Karma: Will I regret my snobbish, self-centered ways?

Question

Not as shallow a question as it seems:

What are your views on karma and retribution? Do you believe the Seven-fold return of Wiccan teaching, the bad karma of eastern belief, or do you hold, as I was taught, that "It rains on the just and the unjust alike", with no particular rhyme or reason?

Your views are greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Im only happy when it rains
Im only happy when its complicated
And though I know you cant appreciate it
Im only happy when it rains

Answer 2

The Wicca I practice sez what you send out for good or ill comes back to you three-fold, not seven. But, even so, why be snobbish and self-centered? You will end up lonely and old in any event, karma or not. Yes, it does rain on the just and unjust alike. The former grow flowers for beauty and food for sustenance; the latter tend to drown...sooner or later. There is an old movie/book called a Portrait of Dorian Grey. You might want to read/see it. While it may seem at first that your ways only harm or annoy others, eventually it will come back to bite you in the a$$.

Answer 3

I think Karma (the eastern kind anyways) works out logically in even a secular way. Moreover, all major religions focus on it in some way or another... The Golden Rule and all that. Just different names.

But looking at it strictly from a logic point of view...
If you treat people crappily, how do you think you're gonna treated when your in a similar position?

If you (as a hypothetical friend) refused to lend me a dollar when I needed one. Why would I lend you one if you needed it? And so on...

Now just because you put out good, doesnt mean what comes back is always good... but more of it will be than otherwise.

Karma=Sense

Answer 4

Jack, I find it very comforting to believe in Karma. There is no logical reason to believe in karma.... it makes sense that "it rains on the just and teh unjust alike" .... but prior to recognising that karma gives me something, I hated people. Truly hated them. Hatred can eat away away at a person... pervuade your thoughts and interfere with your ability to love.

A belief in karma takes the risk of pure hatred away and enables a person to move into a better mind state. Besides, in itself, a better mind state is a subtle form of revenge... and revenge is sweetest served chilled over ice in martini glasses.

My thoughts, mate.

Oh.. as for snobbish, self centred ways ~ if you do that from time to time... that doesn't count :) .... anyway.. those characteristics pose questions of relativity, context and timing.

Answer 5

My view of Karma is that it does exist and that its effects are immediate. I don't think that my view is the generally accepted view. I believe that when you do something good, and you feel good about yourself for doing so, that THAT is your good Karma "reward." The ripple effect of that good deed may or may not come back to shine some happiness on you, but if it doesn't, then your reward was what you felt having been nice.

In the same way, when you do something rotten, like if you get revenge on someone by physically harming them or their property, you will have to live with the personal horror of guilt for having wrought a hurtful change in another person's life. The person may hate you, or shun you, and go on, having repaired whatever the damage was, but you yourself will have to live out the rest of your whole life knowing you acted out of hate or bitterness, and that your hand took that which was not yours to take. And you can't change it. What if you torched someone's car in revenge, and you ended up in jail for a period of time. You can never get that time back, the time you are given on this Earth is finite.

Use the time for good, and it ripples back to you in the happiness you feel from doing something good. Likewise with doing ill.

just my opinion...
Blessings,
Lady Morgana )0(

Answer 6

I believe everyone has their day.
So to me although I may say something like "what goes around comes around" I don't really mean it in the same way as what many others do.
I'm kinda like you in thinking things like this are random. Yet statistically speaking, "we all get our day" We are all going to have crappy days and good days...that's it.
Now when something is done intentional like when someone is an *** or just plain mean I do think that person will some day kinda reap what they sow. Again this is not a factor of karma so to speak yet just sheer observation of human nature. Observations of human nature show me that just when I think I met the ultimate jackass...another better jackass comes along!
Basically I guess my belief is there is no shortages of jackasses in the world!!
I work with this one guy who just thinks he is the greatest thing since sliced bread. He controlls meetings and wants to ramble on all the while cutting people off. Recently we all were in a heated meeting and an attorney was in there. Basically she was pretty rude as well...yet it was interesting to see her put this other guy in place. That guy finally got a dose of his own medicine.

Answer 7

I believe in the original version of karma; that what you do here in this life is reflected in your next incarnation. Live a good life here, try to elevate yourself from the state in which you were born, learn the lessons set to you in this life, you are rewarded with a "higher"life next time around, until you achieve enlightenment and move to another plane of existence. Screw up, and a lesser life form is yours until you relearn the lessons.

The idea of "instant karma", the three fold law, god's wrath, 10 commandments,etc, etc, in my opinion, are just sops for people regarding regulating their behavior, when they don't seem to have the willpower to take responsibility for and own up to their own actions.

Answer 8

Well Being a Pagan with Wiccan beginings ....yes i believe in Karma Or the threefold law.
Read this and you will see how this actually works!

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/spiritwolf/summerlands.htm

BB
Ariel

Answer 9

I've never believed in Karma because I have a hard time coming to grips that an innocent child can be punished with a chronic or disfiguring disease because they did something bad or evil in a previous life.

Answer 10

I believe it's a little of both. Bad things inevitably happen to good and bad people alike at some point in their lives, as do good things.
However, a certain degree of karma is equally undeniable, especially in its purely logical form. If you do good deeds to others, it drastically improves your chances of receiving good deeds in return, either from the ones whom you actions benefited or from others who witnessed you actions. Likewise, if you are unpleasant and unkind or hurt others, those whom you hurt, and those aware of you actions are less likely to do good to you and are more inclined to hurt you in return.
One example would be how certain criminals are treated when they go to prison...those who have committed particular crimes are often given a taste of the suffering they bestowed on others. Another example, which you see a lot of on R&S, is that people who are good and kind to others, often attract friends who are equally good and kind to them. Some people have this kindness, this goodness that radiates out of them, even over the internet. Such people are far more likely to be surrounded by positive and kind individuals.
That much can be proven through logic and common sense. However this 'karma' is based on human actions and reactions, and is thus imperfect and not always balanced.
I would like to think that there is some kind of cosmic balance in the universe, some force or energy which reflects your actions back unto yourself. It would be reassuring and comforting, but I simply don't know if it exists. Sometimes something will happen out of the blue to make me think that this spiritual karma is real, and something else will happen to shake my faith in it, because I don't see the fairness in parts of life.
It's undeniable that your actions to others etc will effect your future. How forcefully and to what extent seems to vary and be unpredictable.
That said, I honestly don't think you've anything to worry about Jack...unless your fearful of being smothered by niceness from others ;P

Answer 11

I do believe in these things. Everything happens to everybody at the same time, and none are left behind. Newton summed it pretty succinctly with his physics law that strangely seemed to apply to life: To every action force there is an equal, but opposite, reaction force.