God does everything we are only actors. Does He make people steal , murder , rape ?

Question

Is’nt it believed that its only God who makes us do whatever we do. God is inside everyone of us. So does God make people do all types of inhuman acts ?

Answer 1

"Karma" literally means "deed" or "act", and more broadly names the universal principle of cause and effect, action and reaction, which Hindus believe governs all life. It is believed that only beings that can distinguish right from wrong, such as adult humans, can accumulate Karma. Animals and young children are not considered to accumulate Karma as they are incapable of discriminating between right and wrong. However, all sentient beings can feel the effects of Karma, which are pleasure and pain.[1] Karma is not fate; humans are believed to act with free will, creating their own destinies. According to the Vedas, if an individual sows goodness, he or she will reap goodness; if one sows evil, he or she will reap evil. Karma refers to the totality of mankind's actions and their concommitant reactions in current and previous lives, all of which determine the future. However, many karmas do not have an immediate effect; some accumulate and return unexpectedly in an individual's later lives. The conquest of karma is believed to lie in intelligent action and dispassionate reaction.

Unkindness yields spoiled fruits, called papa, and good deeds bring forth sweet fruits, called punya. As one acts, so does he become: one becomes virtuous by virtuous action, and evil by evil action.[2]

There are three types of karma in Hinduism:

sanchita karma, the sum total of past karmas yet to be resolved;
prarabdha karma, that portion of sanchita karma that is to be experienced in this life; and
kriyamana karma, the karma that humans are currently creating, which will bear fruit in future.

[edit] The role of God
Although in Buddhism and Jainism, karma is seen as simply a law of nature, several different views exist in Hinduism. In Hinduism, many see God as playing some kind of role, for example, as the dispenser of the fruits of karma[3]. Other Hindus consider the natural laws of causation sufficient to explain the effects of karma.[4][5][6] Some interpretations of the Bhagavad Gita [7] suggest an intermediate view, that karma is a law of cause and effect yet God can mitigate karma for His devotees. Another view holds that a Sadguru, acting on God's behalf, can mitigate or work out some of the karma of the disciple. [8][9][10]

Thus, according to many Hindus, God does have hand in the process of karma. Unlike Buddhists and Jains who believe that Karma on its own joins the soul when it reincarnates, this Hindu belief describes the role of God in linking Karma to an individual. In fact, Hinduism argues for the existence of an Omniscient God (Sanskrit: Ishvara) because the judgment of intelligent actions (i.e. Karma) requires intelligence on the part of the judge (i.e. God). Unintelligent nature by itself cannot judge the performance of actions of intelligent beings. Hence the intervention of an Omniscient God is required to dispense the fruits of Karma — which are rewards for good actions (in the form of pleasure) and punishments for evil actions (in the form of pain).


[edit] Two examples from the Puranas
The story of Markandeya, who was saved from death by Siva, illustrates that God's grace can overcome Karma and death for His beloved devotee.[2]

The story of Ajamila in the Bhagavata Purana [3] [4],[5] also illustrates the same point. Ajamila had committed many evil deeds during his life such as stealing, abandoning his wife and children, and marrying a prostitute. But at the moment of death, he involuntarily chanted the name of Narayana and therefore received Moksha or union with God, and was saved from the messengers of Yama. Ajamila was actually thinking of his youngest son, whose name was also Narayana. But the name of God has powerful effects, and Ajamila was forgiven for his great sins and attained salvation, despite his bad Karma.


[edit] Views of Hindu traditions on karma
Scriptures divide Karma into three kinds: Sanchita (accumulated), Prarabdha (fruit-bearing) and Kriyamana (current) karma. All kriyamana karmas become sanchita karma upon completion. From this stock of sanchita karma, a handful is taken out to serve one lifetime and this handful of actions which has begun to bear fruit and which will be exhausted only on their fruit being enjoyed and not otherwise, is known as prarabdha karma. In this way, so long as the stock of sanchita karma lasts, a part of it continues to be taken out as prarabdha karma for being enjoyed in one lifetime, leading to the cycles of birth and death. A jiva cannot attain Moksha until the accumulated sanchita karmas are completely exhausted. [11]


[edit] Advaita Vedanta
Swami Sivananda, an Advaita scholar, reiterates the same views in his commentary synthesising Vedanta views on the Brahma Sutras, a Vedantic text. In his commentary on Chapter 3 of the Brahma Sutras, Sivananda notes that karma is insentient and short-lived, and ceases to exist as soon as a deed is executed. Hence, karma cannot bestow the fruits of actions at a future date according to one's merit. Furthermore, one cannot argue that karma generates apurva or punya, which gives fruit. Since apurva is non-sentient, it cannot act unless moved by an intelligent being such as God. It cannot independently bestow reward or punishment.[12]

There is a passage from Swami Sivananda's translation of the Svetasvatara Upanishad (4:6) illustrating this concept:

Two birds of beautiful plumage — inseparable friends — live on the same tree. Of these two one eats the sweet fruit while the other looks on without eating.
In his commentary, the first bird represents the individual soul, while the second represents Brahman or God. The soul is essentially a reflection of Brahman. The tree represents the body. The soul identifies itself with the body, reaps the fruits of its actions, and undergoes rebirth. The Lord alone stands as an eternal witness, ever contented, and does not eat, for he is the director of both the eater and the eaten.

Swami Sivananda also notes that God is free from charges of partiality and cruelty which are brought against him because of social inequality, fate, and universal suffering in the world. According to the Brahma Sutras, individual souls are responsible for their own fate; God is merely the dispenser and witness with reference to the merit and demerit of souls.

In his commentary on Chapter 2 of the Brahma Sutras, Sivananda further notes that the position of God with respect to karma can be explained through the analogy of rain. Although rain can be said to bring about the growth of rice, barley and other plants, the differences in various species is due to the diverse potentalities lying hidden in the respective seeds. Thus, Sivananda explains that differences between classes of beings are due to different merits belonging to individual souls. He concludes that God metes rewards and punishments only in consideration of the specific actions of beings.[13]


[edit] Nyaya
The Nyaya school, one of six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy, states that one of the proofs of the existence of God is karma: Adŗişhţāt (lit., from the unforseen): It is seen that some people in this world are happy, some are in misery. Some are rich and some poor. The Naiyanikas explain this by the concept of Karma and reincarnation. The fruit of an individual's actions does not always lie within the reach of the individual who is the agent. There ought to be, therefore, a dispenser of the fruits of actions, and this supreme dispenser is God. This belief of Nyaya, accordingly, is the same as that of Vedanta.


[edit] Shaivism
Thirugnana Sambanthar writes about karma in his outline of Saivism. He explains the concept of karma in Hinduism by distinguishing it from that of Buddhism and Jainism, which do not require the existence of an external being like God. In their beliefs, just as a calf among a large number of cows can find its mother at suckling time, so also does karma find the specific individual it needs to attach to and come to fruition. However Hindus posit that karma, unlike the calf, is an unintelligent entity. Hence, karma cannot locate the appropriate person by itself. Shri Sambantha concludes that an intelligent Supreme Being with perfect wisdom and power (Shiva, for example) is necessary to make karma attach to the appropriate individual. In such sense, God is the Divine Accountant.[14]

Appaya Dikshita, a Saivite theologian and proponent of Siva Advaita, states that Siva (God) only awards happiness and misery in accordance with the law of karma.[15] Thus persons themselves perform good or evil actions according to their own inclinations as acquired in past creations, and in accordance with those deeds, a new creation is made for the fulfilment of the law of karma. Shaivas believe that there are cycles of creations in which souls gravitate to specific bodies in accordance with karma, which as an unintelligent object depends on the will of Siva alone. Thus, many interpret the caste system in accordance with karma, as those with good deeds are born into a highly spiritual family (probably the brahmana caste).

Srikantha, another Saivite theologian, believes that individual souls themselves do things which may be regarded as the cause of their particular actions, or desisting from particular actions, in accordance with the nature of the fruition of their past deeds.[16] Srikantha further believes that Siva only helps a person when he wishes to act in a particular way or to desist from a particular action.

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami explains in the lexicon section of his book, Dancing with Siva, that karma literally means "deed or act" and more broadly names the universal principle of cause and effect, action and reaction which governs all life. As he explains it, karma is not fate, for man acts with free will creating his own destiny. The Vedas tell us that if we sow goodness, we will reap goodness; if we sow evil, we will reap evil. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami further notes that karma refers to the totality of our actions and their concomitant reactions in this and previous lives, all of which determine our future. The conquest of karma lies in intelligent action and dispassionate reaction. Not all karmas rebound immediately. Some accumulate and return unexpectedly in this or other births.


[edit] Vaishnavism
Ramanuja addresses the problem of evil by attributing all evil things in life to the accumulation of evil karma of jivas (human souls) and maintains that God is amala, or without any stain of evil.

Madhva, the founder of the Dvaita school, on the other hand, believes that there must be a root cause for variations in karma even if karma is accepted as having no beginning and being the cause of the problem of evil. Since jivas have different kinds of karma, from good to bad, all must not have started with same type of karma from the beginning of time. Thus, Madhva concludes that the jivas are not God's creation as in the Christian doctrine, but are rather entities co-existent with Vishnu, although under His absolute control. Souls are thus dependent on Him in their pristine nature and in all transformations that they may undergo.

According to Madhva, God, although He has control, does not interfere with Man's free will; although He is omnipotent, that does not mean that He engages in extraordinary feats. Rather, God enforces a rule of law and, in accordance with the just deserts of jivas, gives them freedom to follow their own nature. Thus, God functions as the sanctioner or as the divine accountant, and accordingly jivas are free to work according to their innate nature and their accumulated karma, good and bad. Since God acts as the sanctioner, the ultimate power for everything comes from God and the jiva only utilizes that power, according to his/her innate nature.

Swami Tapasyananda further explains the Madhva view by illustrating the doctrine with this analogy: the power in a factory comes from the powerhouse (God), but the various cogs (jivas) move in a direction in which they are set. Thus he concludes that no charge of partiality and cruelty can be brought against God. The jiva is the actor and also the enjoyer of the fruits of his/her own actions.[17]

Madhva differed significantly from traditional Hindu beliefs, owing to his concept of eternal damnation. For example, he divides souls into three classes: one class of souls which qualify for liberation (Mukti-yogyas), another subject to eternal rebirth or eternal transmigration (Nitya-samsarins), and a third class that is eventually condemned to eternal hell or Andhatamas (Tamo-yogyas). No other Hindu philosopher or school of Hinduism holds such beliefs. In contrast, most Hindus believe in universal salvation: that all souls will eventually obtain moksha, even if it is after millions of rebirths.


[edit] Gita interpretations and role of Guru
Some interpretations of certain verses in the Bhagavad Gita [18] suggests an intermediate view, that karma is a law of cause and effect yet God can mitigate karma for His devotees. Another view holds that a Sadguru, acting on God's behalf, can mitigate or work out some of the karma of the disciple. [19][20][21]


[edit] Caste and karma
As stated earlier, there are cycles of creations in which souls gravitate to specific bodies in accordance with karma, which as an unintelligent object depends on the will of God alone. Thus, many interpret the caste system in accordance with karma, as those with good deeds are born into a spiritual family, which is synonymous with the brahmana caste. However, Krishna said in the Gita that characteristics of a brahmin are determined by behavior, not by birth. A verse from the Gita illustrates this point: "The duties of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas as also of Sudras, O scorcher of foes, are distributed according to the gunas (behavior) born of their own nature." (Chapter 18, verse 41)


[edit] References
^ Chandrasekhara Bharathi Mahaswamigal, Dialogues with the Guru.
^ Subramuniyaswami, Satguru Sivaya. Dancing with Siva.
^ [1]
^ Pratima Bowes, The Hindu Religious Tradition 54-80 (Allied Pub. 1976) ISBN 0710086687
^ Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol. II, at 217-225 (18th reprint 1995) ISBN 81-85301-75-1
^ Alex Michaels, Hinduism: Past and Present 154-56 (Princeton 1998) ISBN 0-691-08953-1
^ Verses 4:14, 9.22 and 18.61
^ Yogananda, Paramahansa, Autobiography of a Yogi, Chapter 21 ISBN 1-56589-212-7
^ Swami Krishnananda on the Guru mitigating the karma of the disciple
^ Swami B. V. Tripurari on grace of the Guru destroying karma
^ Goyandaka J, The Secret of Karmayoga, Gita Press, Gorakhpur
^ Sivananda, Swami. Phaladhikaranam, Topic 8, Sutras 38-41.
^ Sivananda, Swami. Adhikarana XII, Sutras 34-36.
^ Sambantha, Shri K. Thirugnana. Explanation of God's role and Karma. See Outline of Saivism, section on Karma.
^ Dasgupta, Surendranath, A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume V, The Southern Schools of Saivism, p. 87
^ Dasgupta, Surendranath. A History of Indian Philosophy, Volume V: The Southern Schools of Saivism, pp. 87-89.
^ Tapasyananda, Swami. Bhakti Schools of Vedanta.
^ Verses 4:14, 9.22 and 18.61
^ Yogananda, Paramahansa, Autobiography of a Yogi, Chapter 21 ISBN 1-56589-212-7
^ Swami Krishnananda on the Guru mitigating the karma of the disciple
^ Swami B. V. Tripurari on grace of the Guru destroying karma

[edit] See also
Hindu answers to the problem of evil
Problem of evil

[edit] External links
Shri K. Thirugna Sambantha's explanation of God's role and Karma
Sivananda's commentary on Brahma Sutras with respect to role of God (Brahman) and karma
The role of God and karma, continued
Exploring Karma — Tales of a Universal Principle
Dharma-Karma-Samsara
An audio lecture by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami on mitigation of karma by God
Swaminarayan sect view of Karma, similar to the general Hindu view
Prayer to Lord Shiva and Karma
Bhagavata Purana view of karma.
ISKCON view of caste and behavior
Karma and Reincarnation - A philosophical examination
another view of karma
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma_in_Hinduism"
Categories: Hindu philosophical concepts | Shabd paths

Answer 2

In a class of 50 students, the teacher knows who will get 1st rank, who will be an average scorer and who will fail in the exam. This doesnt mean that teacher decides how each student write the exam? God is beyond any such comparison. God is not present inside everyone. It is God's plan that we have free-will to do all the tasks in our life. This life is an exam for all of us. In each stage we have choice to do the right or wrong. God is not asking any thief to steal? or God is not asking anyone to rape. You yourself would have done some mistakes. (none is exceptional ) Like even crossing a signal when red is also a bad & wrong thing. No body asked you to do so. You did and you put the blame on God. But if you take some world incidents like psunami, that is from God as a test to all humans. A man who earns 10$ per day would have donated his one month pay for the cause. It is only 300$ but whereas another man who earns 300$ per day also have donated the same amount for the cause. So who gets more marks in this test? Normal tendency of man is he will never accepts his mistakes. That is why we have courts & lawyers. One group who thinks they are an elite group puts the blame on God for everything that happens in this world.

Answer 3

No, it is not true.

Just as God placed Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and they chose to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that God had expressly forbidden, we can do the same thing.

God has his perfect plan for us, but we have the power to do whatever it is that we want to do even if it is not good for us.

That is why Christians know so much about the Bible. We know that the only answer for a better life is to live as the Bible teaches, so that we will not do those things that are detrimental to us.

Some people misinterpret what we do as trying to appease God, but we cannot appease God. Our best works are like filthy rags to God. We are only trying to live a life that is most comfortable by learning how to live from the Bible.

Ignore the bad stories about those who were weak and treated others miserably, and focus on the things that God said that we should be doing. Those things will never get us into trouble.

Paul says in Philippians 4:8;
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things.

grace2u

Answer 4

What you have described is, reminiscent of Fate / Predestination ...

What Controls Our Futures?
- Can You Control Your Destiny?
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2005/1/15/article_01.htm

However, Each person has been given the gift of Free Will ...

The Wonderful Gift of Free Will
- How We Are Made
- Given The Best Start
- Freedom Within Limits ... http://www.watchtower.org/library/dg/article_05.htm

Ethical Decisions: A Trait Distinctively Human
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2004/12/1/article_01.htm

We are also endowed with a spiritual side, unlike animals.

Humans---Just Higher Animals? :
- Who Are We?
- In the image of God, or Beast?
- Looking Up, Not Down for Answers http://www.watchtower.org/library/g/1998/6/22/article_01.htm

The Creator is not in us. He loans us the energy that makes & sustains our lives, but no part of himself resides within us ...

The Holy Spirit-God's Active Force
- An Active Force
- "Power Beyond Normal'
- Not A Person ...
http://www.watchtower.org/library/ti/article_07.htm

This question's description actually fits God's adversaries rather than God!

"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."
-- James 4:7,8

God will actually strengthen ones efforts of those faithful to him, in resisting the Devil's influence. It is actually Satan (resistor) the Devil (slanderer) whom this question describes ...

Who Is Behind All Evil? :
- Are Evil Forces at Work?
- Satan--Myth or Sinister Reality?
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20021015/article_01.htm

Advanced On-site Search
(In case a link becomes modified, this can be used.) http://www.watchtower.org/search/search_e.htm

Answer 5

The assumption that God does everything and we are only actors is wrong. God has given to man a "free will". That is the right to be able to make his own moral choices and then to live by the consequences of those choices.

A person can choose to rape, steal, kill, etc. or a person can choose to love, give, support, encourage and bless.

Each person answers to God and to others for their moral decisions. God is not the one "at fault" for the moral decisions of others.

Answer 6

In this connection see below, some excerpts from the writings of,
A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada,
Founder-Acharya ofISKCON
(International Society for Krishna Consciousness),
in the Introduction to Bhagavad-gita-as-it-is.

The distinction between the jiva and the isvara will be explained in the Thirteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita. The Lord is ksetra-jna, conscious, as is the living being, but the living being is conscious of his particular body, whereas the Lord is conscious of all bodies. Because He lives in the heart of every living being, He is conscious of the psychic movements of the particular jivas. We should not forget this.

It is also explained that the Paramatma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is living in everyone's heart as Isvara, as the controller, and that He is giving directions for the living entity to act as he desires. The living entity forgets what to do. First of all he makes a determination to act in a certain way, and then he is entangled in the actions and reactions of his own karma. After giving up one type of body, he enters another type of body, as we take off and put on clothes. As the soul thus migrates, he suffers the actions and reactions of his past activities.

These activities can be changed when the living being is in the mode of goodness, in sanity, and understands what sort of activities he should adopt. If he does so, then all the actions and reactions of his past activities can be changed.

Consequently, karma is not eternal. Therefore we stated that of the five items (Isvara, jiva, prakrti, time and karma) four are eternal, whereas karma is not eternal.

Lord Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad gita(19.61),
The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.

Comparing the soul and supersoul sitting on the tree of body,
both the Katha Upanisad and Svetasvatara Upanisad say,
"Although the two birds are in the same tree, the eating bird is fully engrossed with anxiety and moroseness as the enjoyer of the fruits of the tree. But if in some way or other he turns his face to his friend who is the Lord and knows His glories—at once the suffering bird becomes free from all anxieties."

So, the Lord is telling from within the heart what is good and what is bad. This is conscience coming from the Lord. The soul can choose the good or bad since it is endowed with the free-will.

The supersoul is only acting as the witnesser and sanctioner.as mentioned in the Bhagavad gita(13.23),
"Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer, who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as the Supersoul."

Answer 7

My dear sister,

I totally agree with your first sentence. But do you believe that ? If your answer is yes, I bet you, You wont do any criminal things in you life time. If you disbelieve then GOD is not responsible, OK.

GOD sent you here pure. Nobody born as a robber, murderer,and raper. You can't deny this. GOD did not send you here as a slave. He gave you a free will and watch you how you act and react. As you said "GOD is inside everyone of us" HE always Warn you before you do any wrong thing. Touch your heart and ask your Introspection. If still you are not convinced Please don't believe him and also don't blame him.

Answer 8

we all have god living within us, but we were also given free will, and make our own choices. i believe it all has to do with our conscience. when we choose sin god than turns his back on us, and we begin to think sin is okay, when we keep sinning it causes our conscience to become dull, and we no longer can hear god, so as a result god turns us over to bad things, its our own moral capacity that helps us to understand right from wrong, our conscience must be programed if it isn't we grow up with false belief's, unable to tell right from wrong, so when the temptation comes we sin and hurt others. when we have a good conscience we feel good inside when we have a bad conscience we feel bad inside. when god is distant from us that's when we sin and do inhuman acts.

Answer 9

we have the gift of "free will". what one does with that gift is upon themself. stealing, murder and rape are against the code of morals that God has given.
God will live within a person if that person chooses to let Him in. and since we are human we err in our ways and with heartfelt repentence we can be forgiven.
people have a tendency to blame God for whatever goes wrong in their life. it's not His fault, it is by your own acts and deeds that reactions occur to your actions. the problem seems to be that people who commit these crimes and blame God for them doing so, do not want to take responsibility for their actions so put the blame on him.
the secret is, to take the reactions, owe up to them and let yourself be free of the weight of the burden.

Answer 10

We are responsible for our own behavior. We choose our actions. Some people choose to use the power they have for wrong action and others choose not to. I don't believe 'God' has anything to do with it. That's a little to easy and gives us one more excuse not to act with compassion and kindheartedness.
Also, I take into account that some people who commit these acts aren't necessarily emotionally/psychologically well but that's not to excuse their behavior. Best to you.

Answer 11

No,GOD gave all human free will and He send so many prophet on the earth and many of books and every books He tell what is wrong and what is right and then we will choose wrong way so how we blame GOD?