Believe in it?

[WillO'Wisp]

I didn't see any threads about this, so I was wondering, how many of you believe in karma? I strongly believe in it, as I have seen it to make its way around like a cycle.

[firecracker]

I am a HUGE believer in karma. It's pretty much my entire life philosophy.

[savealife723]

I'm not really sure.
It's definitely not something that I'm strongly for or against.
I really don't have much of an opinion on it. Haha.

[Heartlines.]

I absolutely believe in Karma. Agreed said above ^^

[Skeleton]

Yeah, I believe in karma :]

[BasicFacts]

Absolutely not. I've never understood why someone would.
Then again, I'm a pessimist, so karma is a weird concept to me.

[Jack]

Nope, I have no idea how you can believe in Karma when you think about how some of the most horrible people in the world are the most successful. Similarly, terrible things happen to the nicest of people. If karma exists then all those children in Africa must be REALLY horrible people.

I do believe that if you're generally good and kind to others then generally that is reflected in their attitude back towards you which may make it appear that karma exists. I'd say karma exists in that if you do nice things for others they are far more likely to do nice things for you in return, but I wouldn't really call that karma as it's more simple social contract.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

I don't believe in karma at all. It may sound nice that nice people get nice things but that's in fairy-tale land. In the actual world, that doesn't happen. Some of the meanest people can be the most successful while some of the nicest can utterly fall flat on their face and fail. In social interactions, it's part of social processing and norms that if you treat someone nicely, they're more likely to treat you nicely. That's not karma, that's social interaction not only of humans but of other animals also. If you ever watch 2 dogs, if dog A snaps at dog B, then dog B isn't going to sit their wagging its tail while it may get bit. No, dog B likely will become aggressive for defensive purposes and for that time, not want to be around dog A.

[sassygurlone]

I said yes but reading Jack's response kind of has me rethinking it.

[echokay]

naw, i dont. terrible things happen to amazing people.
it's a nice idea though.

[Maverick.]

I do. However, there are some moments in life where I just don't believe it's true. I have seen many moments in life, where karma doesn't really play it's role.

[Nicole!]

I'd like to believe in karma. There are a lot of people that I wish would get a good punch in the face for all they have done.

[Kitty.]

Jack summed it up well.
I do not believe in karma.

[MegaMadness]

Kind of haha

[xxpaigiexx]

I believe that karma does exist.

[Nomatophobia]

Originally Posted by Jack

Nope, I have no idea how you can believe in Karma when you think about how some of the most horrible people in the world are the most successful. Similarly, terrible things happen to the nicest of people. If karma exists then all those children in Africa must be REALLY horrible people.

I do believe that if you're generally good and kind to others then generally that is reflected in their attitude back towards you which may make it appear that karma exists. I'd say karma exists in that if you do nice things for others they are far more likely to do nice things for you in return, but I wouldn't really call that karma as it's more simple social contract.

I agree with this. If someone who has caused humiliation upon you gets a "taste of their own medicine", then it's just coincidence of astronomical proportions and not Karma.

[Discombobulated]

Yes to a degree, but then Jack's post made me think

[Palmolive]

Originally Posted by Jack

Nope, I have no idea how you can believe in Karma when you think about how some of the most horrible people in the world are the most successful. Similarly, terrible things happen to the nicest of people. If karma exists then all those children in Africa must be REALLY horrible people.

I do believe that if you're generally good and kind to others then generally that is reflected in their attitude back towards you which may make it appear that karma exists. I'd say karma exists in that if you do nice things for others they are far more likely to do nice things for you in return, but I wouldn't really call that karma as it's more simple social contract.

Well I blumin voted yes and then read this. I have alot of thinking to do now

[Anatidaephobia]

Originally Posted by Jack

Nope, I have no idea how you can believe in Karma when you think about how some of the most horrible people in the world are the most successful. Similarly, terrible things happen to the nicest of people. If karma exists then all those children in Africa must be REALLY horrible people.

I do believe that if you're generally good and kind to others then generally that is reflected in their attitude back towards you which may make it appear that karma exists. I'd say karma exists in that if you do nice things for others they are far more likely to do nice things for you in return, but I wouldn't really call that karma as it's more simple social contract.

completely agree

[Jocelyn.]

I don't believe in any magical force that makes bad things happen to bad people and vice versa.

I like to believe that bad people make bad things happen to themselves. Its really easy for "bad" people to burn a lot of bridges and eventually get caught or in trouble for the things they do.

It takes strength and hard work to do good things and be a good person and I would hope doing positive things would eventually pay of for that person even if is just as simple as a sense of fulfillment and purpose.

But some good people just have bad luck and get crapped on. Some bad people have good luck and are very successful in being a horrible and deceitful. Technically, I don't really believe in luck either but you get my point

[Boobies]

If it exists I think it's broken...

[01love]

I believe in karma. If I don't, I might develop some serious anger issues.

[Xujhan]

I understand why people would want to believe in karma; the universe seems like a nicer place if it's fair. But like Jack said, I think if you actually think about what it implies, it's a pretty horrible thing to believe in. Would you rather believe that awful things happen to millions of innocent people - including children - or that all those people are actually evil at heart to begin with? I think it's much more sensible to look at the world, observe that fatally bad things often happen to good people, and conclude that karma doesn't exist.

[WillO'Wisp]

I believe people are unforunate and have bad things happen to them, like the kids in Africa, but in return, these people have alot of sympathy and people who try to help them like people who go there to help feed people in Africa and try their best to help homeless people, so in return they get good things too.
But as for the assholes who MAY be successful, you may or may not see it, but they keep their unhappiness and bitterness that makes them the assholes they are buried beneath so nobody can see how unhappy they really are. Thus, that's karma because they continue to be an asshole they feel like the assholes they are. Therefore, they are never happy because of the lives they choose to lead and they refuse to change.

[WillO'Wisp]

I also like to believe that if someone lies and keeps decieving people, or a guy keeps using girls, eventually he is going to piss off an unstable girl who might cut off his penis. I've heard of things like this happening. I'm sorry if that's a bit graphic but that's how I see karma as. It can be a real bitch.
People can't continue to get away with bad deeds and not expect it to come back and bite them on the ass.

[Xujhan]

Originally Posted by *Nocturnal~Symphony*

I believe people are unforunate and have bad things happen to them, like the kids in Africa, but in return, these people have alot of sympathy and people who try to help them like people who go there to help feed people in Africa and try their best to help homeless people, so in return they get good things too.
But as for the assholes who MAY be successful, you may or may not see it, but they keep their unhappiness and bitterness that makes them the assholes they are buried beneath so nobody can see how unhappy they really are. Thus, that's karma because they continue to be an asshole they feel like the assholes they are. Therefore, they are never happy because of the lives they choose to lead and they refuse to change.

A kid is born in Africa, lives severely malnorished for a few years, then is run over by a truck and killed. How the heck is that remotely karmatic? I think saying "but they have people who care about them" seriously trivializes the plight of people in underdeveloped parts of the world; we have people who care about us in the first world too, but we don't have to live amongst drought, famine, plague, warfare, and death to receive it.

[01love]

Originally Posted by *Nocturnal~Symphony*

I also like to believe that if someone lies and keeps decieving people, or a guy keeps using girls, eventually he is going to piss off an unstable girl who might cut off his penis.

Lovely, I may need to start quoting you every time I talk about karma now haha (:

[MacGuffin]

I think that people attract the energy they give off, so in a way I guess I believe in karma.

[Topher]

Well, it's kind of hard for me to NOT believe in it. Within the past year, I had broken a teammates clavicle (collarbone) during football practice. During wrestling later that year, I broke another teammates collarbone. That same week, I broke my collarbone during a match...Twice.... : )

[BasicFacts]

^How is that karma?

[Sythan]

Yup, I am a big believer in Karma.

[Celestial.]

To an extent, yes.

[Guile]

Nope, I think it's a joke.

You make your own fate.

[Marguerite]

I know this has already been said (weird because I was talking about it today) but I think it's rich of us to say in wealthy countries how we deserve what we have because we're just so damn good, but everyone in third world countries are horrible.

Karma only works one way for most people. I doubt anyone who pats themselves on the back after getting a promotion and attributes it to the $10 they gave to charity would say that they got cancer because they were a horrible person.

However, I do believe that people who treat others like shit won't get far and will get treated the same in return. That's just human nature, it has nothing to do with spirituality.

[AnaMZ]

Nope, not at all. The implication is therefore that people in third world countries were somehow born more horrible or are more evil than those in first world countries, is it not?

Do good things because it is the right thing to do. If a bad thing happens to you that was not set in action by somebody, then accept that it was an accident. Don't spend your whole life tallying up what you do and don't deserve. Occasionally, shit just happens.

[Soliloquy]

Originally Posted by Jack

I do believe that if you're generally good and kind to others then generally that is reflected in their attitude back towards you which may make it appear that karma exists. I'd say karma exists in that if you do nice things for others they are far more likely to do nice things for you in return, but I wouldn't really call that karma as it's more simple social contract.

In this sense, I believe that karma exists. But I do not believe in any kind of mystical definition, so I voted no.

[Celestial.]

Originally Posted by Jack

Nope, I have no idea how you can believe in Karma when you think about how some of the most horrible people in the world are the most successful. Similarly, terrible things happen to the nicest of people. If karma exists then all those children in Africa must be REALLY horrible people.

My view is that karma exists, but doesn't account for everything.
So, good things can happen to bad people, and vice versa, with no rhyme or reason.
But in general, you reap what you sow, so to speak.

[Anthropomorphic]

I voted "yes", but in truth it's only to a certain point. I don't believe in the absolute idea of Karma as it was originally conceived in a spiritual/religious sense. But I do like to believe that all good actions will be reciprocated, and bad intentions and deeds are not unpunished.

[The Devil's Advocate ??]

I really don't believe in karma...Sure, it's a nice idea, but I don't see it happening. Yeah, actions have their consequences. If you do something bad to someone, you can be fairly sure something bad is going to happen to you. That's just how people react. Some repay mean actions with kindness, so perhaps the reaction will be the complete opposite. It's all dependent on the person the action is committed against.

If I can just put in an afterthought though, if Karma existed, I have a feeling the big business chains wouldn't have made it as far as they have. (Or does Karma only affect oneself after death?)

[~Mr. Self Destruct~]

I believe in karma about as much as I believe in magical elves.
So no, I don't believe in "karma".