Does this make me a bad person and will I catch karma for this?

Question

I heard this morning that an ex-friend of mine died recently. I felt a sudden surge of joy. I was so thrilled to hear that she was gone because she spent six years tormenting me, stalking me, and attempting to ruin my career. Spiritually I'm telling myself that being so joyful over something so tragic is wrong. But to be honest, I'm really not upset. I'm *happy* she's dead. As in - I want to throw a party and drink champaigne happy. I've NEVER felt this way when a person died before. I have more sympathy for strangers who've passed. Does this make me a bad person? Is it likely I could bring bad karma on myself because of these feelings?

Answer 1

A more constructive view (as far as relieving karma) would be for you to fully understand why and how you allowed her to torment you.

So yes, it sounds like your joy is completely misplaced and your karma has not changed.

I'm not saying I'd feel any different though ;-)

Answer 2

This does not make you a bad person because apparently this person brought you a lot of grief. I am feeling that you did not wish death on the person but that you just wanted them to leave you alone. I think the key is when you told yourself that spiritually you felt wrong to be overjoyed over the person dying.That lets me know that you are not a bad person or you would not have felt conviction in your heart spiritually. None of us are perfect, I can appreciate your honestly. I f you felt you were wrong to feel this way, then just pray and ask God to forgive the thought in your heart, it is just that simple, you then release it and moves on with your life. Apparently the person that died had some serious issues and for that should be pitied. I believe that you send good positive thoughts into the Universe and the Universe will yield back likewise.Try to look on the good side of everyone if at all possible. There must have been some good in this person at one time because you called them an ex-friend. Dwell on that and try to keep your mind clear of as much negativity as possible.

Answer 3

Emotions aren't good or bad -- they simply are. Your happiness comes from a relatively primitive part of your brain (the limbic system), and can probably be roughly translated as the reptile part of your brain going: "YES! NO MORE DANGER! WAHOO!"

To me, karma depends upon acts of will, not of emotion. It's what you do with your feelings that counts. Accept your relief, and yes, even your joy. You're entiitled. That little reptile that dwells in your brain DOES have a point. But I'd say don't dwell on it.

Answer 4

It doesn't make you a bad person, and as long as you don't follow through your plans of throwing a party/drinking champagne/dancing on her grave, you'll be none the worse. Try not to worry about it, if you obsess over what you're feeling you'll never get your thoughts straight. Just relax for a while and see how you perceive it all then.

Oh, and I should add; karma is when good things happen to good people, not when bad things happen to bad people. It's the same butchering as the phrase "Do unto others..." got, and it's completely incorrect.

Answer 5

I don't think it makes you a bad person and I don't think that Karma will have anything to do with it. If you didn't like someone when they were alive why should you all the sudden "like" them (or feel remorse) when they die. I think you are fine.

After reading the other responses I feel I needed to modify my answer. I don't think that you should keep your feelings or thoughts to yourself. NEVER EVER apologize for how you feel. That is what makes you you and not a drone of society. If you are happy for whatever reason - be happy - screw everyone else and what they think.

Answer 6

It's not my place to judge your karmic debt, nor is anybody inherently ANYTHING, thereby making a judgement or placing a label of "bad person" on you sheer arrogance.

If you were Buddhist and asking, I'd say your view is incorrect based on the Buddha's teachings because we Buddhists are taught to understand that all things arise due to causes and conditions and learn to train our minds to be more calm (but not so much that we let people walk all over us) about such things... in a logical way, you could say. You're not Buddhist though, so you don't know about the Buddha's teachings on such things... when you decide you want to do that, in this lifetime or another, you'll understand why it's incorrect view, incorrect action, etc. to think as you are, but from a Western perspective (psychologically and philosophically) it's quite understandable reaction.


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Answer 7

No doubt that there will be a lot of people who are religious telling you what a bad person you are. While I agree it's never good to be happy about anyone's death, I think that 6 years of torment would be a huge relief. You will never have to deal with her again. I can think of other people who have died that we were happy about...Hitler, Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy to name a few. I think your karma will be OK, as long as you don't actually throw a party.

Answer 8

No to both. I know quite a few people who, upon hearing of their deaths, I would jump up and down and giggle with glee. Karma would only come into play if you had in some way caused the person's death.

Answer 9

No, you are not a bad person at all. You are a normal human being. If someone tormented you for six years and tried to ruin your life, it's only natural to feel that way when they die.

Answer 10

Well you can lie to yourself and try to act as if your not happy, but your really happy when it comes down to it, so just try not to think about it you know. Think of it as bad karma came her way but never wish death upon somebody, just stop celebrating and try to be sympathetic, if you can't be sympathetic just move on and try to be a good person.