Do you believe in karma?

[edwardmurphy]

Karma belongs to the silly religions of India and points East.

1. Rude.
2. Glass houses.
3. Inaccurate. There's plenty of religious diversity east of wherever you're sitting, and karma is hardly a universally accepted idea.

A Christian who thinks karma is real is seriously confused in his faith.

The majority seem to be.

An atheist who thinks karma is real is also confused in his faith not thinking logically.

Atheism isn't a religion, atheists don't have a faith, and it's tiresome argument.

Don't bother, Rick. I'm not getting into it.

[Hortator]

Aaaaand down the toilet this thread goes

[Kenny]

I'd classify it as a world-view, because it's a way you view the world.

According to my understanding; a world view is a comprehensive philosophy of life encompassing a wide range of beliefs on morality, epistemology, methodology, etc.

Atheism is a position pertaining to ONE particular belief; the existence of God/Gods. While it may or may not be a part of one’s worldview, or even effect one’s worldview in a number of ways, it is insufficient in and of itself to be called a worldview.

An example might be; a person might be a communist in the question of economics, but communism isn’t their worldview, just their position on a specific topic; it is an aspect of their worldview.

Ken

[RickD]

Karma belongs to the silly religions of India and points East.

1. Rude.
2. Glass houses.
3. Inaccurate. There's plenty of religious diversity east of wherever you're sitting, and karma is hardly a universally accepted idea.

A Christian who thinks karma is real is seriously confused in his faith.

The majority seem to be.

An atheist who thinks karma is real is also confused in his faith not thinking logically.

Atheism isn't a religion, atheists don't have a faith, and it's tiresome argument.

Don't bother, Rick. I'm not getting into it.

And there goes Ed spouting off inaccuracies again. You're right. It is tiresome when certain atheists change the definition of atheism. At the heart of atheism is a belief that God doesn't exist.

[Audie]

audie wrote:
As silly as suggesting that atheism is a faith.

Still trying to convince yourself that atheism isn't a belief?

And you're supposed to be the rational one?

You do so love your equivocation. "Faith", " a belief", and, "what I believe
(or disbdlieve)", all sameeaah.*

It doesnt tak a whole lot to get more rational than those trying to concoct that atheism is a rdligion.


*
(For those benighted among ye who haven't been around Cantonese, that last is wasted)

[Kurieuo]

Can a person’s actions in this life have any effect on their future existence?
What is the Christian view?

Karma belongs to the silly religions of India and points East. A Christian who thinks karma is real is seriously confused in his faith. An atheist who thinks karma is real is also confused in his faith not thinking logically.

Hang on... don't many Christians say things when acts of God happen that it's because God doesn't like how the people are sinning, or shootings because God was removed from schools or something such? Or, if an individual is suffering that God mustn't be happy with them, they must be living a life of sin or something?

Get beyond the term "karma" to couch it in terms of sin and the like, and many Christians very much embrace it. And in ways that are just so wrong and rubbing salt into wounds.

[crackpot]

Hang on... don't many Christians say things when acts of God happen that it's because God doesn't like how the people are sinning, or shootings because God was removed from schools or something such? Or, if an individual is suffering that God mustn't be happy with them, they must be living a life of sin or something?

Christians who are unfamiliar with the Bible are not my problem. They are yours...you're the Christian. If you can't poke holes in your own argument, I certainly won't help you.

Get beyond the term "karma" to couch it in terms of sin and the like, and many Christians very much embrace it. And in ways that are just so wrong and rubbing salt into wounds.

Wonderful! Karma is sin! You and Kenny must be father and son. You both adhere to the
"Call It Whatever You Want And It Will Be That For You"

(Are you married to Audie?)

[Kurieuo]

Hang on... don't many Christians say things when acts of God happen that it's because God doesn't like how the people are sinning, or shootings because God was removed from schools or something such? Or, if an individual is suffering that God mustn't be happy with them, they must be living a life of sin or something?

Christians who are unfamiliar with the Bible are not my problem. They are yours...you're the Christian. If you can't poke holes in your own argument, I certainly won't help you.

Get beyond the term "karma" to couch it in terms of sin and the like, and many Christians very much embrace it. And in ways that are just so wrong and rubbing salt into wounds.

Wonderful! Karma is sin! You and Kenny must be father and son. You both adhere to the
"Call It Whatever You Want And It Will Be That For You"

(Are you married to Audie?)

You're funny, but happy to be more associated with them than yourself. How did you guess Audie was my wife? You seem very perceptive. We were hoping to keep that secret, but now.... thanks!

[melanie]

I guess I do believe in Karma but perhaps not in the convential way.
One good deed deserves another seems to be a direct consequence for good behaviour but I don't think it happens that way.
About a year ago I was at a pub with a friend, we found a table and sat down. There was a wallet on the table that had several hundred dollars inside. We considered giving it to the bouncers but we were worried about their honesty so we decided to hold onto it whilst we were sitting there, if the owner didn't show up we would have to hand it in. After about 30 mins a young bloke showed up and asked if we had seen his wallet, it was obvious it was his as he matched his liscence pic. He was over the moon and quite happy, I think a generous amount of beers added to his excitement.
He couldn't believe he got his wallet back with all monies which he told us was his fortnightly wage.
He said we must believe in karma to be so honest, my friend answered yes and I said well I believe in Jesus. He looked at me a bit funny and said same thing.
I thought he was wrong.
I thought about how every time over my lifetime that I had a wallet/purse lost or stolen I had never once had one handed back but I had every time been honest and handed back several lost wallets.
It didn't seem fair. In all my honesty it hadn't seemed to have come back around.
Point being Karma sucks and doesn't exist!!

Then I thought about acts of honesty and kindness. Exceptional circumstances where I have been overwhelmed by others thoughtfulness. It made me realise that every act of kindness and honesty causes a ripple effect that extends into and onto others. A continous flow of love, compassion and thoughtfulness. It may not flow back our way in the manner we want or desire but the tide always comes our way.
We do good because we know that goodness effects the human experience. Every act has a ripple that in turn effects another. It's a collective experience.
We don't know the outcome but we are in control of our input.

[Katabole]

I voted no as I consider karma to be a Hindu/Buddhist concept and not a Christian one.

If I was a Hindu or Buddhist and believed that karma is the spiritual force generated by my actions which determines my reincarnated situation, then the law of karma implies that every thought or deed, whether they are good or bad, will count in determining how I as an individual will be born in the next life on Earth. So by doing good things, I may be reincarnated as an eagle so I can fly or as a doctor that cures a disease. If I do bad things, I may be reincarnated as a centipede that someone steps on, a fish that gets caught by a hook or a beggar with Leprosy.

In Hindu belief, the person cannot be released from the karmic cycle until they are reborn into the Brahmin or priestly caste. Individuals therefore, are in control of their own salvation. That is in direct contradiction to the Christian concept that salvation only comes through belief in Jesus Christ.

Karma does not affect one’s relationship with Brahman, which in Hinduism, is the essence of existence within all things. Whether one’s karma is good or bad makes no difference to the fact that Hindus and Buddhists are unconditionally extended from the oneness of Brahman.

Some may believe Christianity has similarities to Hinduism and Buddhism from Galatians 6:7:

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

But there are many examples of evil people in this life who seem to live to a very old age, live in luxury and never face justice. There are also examples of good people who suffer massive injustices, who do not live very long and never receive justice. Therefore I consider Galatians 6:7, (and especially Psalm 37) and the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16, to reap what they sow upon resurrection from the dead. For a believer, that means they will reap an eternal life with Christ.

The Christian concept of sin and God, unlike the Hindu/Buddhist concept of karma and Brahman, does affect our relationship with God as we become alienated from Him. The attributes of God include righteousness and absolute moral holiness, and our sin reveals an attitude of rebellion against His authority.

My biggest problem with karma and why I consider it false, is that it makes morality like a law of nature, it does not allow for the possibility of forgiveness and makes Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection meaningless. Because our God (unlike Brahman), is personal and because people can ask for forgiveness, God is faithful to his promise and He can and will forgive our sin and has proven it through Jesus Christ.

[Danieltwotwenty]

I said yes, even though I really don't. I think that "karma" is real in the sense that my actions determine how I feel about myself, which influences how I behave and what kind of vibes* I give off, which influences how people respond to me, and so forth in a big loop. So yeah, I know that's not what karma means, but I've always used that word as convenient shorthand for that paragraph.





* By which I mean body language, posture, facial expressions, and all of my unconscious social cues that other people unconsciously pick up on and which have a big impact of their impressions of me.

I answered yes also, for the exact same reason as Edward.