Karma is bullsh!t

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: gigapet
are you arguing that in general......doing bad things wont result in bad things happening to you and that doing good things wont result in good things happening to you.

Yes. I agree that if you do good things, people may notice which may help you out later in life and vice versa, I'm just saying that there is no "mystical" thing called karma.

For example, if I took the calculator and kept it even knowing who's it was, and NOBODY ever knew about it, nothing bad would happen to me later to punish me.

Maybe nothing bad would happen and maybe something bad would happen by your keeping it. . .you really don't know what the universe has in store for you. But you can rest assured that whatever GOOD that might have happened because you returned it will surely remain a mystery. What if the person who owned the calculator turned out to be the woman who you would marry and be happy with for the rest of your life. . .Because you were greedy and kept the calculator, you missed out on that. . .see how it works? It is based on the fact that you really DON'T ALWAYS KNOW what will happen in life so it is better to plant seeds of good rather than seeds of evil.

I agree with almost everything you said. Down to the "seeds" part. Everythign before that is just how things work out. Nothing mystical or magical. The seeds part is where I don't buy it. Not to say that people won't know you as a good person and thus treat you better, just nothing magical to it.

 

[gigapet]

you reap what you sow = karma

There is nothing mystical about it. Its the law of the universe. Sorta of like everything with a beginning must have an end.

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged
I seriously don't get why so many people actually believe in it. The idea that something good will happen somewhere down the line because you did the right thing or vice versa is so retarded. The only thing that might ever affect you is your attitude, which people can sense.

Ok here's some karma for you. . .say you sleep with some guys wife. He finds out. . .he comes and blows your brains out.

Karma is more like "every action has an equal and opposite reaction" in my POV. It just means you pay the consequences for your actions in life.

I never claimed there was. It's pretty simple really. Every choice we make in our lives has consequences. Sometimes the consequences are immediate, sometimes they take longer to come around. That's what karma means to me.

So, say you slept with this guys wife and *nobody* but the two of you *ever* knew. Are you going to get punished for it later by something or someone? If you say yes, then I think that's stupid.
There is nothing mystical about that.

How can you guarantee that nobody but the two of you will ever know? You cannot control what she does.

Dude, it's hypothetical to start off with. I'm just setting a variable.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: gigapet
are you arguing that in general......doing bad things wont result in bad things happening to you and that doing good things wont result in good things happening to you.

Yes. I agree that if you do good things, people may notice which may help you out later in life and vice versa, I'm just saying that there is no "mystical" thing called karma.

For example, if I took the calculator and kept it even knowing who's it was, and NOBODY ever knew about it, nothing bad would happen to me later to punish me.

Maybe nothing bad would happen and maybe something bad would happen by your keeping it. . .you really don't know what the universe has in store for you. But you can rest assured that whatever GOOD that might have happened because you returned it will surely remain a mystery. What if the person who owned the calculator turned out to be the woman who you would marry and be happy with for the rest of your life. . .Because you were greedy and kept the calculator, you missed out on that. . .see how it works? It is based on the fact that you really DON'T ALWAYS KNOW what will happen in life so it is better to plant seeds of good rather than seeds of evil.

I agree with almost everything you said. Down to the "seeds" part. Everythign before that is just how things work out. Nothing mystical or magical. The seeds part is where I don't buy it. Not to say that people won't know you as a good person and thus treat you better, just nothing magical to it.

Ok. . .let me simplify. . .your actions in life = the seeds. Ok? Consequences grow from those "seeds." Some seeds take longer to sprout than others but they always sprout.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: ondarkness

Originally posted by: Jehovah
People need a sense of justice in the world they live in. That's all.

and false reassurance. and parental figures, and a religious loop hole to hop into when the s hits the fan.

It's just a psychological comforot people want. Research has shown that even monkeys have a sense of 'fairness' or 'justice' and will do or not do things because they feel a need to be fair to others, or to recieve just treatment.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged
I seriously don't get why so many people actually believe in it. The idea that something good will happen somewhere down the line because you did the right thing or vice versa is so retarded. The only thing that might ever affect you is your attitude, which people can sense.

Ok here's some karma for you. . .say you sleep with some guys wife. He finds out. . .he comes and blows your brains out.

Karma is more like "every action has an equal and opposite reaction" in my POV. It just means you pay the consequences for your actions in life.

I never claimed there was. It's pretty simple really. Every choice we make in our lives has consequences. Sometimes the consequences are immediate, sometimes they take longer to come around. That's what karma means to me.

So, say you slept with this guys wife and *nobody* but the two of you *ever* knew. Are you going to get punished for it later by something or someone? If you say yes, then I think that's stupid.
There is nothing mystical about that.

How can you guarantee that nobody but the two of you will ever know? You cannot control what she does.

Dude, it's hypothetical to start off with. I'm just setting a variable.

But your hypothetical situation was flawed. It was based on the premise that you can somehow know or control the actions that others will take after being affected by your actions. Karma is just a chain of reactions to actions. The initial action is the first link in the chain. . .in fact you made the decision to sleep with that guys wife was in part due to karma and how your parents upbringing affected you and the moral set they instilled in you from birth.

I agree there is nothing "mystical" about karma. It's way simpler than that. People read too much into it.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: gigapet
you reap what you sow = karma

There is nothing mystical about it. Its the law of the universe. Sorta of like everything with a beginning must have an end.

Karma in a nutshell. :thumbsup:

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: ahurtt

Originally posted by: DainBramaged
I seriously don't get why so many people actually believe in it. The idea that something good will happen somewhere down the line because you did the right thing or vice versa is so retarded. The only thing that might ever affect you is your attitude, which people can sense.

Ok here's some karma for you. . .say you sleep with some guys wife. He finds out. . .he comes and blows your brains out.

Karma is more like "every action has an equal and opposite reaction" in my POV. It just means you pay the consequences for your actions in life.

I never claimed there was. It's pretty simple really. Every choice we make in our lives has consequences. Sometimes the consequences are immediate, sometimes they take longer to come around. That's what karma means to me.

So, say you slept with this guys wife and *nobody* but the two of you *ever* knew. Are you going to get punished for it later by something or someone? If you say yes, then I think that's stupid.
There is nothing mystical about that.

How can you guarantee that nobody but the two of you will ever know? You cannot control what she does.

Dude, it's hypothetical to start off with. I'm just setting a variable.

But your hypothetical situation was flawed. It was based on the premise that you can somehow know or control the actions that others will take after being affected by your actions. Karma is just a chain of reactions to actions. The initial action is the first link in the chain. . .in fact you made the decision to sleep with that guys wife was in part due to karma and how your parents upbringing affected you and the moral set they instilled in you from birth.

I agree there is nothing "mystical" about karma. It's way simpler than that. People read too much into it.

I think I can accept that definition.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: RaDragon

Originally posted by: DainBramaged

Originally posted by: RaDragon
"In Buddhist teaching, the law of karma, says only this: `for every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first, and this second event will be pleasant or unpleasant according as its cause was skillful or unskillful.' A skillful event is one that is not accompanied by craving, resistance or delusions; an unskillful event is one that is accompanied by any one of those things. (Events are not skillful in themselves, but are so called only in virtue of the mental events that occur with them.)
Therefore, the law of Karma teaches that responsibility for unskillful actions is born by the person who commits them. " - Source.

More info about Karma-- read Western-based interpretation.

This is what qualifies as bullsh!t.

You are clearly beyond helping. Best of luck with your life.

Thanks for the info. I'm sure because you are being nice to me, somebody someday who has no idea that you are a nice person will do something insanely awesome just because you said nice words to me. :thumbsup:

Perhaps someone, someday will see he's been nice and return the favor. You can look at it however you want, but treat others as you would want to be treated, karma, faith, basic decency, whatever...

 

[XiPhos117]

Whether you believe in karma or not all depends on your definition of karma. I'm Hindu (believer in Hinduism) and karma is the idea that for every bad or evil deed that you commit will lower your chance of a good reincarnation or entering Nirvana. The other definition, which would be a more westernized I guess, is the immediate or almost immediate justification for doing some thing good or bad. Karma doesn't work immediately.

 

[dullard]

My definition of karma:

If you go around your whole life bitter, angry, and resentful then you'll die a bitter, angry man. If you go around with a positive attitude, you'll die with peace in your heart (although the exact death may not be peaceful).

There are tons of variations on the same thing. For example, if you are constantly pissed at everyone, soon you'll have few friends since you aren't fun to be around. Etc.

That really doesn't take any mystical belief and it isn't BS. Your attitude towards life WILL affect your life. Why don't you believe that?

 

[Accipiter22]

karma, as the OP stated it is nothing more than a way for pansies and spineless jelly fish to feel vindicated for their inability to stand up for themselves. "OOOOO someone was mean to me, well I'm not strong enough to take a stand, so I'm going to depend on some cosmic force to get retribution on my behalf". I can't stand people that talk about karma

 

[meltdown75]

karma > thinking what you do doesn't come back to haunt you / bless you > this thread

 

[Mo0o]

Quite a lot of things in religion is bullsh1t, karma isn't the only one

 

[Kev]

Originally posted by: RaDragon
"In Buddhist teaching, the law of karma, says only this: `for every event that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first, and this second event will be pleasant or unpleasant according as its cause was skillful or unskillful.' A skillful event is one that is not accompanied by craving, resistance or delusions; an unskillful event is one that is accompanied by any one of those things. (Events are not skillful in themselves, but are so called only in virtue of the mental events that occur with them.)
Therefore, the law of Karma teaches that responsibility for unskillful actions is born by the person who commits them. " - Source.

More info about Karma-- read Western-based interpretation.

So basically, all you need is skills... bowhunting skills, computer hacking skills, nunchuk skills, and you will have good karma

 

[JasonSix78]

Karma is on the same lines as those crackpot psychics. Good and bad things happen to everyone no matter what kind of person you are. I'll give you a scenario and see if you can fit karma in there:
Let's say a 4 year old girl is kidnapped, molested, then murdered by some crazy sicko. What did she do in her short life that would constitute that kind of bad karma? Steal a cookie from the cookie jar?

-Jason

 

[MadPeriot]

Originally posted by: alien42
karma seems quite logical to me. balance is universal as is cause and effect.

What he said. I believe karma do exist in one form or another. If you do good deed someone you've helped will benefit and just that is rewarding on its own. Maybe later down in line someone will assist you one way or another. When you do bad things or immoral deeds consenquences will follow.

 

[AMCRambler]

My name is Earl

 

[Baked]

You're a very bad person OP, karma will kick you in the nuts one of these days.

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
karma, as the OP stated it is nothing more than a way for pansies and spineless jelly fish to feel vindicated for their inability to stand up for themselves. "OOOOO someone was mean to me, well I'm not strong enough to take a stand, so I'm going to depend on some cosmic force to get retribution on my behalf". I can't stand people that talk about karma

That's a pretty oversimplified view of it. Lets take another example of say. . .the calculator question again. The guy found the calculator and knew it didn't belong to him but rather than do the right thing and turn it in, lets say he decides to keep it. . .Nothing immediate happens to him because of this action. But there is a new variable that has been injected into his life now. He has a calculator that he didn't have before. Who knows now what this could bring about? What if one day he was walking across the street and it fell out of his bag. As he bends down to pick it up he is hit and killed by a bus he didn't see coming. That bus wouldn't have hit him had he kept walking. Therefore, had he turned in that calculator, he would not be dead. It's an extreme case I know. . .I'm just illustrating a point. It's not always about "standing up to others" as you put it. It's about how the things we do in life have consequences that can not always be known to us. Maybe the original owner of that calculator was supposed to be the one to be hit by the bus but we just don't know that now do we? But chances are better for us in life to have a happy life if we always try to do the next right thing.

 

[moshquerade]

Originally posted by: DainBramaged
I seriously don't get why so many people actually believe in it. The idea that something good will happen somewhere down the line because you did the right thing or vice versa is so retarded. The only thing that might ever affect you is your attitude, which people can sense.

sorry Earl, but this thread is bad karma

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: JasonSix78
Let's say a 4 year old girl is kidnapped, molested, then murdered by some crazy sicko. What did she do in her short life that would constitute that kind of bad karma? Steal a cookie from the cookie jar?
-Jason

She's a very bad person in her previous life.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Originally posted by: JasonSix78

Let's say a 4 year old girl is kidnapped, molested, then murdered by some crazy sicko. What did she do in her short life that would constitute that kind of bad karma? Steal a cookie from the cookie jar?

-Jason

The idea of Karma comes from religions that believe in reincarnation, which allots you to a certain position based on your Karma - Dharma is the other side of the coin. This is used in many Indian religions, like Buddhism, Hinduism, and the like (of course there are parallels in other cultures).

So, for this idea to work, it requires several lifetimes, not just one.

 

[gigapet]

Originally posted by: JasonSix78
Karma is on the same lines as those crackpot psychics. Good and bad things happen to everyone no matter what kind of person you are. I'll give you a scenario and see if you can fit karma in there:
Let's say a 4 year old girl is kidnapped, molested, then murdered by some crazy sicko. What did she do in her short life that would constitute that kind of bad karma? Steal a cookie from the cookie jar?

-Jason

when we are born the only thing promised to us is death. Karma is causes and effect its not a point system.... where by innocent ppl are free from bad.

 

[Perknose]

Originally posted by: DainBramaged
I seriously don't get why so many people actually believe in it. The idea that something good will happen somewhere down the line because you did the right thing or vice versa is so retarded. The only thing that might ever affect you is your attitude, which people can sense.

In that case, you are completely and totally fvcked, and should probably shoot yourself immediately. And don't leave a bloody mess. That's bad karma.