Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Pseudonymph · 03-19-2002, 01:25 PM

I hope this is the right place for this...

What do you think of karma? Yes...no?

Honestly, I believe it exists, to some extent. Not imposed by a higher power, but that of nature. You get what you give, you know?

I think it's this sort of system that helps to keep things in check...I guess this may also be clinging to a belief that things arent so bad that people can always get away with anything they want.
Is this a stupid belief? I just feel that people are ultimatley held accountable for their actions. I hope they are at least, in THIS life, not in a make believe after life.

Pomp · 03-19-2002, 01:33 PM

What do you think of karma? Yes...no?

Karma as a metaphor for the principle that others tend to respond to our actions in kind, thus leading cooperative "ethical" people to reap the benefits of cooperation and uncooperative "unethical" people to suffer from non-cooperation, yes.

Karma as a metaphysical force, no.

tronvillain · 03-19-2002, 03:39 PM

There is no karma - some terrible people will live long and happy lives, while some wonderful people will live short and unpleasant lives. People are not ultimately held accountable for their actions, except by other people.

echidna · 03-19-2002, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SirenSpeak:
<strong>I think it's this sort of system that helps to keep things in check...I guess this may also be clinging to a belief that things arent so bad that people can always get away with anything they want.
Is this a stupid belief? I just feel that people are ultimatley held accountable for their actions. I hope they are at least, in THIS life, not in a make believe after life.</strong>

I think you�re right here.

The moral problem I�ve always had with Karma is that you can quite comfortably use it to justify immoral concepts such as a Caste System. Apparently people have been reborn into the lower castes to learn such lessons as humility and poverty, so there is no need for me to show them any compassion whatsoever.

Most of the discussions I�ve had with people who believe in Karma have usually used it to justify inaction towards moral behaviour. �Why bother, because Karma will balance everything out ?�

It�s a pretty big assumption based on zero evidence.

hinduwoman · 03-19-2002, 05:24 PM

Exactly. Believe in any metaphysical force, and before you know it, you are in trouble.

MadMordigan · 03-19-2002, 05:44 PM

Believe in any metaphysical force, and before you know it, you are in trouble.

My astrologer told me the same thing.

Jamie_L · 03-20-2002, 04:48 AM

Karma is one metaphysical idea I really wish were true. It would be a pseudo-theological system that would make sense and be easy to live with and by.

Alas, wishing does not make it so.

Jamie

kctan · 03-20-2002, 06:29 AM

There is no such thing as karma.

Its only use is to make the populace out there treat each other kindly.

DRFseven · 03-20-2002, 09:19 AM

SirenSpeak, if there were the metaphysical kind of karma you speak of, where would it come from? That would involve intent and no one has ever found any intent in the physical universe.

In addition to intent, there would have to be such a thing as "good" or "bad" that existed on its own and how could that be?

The type of karma PB speaks of, yes, I agree with him. Stimuli generate behaviors that are often common in animal behavior. Nice, friendly people tend to stimulate others to be nice and friendly to them, which, in turn, tends to make them feel ever nicer and friendlier. Same with mean, nasty people. This is, of course, only in general.

three4jump · 03-20-2002, 09:25 AM

My karma ran over your dogma.

03-19-2002, 01:25 PM	#1
Pseudonymph Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 813	Karma? I hope this is the right place for this... What do you think of karma? Yes...no? Honestly, I believe it exists, to some extent. Not imposed by a higher power, but that of nature. You get what you give, you know? I think it's this sort of system that helps to keep things in check...I guess this may also be clinging to a belief that things arent so bad that people can always get away with anything they want. Is this a stupid belief? I just feel that people are ultimatley held accountable for their actions. I hope they are at least, in THIS life, not in a make believe after life.

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03-19-2002, 01:33 PM	#2
Pomp Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Indianapolis area Posts: 3,468	What do you think of karma? Yes...no? Karma as a metaphor for the principle that others tend to respond to our actions in kind, thus leading cooperative "ethical" people to reap the benefits of cooperation and uncooperative "unethical" people to suffer from non-cooperation, yes. Karma as a metaphysical force, no.

03-19-2002, 03:39 PM	#3
tronvillain Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 5,658	There is no karma - some terrible people will live long and happy lives, while some wonderful people will live short and unpleasant lives. People are not ultimately held accountable for their actions, except by other people.

03-19-2002, 05:24 PM	#5
hinduwoman Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: India Posts: 6,977	Exactly. Believe in any metaphysical force, and before you know it, you are in trouble.

03-19-2002, 05:44 PM	#6
MadMordigan Beloved Deceased Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Vancouver BC Canada Posts: 2,704	Believe in any metaphysical force, and before you know it, you are in trouble. My astrologer told me the same thing.

03-20-2002, 04:48 AM	#7
Jamie_L Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: U.S. Posts: 2,565	Karma is one metaphysical idea I really wish were true. It would be a pseudo-theological system that would make sense and be easy to live with and by. Alas, wishing does not make it so. Jamie

03-20-2002, 06:29 AM	#8
kctan Senior Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Heaven, just assasinated god Posts: 578	There is no such thing as karma. Its only use is to make the populace out there treat each other kindly.

03-20-2002, 09:19 AM	#9
DRFseven Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 2,322	SirenSpeak, if there were the metaphysical kind of karma you speak of, where would it come from? That would involve intent and no one has ever found any intent in the physical universe. In addition to intent, there would have to be such a thing as "good" or "bad" that existed on its own and how could that be? The type of karma PB speaks of, yes, I agree with him. Stimuli generate behaviors that are often common in animal behavior. Nice, friendly people tend to stimulate others to be nice and friendly to them, which, in turn, tends to make them feel ever nicer and friendlier. Same with mean, nasty people. This is, of course, only in general.

03-20-2002, 09:25 AM	#10
three4jump Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Useless Bay Posts: 1,434	My karma ran over your dogma.

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