Witches Creed...

[LaFiamma]

Are you done, Lafiamma? And I -will- "don't you dare" you over something like that. Granted, I can't back it up with anything, but I most certainly don't appreciate being told that something is an immutable law of the universe when it is not.

Now, are we done vying for the last word?

Well, I might have been done. And I'm not after the last word, this isn't a pointless competition. However, I'm a little frustrated here. I didn't say that karma is "an immutable law of the universe".

Perhaps I didn't explain myself correctly.

Yes, I asked if gravity doesn't work whether you believe in it or not, but the point was, such a concept either exists or it doesn't, and if it does, it affects you, and spoke of what karma is-the results of your actions. Keep in mind that I'm going by the definition from the religions from whence the concept originated (I don't go by new age re-definitions of words and concepts) and based on that definition, even if you don't believe in past lives, there is still karma in your one life- the effects of any/all actions.

You made this statement in a previous comment:

And please don't state it as a fact, because people do bad things all the time and get away with it, because they don't get caught, or people don't say anything, or whatever. And they certainly wouldn't do what they do if it bothered their conscience to do so.

Karma, in its original meaning is not good or bad, it's not punishment or reward. It's simply cause and effect. People doing bad things does not negate the existence of karma any more than their getting punished proves it. Someone steals a wallet, perhaps his karma is getting arrested, or having a stolen wallet. Or a guilty conscience. Maybe it catches up with him three lives down the road. Who knows?

Please note that everything I'm saying here hinges on the *if* Yes, I've noted some things I find hard to dispute. That's my personal view, I'm not pushing it on you, I was simply speaking of what karma is (that is, is as a concept, not debating its existence. Clearly, I did not do a good job of explaining myself. My mistake, I should be more mindful.)

Now that I've explained myself as best as I can, I am done. If you like to comment further, the last word is all yours. If not...well, like I said, the last word wasn't my goal, simply making sure that I explained myself as best as I could.

In any event, hope you have a marvelous night.

[Makbawehuh]

For the sake of pettiness...


*yoinks the last word*

[watershield]

The major problem with attempting to understand the eastern view of Karma is a matter of adiquatly translating into english.
Even the Hindu faith (thought to be the origin of the concept) did not originally have the concept of Karma at the begining. Hinduism is something a tad older than 5,000 years, yet Karma was not included in any text until about 2100 2500 years ago (+/- a week or two).
And that previous comment on Gravity....that's a measurable effect that can be proven with science. While karma is dependant upon a belief in reincarnation which a belief (and possibly wishful thinking)
But no matter what your view, the only way to prove that it's not an invention of politics using religion as a tool, is to die and come back with perfect memory. If you should do that, look me up. I'd really like to resolve this issue once and for all.

In my view of the subject, consider;
I am the centre of my universe. Everything within my awareness revolves around me. You are the centre of your universe and everything within your awareness revolves around you.
The same can be stated for every entity
If I am the centre and you are the centre, then we are both /all in the same exact place and in fact are "one". Hence, anything that I do to you I do to myself.
You see, in my view, every thing is made of the same energy. We may have the illusion of being seperate, but in fact we are all linked.

Now that's not karma, it's just my view on the state of things.

[hedge*]

[Makbawehuh]

OKay. So I'll be getting ahold of you after I get ahold of WitchMomma. Damn... At this point there had better be some kind of afterlife, because I"m seriously getting to have this long list of people I have to look up later. >.<