Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Carrie · 07-08-2003, 01:36 PM

Do any of you think there is such a thing, that if you do good or bad, then good or bad will come back to you?

Shadowy Man · 07-08-2003, 02:07 PM

I thought that Karma has to do with your next life.

That is, what you do in this life will dictate your fortune in the next one, not this one.

Am I wrong?

Kthulhu · 07-08-2003, 02:14 PM

In a metaphysical/spiritual sense? Nah, for all the selective memories of people who got what was coming to them there are probably hundreds more examples of people who "got away with it" or lived the good life at the expense of others.

Now as a social construct I do believe there is something close. If you're an asshole to everyone and never lend a helping hand just see what happens when you're in need of a bit of help. Even so it's not a hard and fast rule. There are always bleeding hearts who are either too dumb to realize they are being used or too oblivious to care. Plus money seems to trump an awful lot of boorish behavior.

Was that an ambiguous enough of an answer?

~The Thing That Should Not Be

NonHomogenized · 07-08-2003, 02:34 PM

I don't believe in cosmic justice. I do believe in justice, as in, if you're a complete jerk, then bad things will be more likely to happen to you... at the hands of other people.
I am also a fan of things happening, which are ironically fitting.
For example, if someone were to beat up George W. Bush, and take his lunch money, I would laugh my ass off. Not that it's likely to happen, with all those secret service agents around.

MzNeko · 07-08-2003, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NonHomogenized
I am also a fan of things happening, which are ironically fitting.

I kind of like the time a guy tried to car-jack a minivan at a gas station. Turns out there was a martial arts competition team inside... he got the living crap kicked out of him.

I ate Pascal's Wafer · 07-08-2003, 03:24 PM

I'm with the others. I don't think there is some time of divine thing which causes good things to happen to good people and bad things to happen to bad people. Complete jackasses can have a perfectly good life, while a model person may have to deal with many hardships. However, I do think that if you treat people poorly, they will treat you poorly. If you treat them well, then they are likely to treat you well.

-Nick

echidna · 07-08-2003, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Carrie
Do any of you think there is such a thing, that if you do good or bad, then good or bad will come back to you?

Oh absolutely. If you do good or bad, then good or bad things will happen to you. Spooky huh.

never been there · 07-08-2003, 08:24 PM

If you put goodness into the world, you have a better world to live in. You inspire goodness in others, and so on, and eventually better things happen to you than if you had spread badness.

J.L.:

Quote:

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one

Volker.Doormann · 07-09-2003, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Carrie

"actio = reactio"
Isaac Newton

"Everything in the universe is the fruit of a just law, the law of causality, the law of cause and effect, the law of Karma."
Gautama Buddha

The causality law is independent of anyone's believe.

Volker

(Karma astrologer)

Amaranth · 07-09-2003, 12:45 PM

Bad news - Classic causality is bunk. Take a look at quantum theory sometime.

07-08-2003, 01:36 PM	#1
Carrie Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Midwest Posts: 424	Anyone believe in Karma? Do any of you think there is such a thing, that if you do good or bad, then good or bad will come back to you?

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07-08-2003, 02:07 PM	#2
Shadowy Man Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: A Shadowy Planet Posts: 7,585	I thought that Karma has to do with your next life. That is, what you do in this life will dictate your fortune in the next one, not this one. Am I wrong?

07-08-2003, 02:14 PM	#3
Kthulhu Regular Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: R'lyeh Posts: 217	In a metaphysical/spiritual sense? Nah, for all the selective memories of people who got what was coming to them there are probably hundreds more examples of people who "got away with it" or lived the good life at the expense of others. Now as a social construct I do believe there is something close. If you're an asshole to everyone and never lend a helping hand just see what happens when you're in need of a bit of help. Even so it's not a hard and fast rule. There are always bleeding hearts who are either too dumb to realize they are being used or too oblivious to care. Plus money seems to trump an awful lot of boorish behavior. Was that an ambiguous enough of an answer? ~The Thing That Should Not Be

07-08-2003, 02:34 PM	#4
NonHomogenized Veteran Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: no longer at IIDB Posts: 1,644	I don't believe in cosmic justice. I do believe in justice, as in, if you're a complete jerk, then bad things will be more likely to happen to you... at the hands of other people. I am also a fan of things happening, which are ironically fitting. For example, if someone were to beat up George W. Bush, and take his lunch money, I would laugh my ass off. Not that it's likely to happen, with all those secret service agents around.

07-08-2003, 03:24 PM	#6
I ate Pascal's Wafer Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Florida Posts: 1,460	I'm with the others. I don't think there is some time of divine thing which causes good things to happen to good people and bad things to happen to bad people. Complete jackasses can have a perfectly good life, while a model person may have to deal with many hardships. However, I do think that if you treat people poorly, they will treat you poorly. If you treat them well, then they are likely to treat you well. -Nick

07-09-2003, 12:45 PM	#10
Amaranth Regular Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kansas City Posts: 279	Bad news - Classic causality is bunk. Take a look at quantum theory sometime.

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