won't. Sorry but thats not very convincing to me. People like to call karma a "law" or a "fact" or a "truth" to lend it more credibility. But if something is a universal law/fact/truth it will ALWAYS demonstrate itself regardless of the conditions. How come karma can be a law/fact/truth without functioning consistently? Its because its not any of those things. Its a belief. And beliefs allow the mind to stop functioning and a non-functioning mind is clinically dead. (Thank you, Maynard James Keenan)

I have long since accepted the random and relative nature of the world I live in. I don't require explanations for everything.

It seems to me you're saying that karma works, unless its doesn't. Originally Posted by enderwiggin

LOL....that is how I read it.

Either it 'tis or it 'tisn't is my belief! LOL

Some people hate the confines of facts and further apply superstition onto things thay have little control over or have yet to grasp the understanding of.

Just like other superstitions, I don't believe in karma, per se., but I do believe in psychology. I think that people tend to associate with others like themselves or else become overconfident in their ability to manipulate others. Eventually, the con generally gets conned or shut down and the terminally naive idiots will find cons who are too stupid to con them.

npita, Did you recently watch 'The Sting' with Newman and Redford?

Johnny Hooker: I checked the place first. There were no dicks in there.
Luther: But you're a con man! And you blew it like a pimp!

I believe in the Butterfly Effect.
I also believe nothing done , can be un-done.
Any and every action creates waves of vibration which ripple out , causing an effect.... which ripple out and cause other effects.... to infinity. In thinking that way.... I feel that everything has already been done perfectly.... because that's the only way we could have arrived at this moment in the present. And I think many of us will agree. . . . The Present is the only REAL thing we have!

Given my luck.... I can't afford to bet against Karma very strongly!

Having said the above..... consult my signature line, below!

Giz

npita, Did you recently watch 'The Sting' with Newman and Redford? Originally Posted by WTF

No, but I own a business and all of its assets because I was smarter than the former owner who had successfully conned his partners and thought he could con me. Also, when I was a newbie at this, I made the mistake of loaning more than 7k to a provider. I got repaid and she got what she wanted (into another line of work) despite her attempts to disappear and do it her way.

If a person jerks people around long enough, that person will eventually meet his/her match.

No, but I own a business and all of its assets because I was smarter than the former owner who had successfully conned his partners and thought he could con me. Also, when I was a newbie at this, I made the mistake of loaning more than 7k to a provider. I got repaid and she got what she wanted (into another line of work) despite her attempts to disappear and do it her way.

If a person jerks people around long enough, that person will eventually meet his/her match. Originally Posted by npita

When a person with experience meets a person with money...the person with experience ends up with the money...and the person with money ends up with the experience.

Now that's Karma!

When a person with experience meets a person with money...the person with experience ends up with the money...and the person with money ends up with the experience.

Now that's Karma! Originally Posted by Rudyard K

LOL, that's awesome.

Experience is what you get , when you don't get what you want!

Karma is a bitch is a great line but I am dubious of it as a statement of reality Originally Posted by discreetgent

.

Too many crooked people out there succeeding after years of running over the little guys

Okay: Don't PO Olivia.

Now if she would just turn up the "white level" on her avatar. Originally Posted by SR Only

I was being artsie-fartsie. I’ll try fiddling with it tomorrow. Or wait for another all naked day as declared by PJ and put up a different one.

I believe in the Butterfly Effect.
I also believe nothing done , can be un-done.
Any and every action creates waves of vibration which ripple out , causing an effect.... which ripple out and cause other effects.... to infinity. In thinking that way.... I feel that everything has already been done perfectly.... because that's the only way we could have arrived at this moment in the present. And I think many of us will agree. . . . The Present is the only REAL thing we have!

Given my luck.... I can't afford to bet against Karma very strongly!

Having said the above..... consult my signature line, below!

Giz Originally Posted by MrGiz

To extrapolate a but further on effects, I definitely think there is a reaction for every action. If you do this, then you can expect that as a reaction. It’s kind of like the law of gravity. It’s always there lurking and waiting for you to step a toe out of line. It’s not karma per se, but it is a law of the universe.