Do you believe in karma?

[lightningandsnow]

Today, as I was walking through the parking lot on my way to lunch, a woman asked me for directions. I told her where to go, and commented that I liked her necklace - a green and pink peace sign necklace. She said "You can have it."

"What?" I said. "No, it's yours!"

"I don't need it. Here, you can have it," she said, and gave me the matching earrings she was wearing as well.

I thanked her profusely, and went on my way, blindsided by her generosity.

Then, I remembered a few days ago, I was walking home from volunteering on a political campaign. I encountered a homeless man who was selling copies of Street News. He asked me if I had any food on me, because he was hungry. I told him I didn't at the moment, but there was a Pizza Hut nearby and I could get him something. So, I bought him two personal pan pizzas and three orange juices.

I didn't think anything of it at the time, but I can't help but think that maybe that woman giving me her necklace was maybe the result of some kind of positive energy I sent out by buying that man pizza. Of course, that's not why I did it, but maybe when you do something nice for someone, it comes back to you. So, if you can, "pay it forward."

[RandomThoughts]

1. I don't believe in Karma.

Or I would have much more then I do, or Karma has a time lag to it.

Although I have many things, the things I don't have do not match Karmatic results.

And the things I do have are really cool, maybe they match Karma but seem more then what Karma would create.

If you think of the | as Karma level. This is what I have in two catagories, spiritual and material
++++++++++++++|+++++++++++...
+++...........|..............

So I keep getting more and more of the top line, but the bottom line has not moved much. And it really does not make Karmatic sense at all.

[kayakjohnny]

4. I fully agree about the possible time lag issue.

There's no reason to expect a payback at all, much less and instant one.

[RandomThoughts]

8. Oh I thought Karma was that concept.

I don't expect payback, because have never seen it. Although I expect it because it would be just, not for anything I have done over last years, because I really don't do much. But from other things.

Basically I have not seen that kind of justice in life.

But anyways, I may not understand what Karma is.

[kayakjohnny]

2. Yes I do believe. And what you did was great.

And you may have seen the direct result of your kind heart.

But of course there is no way to prove it.

So it's up to all of us to either accept or reject that theory.

Possibly even, at our own peril.

Nice story.

Thanks.

[Tobin S.]

3. Not really in that sense

I think if you go around doing nice things for people, them doing nice things for you is more likely to reciprocated than if you go around treating people like shit all of the time. I don't think of it as a magical or a supernatural kind of thing.

But regardless about what I and anyone else who is skeptical of supernatural claims says, keep doing what you are doing. You are helping to make the world a better place. We need lots of people like you and I'm trying to be like that, too.

[pitohui]

5. if you believe in karma you can (and do) walk on by those who suffer

after all "it's their karma they deserve it i leave them to it"

no, i don't believe in karma, in fact, it's a hateful "blame the victim" type of belief

YOUR specific story is charming but, in practice, for most, karma is an excuse to blame people for getting sick (well, they smoked or their daddy smoked or they worked in a coal mine but they somehow EARNED lung cancer) or for being raped (you shouldn't have worn that dress) -- there's always a reason why the bad thing happened to that person, so the believer in karma can satisfy themselves smugly that the bad thing cant happen to them

karma -- "cause and effect" as its believers like to say -- is pretty much a hateful, oversimplified belief that if something has happened to you, it's all of your own doing

since i was born w. a genetic disease i obviously do not believe in karma and i will forever hate/resent those who blamed me and thought it was something i did (in the womb? BEFORE I WAS FUCKING BORN?) that caused me to be deformed

THAT'S "cause and effect" too, i guess...

[lost-in-nj]

10. wow

I am glad I don't live in your world.....
I don't hate and resent you
and no one said it's your fault....

"no, i don't believe in karma, in fact, it's a hateful "blame the victim" type of belief"
that's what you said

I DO believe in it



Karma does not blame the victim....
where on earth did you get that Idea?????

Karma usually takes care of the victim
and scorns the abuser....

I have seen it's power.....
and never has the victim been blamed
I am sorry for your genetic disease... it is NOT your fault
nor is it Karma


Karma is cause and effect
you did nothing to cause your defect
so it is not Karma.....

lost

[La Lioness Priyanka]

12. i agree with you

[Curmudgeoness]

6. If you told me "where to go", I wouldn't have been so nice to you.

So it must have been karma. Or the necklace was a gift from her ex, who just left her for a younger woman and she just wanted to get rid of it.

That was a really nice thing you did.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

7. Yeah, I have to. Not believing in it would drive me crazy.

I also have to believe that I have no right to witness the "payback." Someone does something less than honorable, I have to trust that the wheel will turn and I may not be there to see it when it happens. If we lust for payback, we're no better than the person who behaved without honor.

[Lilith Velkor]

9. No.

See: Augusto Pinochet, for one of many many many examples.

[elocs]

11. Absolutely not. Good and bad things happen to those who deserve it and those who don't.

The Bible says that the rain falls and the sun shines upon the just and the unjust. That's a nice religious way of saying "shit happens".

[rrneck]

13. No. I don't believe in karma.

I believe in people. When I see people at their best, my beliefs are confirmed.

I believe in you.

[AsahinaKimi]

14. Absolutely

But then I am (some what)Buddhist, and being from a parent who was Shinto Buddhist, and one who was fully Buddhist, I tend to be a little bit superstitious. For example I would never ever stick chopsticks in rice, and always say "itadakimasu" before I eat. Guess I am just wired that way.

[jobycom]

15. No, but I believe that if you treat people well, you will enjoy your life more

and if you treat people like crap, you will not be as happy being you, and you will notice the bad things that happen more. It's easy to say "I did that right, so I deserve this," or "I was a jerk, I deserved to have that happen." It's a nice little accounting system that makes you focus on what you did right and wrong in your life. But I don't believe there is any cause and effect there. It's just a helpful way to tally your score.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

16. I thought there was more to it than that.

:shrug:

cool story though.

[quakerboy]

17. Not even a little

I would not be where I am in life, were Karma a player. In fact, there are a whole lotta people I know who would not be where they are. My aunt just lost her house. She's the one that takes care of everyone, takes in strays of both the 2 and 4 legged type, and generally just helps people. Bush lives in luxury without any conscience. Karma is a fraud, on a level with telling your kids they have to eat their veggies so they can go to heaven.

sorry. I admire what you did. Keep doing right.

[Deep13]

18. no. nt

[david13]

19. No. I see it as superstition. I see too many evil people living well.

And too many decent, kind and generous people in dire straits.
In your example, I don't wear necklaces nor earrings. So I would only be stuck with them. If I were to compliment her on them, I would mean 'they look good' on her. Not me.
But I think someone else said it right. With kindness and your concern for others, you will enjoy yourself and your life more.
dc

[applegrove]

21. No. Life can be very unfair to good people. There are some evil people walking around ready to

deminish or destroy another's life.

[MorningGlow]

20. I suppose I do

I believe in the "Rule of Three": "Whatsoever you do, for good or ill, comes back to you three times three times three." But it doesn't work on a direct one-to-one basis--a person does one good thing, so one good thing happens back. It's more an "energy shift"--like attracts like--people who do good deeds because they feel like it (not out of fear of punishment if they don't, nor out of a grudging sense of duty) have a more positive vibe about them, and they draw good things. And the reverse for suspicious, selfish, paranoid, or otherwise brittle-edged people.

Lightningandsnow, ya done good. :applause:

On edit: In response to those who say there is no karma because bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people--that's not how karma works (lavishing riches on good people and making bad people miserable). And when good people experience hardship, there are other factors involved. (In my belief system, that means that in this lifetime they chose to see what it feels like to...fill in the blank--have cancer, not have much money, etc. etc. etc.)

[Iggo]

22. It's a neat idea. But no.