Or one can take the quick road to enlightenment and sacrifice his virgin sister to the volcano god.Karma keeps account of the good and bad that you have done. A bad person may have "good" things happen, but the accounts will always be true. Likewise, a good person will have bad things happen to him.
To more fully understand, you have to include the concept of reincarnation. With reincarnation, a good person in this life may have been a bad person in a previous life, thus bad things will happen to them. Also, a bad thing can be a good thing, teaching humility for example, which is much more valuable than wealth.
So with the accounts of good and bad from karma, combined with the try again approach of reincarnation, we humans must relive our lives until the accounts are balanced. This takes many, many lives to accomplish. Once you do accomplish this, you can become enlightened.
"you shall reap what you sow"
Do You Believe in Karma? Why or Why Not?
When I look at the world and consider the bad things that happen to good people and good things that happen to bad people, I find it impossible to believe in a concept such as Karma.
A belief in karma requires looking at the big picture over eons of time and is not something that is usually consciously apparent in one lifetime.
It's useless if one only perceives physical incarnation as what is real and lasting, and identifies only with life while in physical form.If that is true, than I see it as useless. Of course I don't believe in reincarnation.
Of course I don't believe in reincarnation.
I'm not certain that I do either, but it's certainly an interesting subject, and one worthy of consideration imo.
It's useless if one only perceives physical incarnation as what is real and lasting, and identifies only with life while in physical form.
And that's the way it should be.I have little interest in metaphysics or what ifs. 99% of what my life is composed of is right here and right now.
On one level it can be seen as simply a way to get people to act in a moral fashion for fear of the consequences.
Then it is seen as not working because people do not get their just deserts, good or bad.
True- it could be seen as a way to get people to act in a moral fashion, but fear of the consequences is not as much of an issue, based on my understanding, because it seems that the reincarnation and karma "theory"(for lack of a better word) is more about balancing, and not so much punishment-based. At least that is my rudimentary understanding of all things karma.
It does as far as I am aware in this life at least have an element of morality in it, does it not.
Clearly it will not stop you from being killed or from having your belongings stolen, but it will affect your equilibrium, your own state of consciousness, which arguably is the most important things about your life.
Do You Believe in Karma? Why or Why Not?
Well, it does seem to have an element of morality in it, but it seems to be more accepting of human nature and less inclined to a harsh sense of retribution-based morality based on fear of punishment. Overall (imo) it encourages people to become more centered and conscious, but also seems to facilitate a more realistic pracitce of ethical behavior than some of the other religious practices.
Actually, sacrificing that young virgin to the Volcano god has exactly the same amount of evidence karma, reincarnation, the soul, undying subconscious and all of the other religious nuttery that humans create to comfort their fear of the unknown.A belief in karma requires looking at the big picture over eons of time and is not something that is usually consciously apparent in one lifetime.
Actually, karma could be a very good explanation for why sometimes, good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people.
What do you mean it is about accepting of human nature? In what way does the concept of Karma help people to become more centred?
Well, it's difficult to explain what my pov is, but I'll try. In the realm of human consciousness and action, there tends to be black and white thinking. Things are considered good or bad, not just "there". The human way of thinking and feeling is to wish for good, and hate bad. It seems to me that the concept of karma encourages a more balanced approach. Sure there's a concept of "hell", but it seems to be understood that hell is not an eternal damnation, and that one's actions and attitudes not only cause it, but are also the remedy. It allows for imperfection in a more non-judgemental way than some of the other religions, and it places the responsibility for one's "soul" or affairs on the individual, and gives the individual the power to determine the direction of life and destiny.